Department of Counselor Education
Chair: Dr. Mary Nichter
The Department of Counselor Education currently offers only a minor in Human Services at the undergraduate level. The department offers graduate degrees in School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. See the current graduate catalog for more details.
COUN 2332. Career Development. 3 Hours.
This course will help students explore a lifelong plan for career development. Students will use real life assessments to determine aptitudes, interests and values related to careers. Students will learn how to utilize on campus and internet resources to develop resumes, portfolios and practice job interviewing skills. Activities in this course are designed to give students an advantage for entering the job market.
COUN 3321. Intro To Helping Relationship. 3 Hours.
This course will provide an introduction to the helping relationship, especially as it relates to educational and community settings. Students will be challenged to consider their motivations, needs, and goals related to the art of helping. Students will engage in a service learning project as part of exploring the nature of the helping relationship. Students will also be introduced to basic attitudes, dispositions and skills needed for helping relationships and counseling.
COUN 3322. Career Development. 3 Hours.
This course will help students explore a lifelong plan for career development. Students will use real life assessments to determine aptitudes, interests and values related to careers. Students will learn how to utilize on campus and internet resources to develop resumes, portfolios and practice job interviewing skills. Activities in this course are designed to give students an advantage for entering the job market.
COUN 3331. Intro To Principles Of Counsln. 3 Hours.
This course will provide students with an overview of the counseling profession to include professional issues, ethics, history, credentialing, professional associations, and roles of counselors in various settings. Emphasis is placed on the development of professional identity, the value of the counseling relationship, and theory. Students will choose from several activities allowing them to recognize the value of counseling in human service activities.
COUN 3332. Therapeutic Play Skills. 3 Hours.
Participants will learn the basic principles that guide child-centered play sessions via didactic and experiential activities. The course will help participants understand how child-centered play sessions facilitate the recognition and expression of feelings in children, as well as strengthen problem-solving skills, pro-social skills, and engagement with parents. Students will role-play facilitative skills including recognizing and responding to childrenis feelings, play session limit setting, and building children's self-esteem. Students will have opportunities to observe live and video taped child-centered play sessions.
COUN 4088. Special Topics in Counseling. 3 Hours.
COUN 4089. Independent Stdy in Counseling. 1-3 Hours.
This independent study course will allow the undergraduate student to conduct in-depth study in a specific topic area related to counseling and human services. Topics will vary as needs demand. May be repeated as scheduled topics vary.
COUN 4379. Wellness Counseling. 3 Hours.
This course is an introduction to the history of wellness and the contributions of various cultures to the wellness concept. Several models and theories for the practice of counseling are addressed. Behavior change models and current research related to specific wellness domains will be explored with a focus for working with clients from a wellness perspective.
Chair: Mary S. Nichter
Rick A. Bruhn, Ed.D., Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ed.D., East Texas State University; M.S.Ed., University of Wisconsin-Stout; B.A., University of Wisconsin-Stout
Jamiylah Y. Butler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., The Ohio State University; M.A., The Ohio State University; M.S.Ed., Baylor University; B.A., University of Pennsylvania
Yvonne Garza, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.S.W., Our Lady of the Lake University; B.S.W., The University of Texas-Pan American
Richard C. Henriksen, Ph.D., Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Texas AM University-Commerce; M.S., Texas AM University-Commerce; B.S., Texas AM University-Commerce
Amanda C. La Guardia, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Old Dominion University; M.A., East Tennessee State University; B.S., East Tennessee State University
David M. Lawson, Ph.D., Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., North Texas State University; M.Ed., Stephen F. Austin State University; B.S., Stephen F. Austin State University
Chi-Sing Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Texas AM University-Commerce; M.Ed., The University of Louisiana at Monroe; M.Ed., The University of Louisiana at Monroe; B.A., The University of Texas at Austin
Mary S. Nichter, Ph.D., Professor of Counselor Education and Chair, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Texas Woman's University; M.S., University of Houston-Clear Lake; B.S.Ed., University of Houston
Rebecca A. Robles-Pina, Ph.D., Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Texas AM University; M.A., Western Michigan University; B.A., Texas AM University
Sheryl A. Serres, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Texas AM University - Commerce; M.Ed., Sam Houston State University; B.S., East Texas Baptist University
Hayley L. Stulmaker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.S., Texas Woman's University; B.A., The University of Texas at Austin
Jeffrey M. Sullivan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.S., University of North Texas; B.A., The University of Texas at Austin
Richard E. Watts, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.A., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; B.M.Ed., Sam Houston State University
Interim Faculty
Tina B. Ainsworth, M.A., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, M.A., Sam Houston State University; B.S., Sam Houston State University
Susan I. Bajza, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.A., Sam Houston State University; B.S., University of Houston; B.A., Texas AM University, Kingsville
Stephanie J. Bluth, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University (IP); M.A., Adams State College; B.A., Adams State College
Emily A. DeFrance, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of Detroit; M.A., University of Detroit; B.A., West Virginia Wesleyan College
Dustin S. Ellis, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University (IP); M.A., Sam Houston State University; B.A., Houston Baptist University
Evelyne K. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.A., Sam Houston State University; B.A., University of Houston
Gary K. Hood, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., University of North Texas; M.Ed., Abilene Christian University; B.S.Ed., Abilene Christian University
Steven L. Lackey, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.Ed., Lamar University; B.S., Baylor University
Ian M. Lertora, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; MA, Sam Houston State University; B.S., Southern Arkansas University
Ya Wen Liang, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.Ed., University of North Texas; B.A., Providence University
Kimberly J. McGough, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.S., University of Houston, Clear Lake; B.A., University of Houston
Judith A. Nelson, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Capella University; M.A., The University of Texas at San Antonio; B.S.Ed., The University of Texas at Austin
Denise A. Peterson, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.Ed., Texas State University; B.A.T., Sam Houston State University
Ruby Rodriguez-Almendarez, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.S., Sam Houston State University; B.S., Sam Houston State University; B.A.C.J., Sam Houston State University
Tiffany T. Simon, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University; M.A., Prairie View AM University; B.S., Prairie View AM University
Naomi L. Timm, Ph.D., Lecturer of Counselor Education, Department of Counselor Education, Ph.D., Sam Houston State University (IP); M.A., Sam Houston State University; B.S., Minnesota State University
