A&M-商务 研究生 学生 and Faculty Present at Texas Counseling Association Conference

Seventeen graduate students and four faculty members from the Department of Counseling at A&M-商务 were selected to present their research at the 62^nd Annual Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference in 达拉斯 November 14 through 17. The event is the association's largest annual conference, drawing approximately 2,000 professional counselors.

A&M-商务 students and faculty shared their knowledge and research on a variety of current topics in the counseling field.  根据博士. Zaidy MohdZain, department head for counseling, “Our presence at this state-level professional conference speaks volumes of the caliber of our doctoral students and the professional reputation of our faculty.”

博士 students Erin Kaszynski, Shirin Khosravi, Desiree Stephens and 艾丽卡Pouncie spoke to conference attendees about the role of school counselors in identifying, 说话, and implementing interventions and coping strategies for traumatized children. Kaszynski stated, “My colleagues and I specialize in trauma work and wanted to facilitate growth and support on this topic because it is not covered in the core curriculum of most counselor education programs.” According to Kaszynski, untreated trauma symptoms can lead to increased emotional and psychological distress later in life.

博士 student Kimberly Pearson presented her research on how narrative therapy facilitates post-traumatic growth in families living in shelters or transitional housing. Pearson reported that, “Individuals facing homelessness will experience PTSD, and counselors must utilize evidence-based techniques to reduce the symptoms within a short period of time.”

MohdZain stated that several master's students from the counseling program also attended the conference, which provided a valuable learning experience. “We not only teach them in the classrooms and counseling laboratories, but we also extend our experiential learning to the real professional world of counselors,” MohdZain said. 研究生 students also represented A&M-商务's counseling program at an information booth on the main conference floor.

Presenters from A&M-商务 included doctoral students Nicole Allen, Crystal Brashear, Damion戴维斯, Fariba Ehteshami, 乔希·弗里曼, Joshua Hawkins, 唐娜Hickman, 可爱的自己, Erin Kaszynski, Shirin Khosravi, 娜塔莉·诺克斯, Marianna Oller, 艾丽卡Pouncie, 莎拉Silveus, Desiree Stephens and Nancy Thomas; master's student Bradley Chilcote; and faculty members Dr. Stephen Armstrong, Dr. Chester Robinson, Dr. Erika Schmit and Dr. Michael Schmit.