Department News
2023 Doctoral and Masters Graduating Students
All of our amazing students who graduated this semester
2023 Doctoral Graduates
Back Row, Left to Right: (Faculty) Dr. Ngonidzashe Mpofu, Dr. David Kleist, Dr. Steve Moody, Dr. Leslie Stewart, Dr. Chad Yates.
Front Row, Left to Right: Zhaoxuan (Daisy) Zhou, Kimberly Leishman, Hannah Brinser
2023 Doctoral Graduates
Jorge Lopez, Amanda Arnold
Meridian Graduates
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Back Row, Left to Right: Brianna Holmes, Nikki Greatwood, Amanda Arnold (Ph.D.), Victoria Brenner, Alyssa Roberts, Tage Gould, Tiffani Redmond, Cassie Mills, Alicia Farina, Lee Stewart.
Front Row, Left to Right: Brooke Ballenberg, Chelise King, Sadie Macquarrie, Alyssa Smollack, Dylan Haas.
Pocatello Graduates
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Back Row, Left to Right: Dr. David Kleist, Sydney Williamson, Dr. Ngonidzashe Mpofu
Third Row, Left to Right: Jonathan Muir, Christopher Cole-Clegg, Kristi Southwick, Madison Taylor, Kimberly Leishman (Ph.D.), Zhaoxuan (Daisy) Zhou (Ph.D.)
Second Row, Left to Right: Keaton Suitter, Jorey Bailey, Candice Robbins, Hannah Siuda, Keana Fawcett, McKenzee Klopfer, Hannah Brinser
Front Row, Left to Right: Dr. Steve Moody, Dr. Chad Yates, Dr. Leslie Stewart, Mosiah Castrejon, Kayleigh Krupp, Emma Nelson, Devin McComber, Amanda Bennett
Faculty and Student Publications
Publications from our amazing faculty and students
Victoria Brenner
Dr. Ngoni Mpofu
Dr. Ngoni Mpofu's article titled Autism Employment Initiative in a Global Business Managment Consultancy Firm: A Case Study was published in the Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Journal.
Drs. Leslie Stewart and Timothy Hakenewerth
Congratulations to Drs. Leslie Stewart and Timothy Hakenewerth's latest article, Using Holistic and Ethical Practices with Emotional Support Animal Requests published in the Journal for Creativity in Mental Health.
Dr. Aishwarya Joshi
Dr. Aishwarya Joshi in a collaborated paper with Dr. Christian Chan and Dr. Lindsdale (Dale) Graham, published Convergences of Oppression for International Racially Minoritized Doctoral Students in the Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling.
Grants
Dr. Bryan Austin
Assistant Professor Dr. Austin has been awarded a $5000 grant through the Office for Research. The grants is titled, “Value and Efficacy of Certification in Health Professions: A Qualitative Analysis of Counselor Perceptions of the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Credential” Congratulations Dr. Austin!
Graduate Student Awards
Congratulations to Lupe Meyer! NBCC Foundation Addiction Counseling Fellows recipient
Lupe Meyer is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is currently a master’s student in the clinical mental health counseling program at Idaho State University Meridian Campus. Lupe intends to work with individuals affected by domestic abuse and substance addictions, including women and children. She also intends to provide counseling services and substance use treatment in both English and Spanish.
Lupe has an interest in learning about trauma and the evidence-based interventions used for treatment. Earning this fellowship will allow her to attend conferences and trainings that will help establish her professional counselor identity. She hopes to help increase awareness for the mental health profession and reduce the stigma surrounding it. This fellowship will also give her the opportunity to create a network of support from other mental health professionals and learn how to best serve and advocate for the underserved communities in her area.
Congratulations to Amirah Nelson!
Amirah R. Nelson is a proud recipient of the Dr. Daya & Mrs. Usha K. Sandhu Multicultural Counseling/Diversity Student Research Award from the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development.
This research grant will help fund her dissertation to fulfill the requirements to earn her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. She will explore the processes of how to support and retain Black women that are counselor educators and supervisors at predominately white institutions. Her methodology will use a Qualitative approach that uses Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2006; Corbin & Strauss, 2015).
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Congratulations to doctoral student Zhaoxuan (Daisy) Zhou for the Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC) Graduate Student Award!
The Graduate Student Award recognizes an outstanding ACC graduate student member at the masters or doctoral level who has participated in promoting creative, diverse, and relational approaches to counseling or whose scholarship promotes creative, diverse, and relational expression in counseling.The full announcement can be found at https://www.creativecounselor.org/conference
Dr. Beverly Hines
Congratulations Dr. Beverly Hines!
Dr. Beverly Hines is a 2021 recipient of the ACES Graduate Student Committee (GSC) scholarship
A highlight of Beverly Hines’ time in the doctoral program at Idaho State University has been teaching and supervising new counselors-in-training (CIT). She finds it meaningful and satisfying to journey with students as they engage in counseling skills development while they also navigate the personal growth that inevitably goes with it. Her research interests involve exploring factors that facilitate the creation of a strong supervisory alliance, gatekeeping and remediation, and effective instructional techniques for teaching counseling skills to CIT’s. As a past-president of the Idaho Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA), Beverly particularly enjoys facilitating the IMHCA-sponsored state-wide virtual peer consultation groups for mental health providers that she helped launch in 2019.
Congratulations to doctoral student Amanda Arnold for her co-authored published article "'I can't push off my own Mental Health': Chilly STEM Climates, Mental Health, and STEM Persistence among Black, Latina, and White Graduate Women". Read the full article:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-021-01262-1
Conferences
Congratulations to faculty and doctoral students on their presentations
2023 Rocky Mountain Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
Gantt-Howrey, A. : (2023, October). Minimally acceptable cognitive complexity for graduating counselors in training. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado.
Brookover, D. L., Johnson, K. F., Gantt-Howrey, A., Clemons, K. L., & Robins, L. B. : (2023, October). Anti-racist health equity focused school counseling internship: Process and outcomes. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado.
Shantelle Tjaden, Dr. Leslie Stewart, Conner Vrba and Kaius Hall : Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Animals, Service Animals... OH MY! What Every Counselor Educator Should Know and Teach about the Human-Animal Bond in Counseling.
Michael Kocet, Jillian Blueford, Elizabeth Horn: Integrating Grief and Loss in the Counselor Education Curriculum.
Chad Yates Ph.D., Angelica Castillo, Pam Vance: : Infusing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into Supervision.
Hana Meshesha, H & Sabyrkulova, S.: Cultivating Best Co-Supervision Relationship in Group Supervision.
Dr. Katie Sacco, Drs. Vik and Moody: Rocky Mountain High: Integrating Adventure-Based Education in Counseling Classrooms.
Dr. Renee Howells: Poster Presentation on a paper recently accepted for publication: Simple Not Easy: A Phenomenological Study of School Counselor Clinical Supervision Experiences.
Dr. Ngonidzashe Mpofu: Graduate Student Lounge: Transition to work Q&A for doctoral students and early professionals.
Dr. Leslie Stewart, Dr. Katie Sacco, Shantelle Tjaden, Conner Vrba: Professional Development Collaboration at the Denver Zoo.
2021 Idaho Counseling Association
Distinguished Presenter, Seneka Arrington: Advocacy for Families Facing Poverty: A Systemic Approach
Anna Baird-Udy, Aileen Tierney, Minna Yoo - *ETHICS* - Ethical Considerations for Practicing Counselors
Hannah Brinser: Using Reality Therapy/Choice Theory to Support Children and Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Concerns.
Hannah Brinser: Remediation and Gatekeeping best Practices for Clinical Supervisors.
Jorge Lopez and Pamela Vance: Becoming a Multicultural Ally to People Living with Disabilities: The Importance of Multiculturalism for Rehabilitation Counselors.
Jessica Henderson, Ph.D., Steve Moody, Ph.D., Beronica Salazar, Ph.D.: Making an Impact through Counselor Leadership.
Leslie Stewart, Ph.D.: The Human-Animal Bond in Counseling: Ethics and Applied Strategies Beyond AAT.
Chad Yates; Ph.D.: Problematic Technology Usage: Treating Clients in a Digital Age.
Bethany Townsend, Ph.D., LPC, NNC, Jessica Henderson, Rick Boyes, Ph.D., LCPC, Kimberly Leishman, MA, LPC: Advanced Supervision: Parts I & II.
2021 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
Abigail Crouse, Amirah Nelson, and Emily Anderson: Demystifying the Process: Discussion on the Journey from Graduate Student to Faculty
Chad Yates, LPC, Steven Moody, Edson Andrade, Seneka Arrington, LMFT-S, LPC: An Introduction to Q Method
Kelsey Sarasqueta-Allen, Lindsay Vik, LPC; NCC: From Seeds to Blooms: Cultivating Social Justice and Advocacy Strategies in Counselor Education to Foster Macrosystemic Equity
Loidaly Gonzlez-Rosario, M.S.; NCC, Melinda Gibbons, Christopher LaFever, LPCC-S (KY), LCADC (KY), NCC, Jennifer M. Hightower, PhD: Developing Social Justice Leaders and Advocates through Internships for Doctoral Students
Randall Astramovich, Ph.D., LPC, Lee Freed, Daisy Zhaoxuan Zhou: Facilitating Advocacy Counseling Skills in Counselor Education and Supervision: Utilizing an Advocacy Evaluation Framework
Amanda Arnold, NCC, Hannah Brinser, NCC, Certified School Counselor (ESA-School Counselor):The Impact of Beginning Practicum Experiences on Counselor-in-Training Mental Health: Implications for Counselor Educators
Chad Yates, LPC, William Lane, LPC (ID); NCC, Caroline Brown: The Inclusion of Problematic Smartphone Usage within Addictions Curriculum
Kelsey Sarasqueta-Allen, Lindsay Vik, LPC; NCC, Seneka Arrington, LMFT-S, LPC, Aishwarya Joshi: Understanding the Embodiment of Micro-Skills in Counselors in Training (CITs)
Idaho State University/Idaho Counseling Association Supervisors of the Year
Congratulations to both of these amazing supervisors!
Meridian Campus - Jessica Ivancic
Jessica Ivancic graduated in 2012 with her Bachelor of Science in psychology from Boise State University. She then received her Master of Science in Clinical Counseling from Northwest Nazarene University. Upon graduation, Jessica secured a clinician position with the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections where she specialized in assessment and diagnostics, co-occurring disorders, and sexual misconduct. It was here that she discovered a passion for supervising and had several interns from various university successfully complete their hours under her guidance. Jessica also worked as the site director and clinical supervisor for a large mental health agency in Nampa. Currently, Jessica is transitioning from the community agency into private practice where she will continue to work with at-risk youth, complex trauma, and members of the LGBTQAAI2S+ community. She hopes to continue to provide supervision to students seeking to be involved in private practice upon their graduation.
Pocatello Campus - Scott Hurst
I graduated from ISU in 2013 with my Bachelor Degree in Psychology. I then earned my Master of School Counseling degree in 2015, also from Idaho State University. I got a job as a school counselor in the Blackfoot School District, where I was a counselor for three elementary schools. I then moved on to Shelley School District, where I was a counselor at only one elementary school. I worked with grades K – 2 in Shelley. After two years in Shelley I moved to the Idaho Falls School District where I am in my fourth year as a counselor at Skyline High School. I love being at the High School and connecting with students. From 2016 to 2019 I also did Mental Health counseling at a clinic in Blackfoot. While I was there I worked with ages 5 – 45, with my main caseload elementary aged children. In 2020 I was approved to provide post-graduate supervision for those pursuing an LPC in Idaho. I am excited to be a supervisor and have enjoyed my opportunities to help those working towards their counseling goals.
Thesis/Dissertation Defense
Congratulations to the following students for successfully defending their theses/dissertations
2023 Doctoral Dissertations
Back Row, Left to Right: (Faculty) Dr. Ngonidzashe Mpofu, Dr. David Kleist, Dr. Steve Moody, Dr. Leslie Stewart, Dr. Chad Yates
Front Row, Left to Right: Zhaoxuan (Daisy) Zhou, Kimberly Leishman, Hannah Brinser
2023 Doctoral Dissertations
Jorge Lopez, Amanda Arnold
(Meridian)
Program Achievements
Amazing achievements by Department of Counseling Programs
Certificate in Animal Assisted Interventions International Recognition
The Idaho State University Department of Counseling’s Certificate in Animal Assisted Interventions was identified by Animal Assisted Interventions International (AAII) as a key educational institution to support AAII’s mission and strategic plan.
On November 12, 2020, was accepted as part of the inaugural Education Institution Members of Animal Assisted Interventions International.
Animal Assisted Interventions International (AAII) is a non-profit association and coalition of practitioners, individuals, or organizations that has a strong foundation of positive interactions with people and animals, at all stages in the AAII continuum (training, handling, treating, educating, etc.) It is built to have a solid foundation in standards of practice and embraces sharing of quality professional level information. AAII currently has members in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Oceania. AAII prides itself in collaborating with AAI related individuals, organizations, and institutions worldwide. AAII members and the Board of Directors have spent the past 7 years developing practical standards, competencies, and accreditation for Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) work. AAII identified key areas for development within professional discipline member organizations, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and organizations that support those working in animal assisted activities (AAA), animal assisted education (AAE), animal assisted therapy (AAT), and other professionals in AAI work. While AAIs have a rich history, there is much work to be done in the area of uniform terminology, standards, education, competencies, accreditation/certifications/qualifications, evaluation, and research to fit the uniqueness of each branch of AAIs. To support AAII’s key areas for development and strategic planning, AAII invited key educational institutions that are involved in AAIs to become the inaugural Educational Institution Members of AAII and contribute to the worldwide development of this rapidly growing discipline. This 3-year membership term is from 2021-2024, after which time members will be eligible for re-application.
New Faculty
The Department of Counseling is pleased to welcome these new members of faculty
Dr. Katie Sacco
We are pleased to recognize a new assistant professor and her success in graduating the PhD program here at ISU. Her research interests focus heavily on ecotherapy, adventure-based counseling, animal-assisted interventions, and creative teaching/supervision processes. Katie serves as the School Counseling Coordinator and Student Affairs Coordinator and is excited to continue to support these programs as a faculty member.
Other News
AVSAB Humane Dog Training Position Statement
In August of 2021, The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior released a well-researched position statement on the importance of humane rewards-based training for pet wellness. Humane rewards-based training (and avoidance of aversive methods) is already well established as industry best practices in Animal-Assisted Interventions.
Want to learn more? The ISU Certificate in Animal Assisted Interventions includes in-depth coverage of humane training methods throughout every course in our curriculum.
Research on Anthrozoological Relationships (ROAR) Lab
The Idaho State University ROAR Lab is a collaborative research team focused on producing and diseminating high-quality empirical, theoretical, and outreach-based works relevant to the therapeutic application of mutually-beneficial human-animal relationships. The ROAR Lab mission includes promoting ethical best practices, evidence-based standards, humane education, and policymaking relevant to the human-animal bond in wellness; and, supporting and mentoring scholarship in masters and doctoral level students at Idaho State University.
