Counseling Center

Carla J. Mccowan (she, her, hers)
cmccowan@illinois.edu
Director
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Kentucky
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: Integrative with emphasis on interpersonal and developmental theories; short-term interventions often derived from cognitive theories; I practice from a multicultural and feminist framework.

Professional Interests: Multicultural and feminist issues, identity development, counseling issues with African-American women and men, career development, utilization of group therapy with people of color, treatment of anxiety, strategic planning and implementation.

Tzu-An Hu(he, him, his)
thu@illinois.edu
Associate Director of Training
Co-Chair, International Student Outreach
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University at Buffalo
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness approaches along with a focus on the interpersonal dynamics within the therapeutic relationship.

Professional Interests: Individual and group therapy; multicultural concerns, international students, and men’s issues; mindfulness practice; perfectionism; adjustment issues; grief and loss; spirituality; relationship issues; depression and anxiety; multilingual counseling (Mandarin).

Sue Stock (she, her, hers)
srstock@illinois.edu
Associate Director of Clinical Services
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Iowa State University
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Illinois

Theoretical Orientation:  I believe that counseling is a collaborative process where the expertise of both client and therapist combine for the best results. I work from a framework that includes multicultural, interpersonal, and feminist perspectives, and use mindfulness-based, emotion-focused, and experiential techniques.  I work to be grounded in an awareness of intersectionality and how privilege and oppression shape how we experience the world.  In terms of clinical supervision, I draw on many of the previously named concepts and theories and work from a developmental, collaborative stance.

Professional Interests:   I enjoy working with clients in individual and group therapy; supervising graduate students and new professionals; and providing outreach and prevention. I am interested in identity development, models of holistic health, actively promoting social justice, relational/family issues, and shame.  I am inspired by Liberation Psychology and am transitioning my identity from “ally” to “co-conspirator.”  I appreciate that the administrative part of my role allows me to encourage change on systemic and organizational levels.

Deidre Weathersby(she, her, hers)
daweath@illinois.edu
Associate Director for Outreach and Prevention
|Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Loyola University Chicago
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: Integrative including person-centered approaches, interpersonal process theory, behavioral modification with considerations for multicultural counseling theories

Professional Interests: Race-related stress, healthy ways of coping and cultural identity models within ethnic minority groups.  I am also committed to  prevention and outreach as well as advocacy work in counseling settings. My approach to supervision is much like my clinical approach in that my feminist leanings support a collaborative process and shared power in the clinical and supervision setting. I enjoy working with general themes of concerns for college students particularly anxiety, depression, stress, adjustment concerns, grief, identity development and other mood concerns. 

Emily Barnum(she, her, hers)
elbarnum@illinois.edu
Senior Assistant Director of Administration
Clinical Counselor
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, Ball State University
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I work from an approach that incorporates humanistic-existential, feminist and multicultural orientations. I also use mindfulness and experiential techniques to empower students.

Professional Interests: My professional interests include complex trauma (e.g. experiences of child abuse, interpersonal violence and sexual violence) as well as concerns with interpersonal relationships and self-esteem. I also have strong professional interests with concerns related to gender and sexuality. In addition, I very much enjoy working with individuals exploring their cultural and personal identities.

Carrie Finkill (she, her, hers)
cfinkill@illinois.edu
Assistant Director of Outreach and Prevention
Embedded Counselor, Housing
M.A. Professional Counseling, Olivet Nazarene University
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I use a client centered approach that incorporates skill building and a focus on positive solutions through CBT, DBT, and crisis intervention. My intent is to meet clients where they are, provide a safe space, and empower them to identify who they are, why they do what they do, and what to do next.

Professional Interests: Depression, anxiety, attachment issues, trauma, grief and loss, identity, crisis intervention, issues of race, gender and class.

Jennifer House (she, her, hers)
jhouse@illinois.edu
Assistant Director, Embedded Program
Embedded Counselor, Gies College of Business
M.S.W., School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I use a strengths-based approach in therapy and utilize elements of motivational interviewing, solution-focused brief theory and crisis-intervention theory.  I meet clients where they are at, recognizing that each person and situation benefits from their own, unique approach.

Professional Interests: Substance use, trauma, grief and loss, crisis intervention, issues of race, gender and class, anxiety, depression, medical comorbidities.

Patricia Ricketts (she, her, hers)
pricktts@illinois.edu
Assistant Director of Training
Clinical Counselor
Co-Chair, Trauma Outreach
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Long Island University
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: Integrative, interventions drawn from short-term psychodynamic models that incorporate developmental, cognitive behavioral methods, existential, and interpersonal techniques

Professional Interests: Complex psychological trauma (includes early childhood abuse, traumatic loss, sexual assault, and PTSD), anxiety and mood disorders, psychotherapy integration, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and identity issues.

Amy Wiedmann (she, her, hers)
aschuma3@illinois.edu
Assistant Director of Clinical Services
M.S.W., Social Work and M.S. Human and Community Development, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I strive to empower individuals to turn times of crisis into opportunities for growth. I use a person-centered, strengths-based, multicultural lens. My focus is on total wellness of the individual so I utilize an integrative, short-term approach which draws from mindfulness, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, motivational interviewing, and family systems theory.

Professional Interests: suicide prevention, crisis intervention, trauma, harm reduction, international students, integration of mental well-being and physical health.

Charles Boudreaux (he, him, his)
ctboudr@illinois.edu
Clinical Counselor
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Minnesota--Twin Cities
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Theoretical Orientation: My entire career has been spent working with college students, and I am grateful to be able to do so!  I am integrative, starting within a client-centered approach (warm, respectful, curious), to which I add developmental, cognitive-behavioral, and existential elements; family systems/systems generally; all filtered through a multicultural, feminist lens.  I am trained in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) for trauma work.

Professional Interests: Trauma, family systems, chronic illness and disability, neurodiversity, intersection of one's identities, student veterans and military-connected students, grief and loss, relationship concerns, career development, clinicians-in-training, and students in the fine arts (particularly music) and group therapy.

Talisha Brown(she, her, hers)
tbposey2@illinois.edu
Clinical Counselor
M.A., Clinical Psychology, Eastern Illinois University
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

Theoretical Orientation: My clinical practices include influences from cognitive behavior therapy, solution-focused, psychodynamic and interpersonal therapies. My approaches are strengths-based, client-centered and harm reduction.

Professional Interests: My professional interests include couples and family counseling, AOD issues (specifically in African American communities), working with family members who have been effected by substance abuse and/or dependence, mood disorders, stress management, grief and loss, trauma.

Blake Bullock (he/they)
babullo2@illinois.edu
Clinical Triage Counselor
Co-Chair, Suicide Prevention Outreach Team
Program Lead, Kognito At-Risk Mental Health Program
Masters in Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: I know that life as a student and beyond can be full of barriers big and small so as a professional and person, I embrace the mission of enhancing ease of life in those I work with. My approach to therapy is centered in client strengths, self-determination, and empowerment. I am solutions focused and practice through a lens of anti-oppression, feminism, and sex positivity. I utilize therapeutic strategies based in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) among other modalities. Above all, I work to understand my clients as whole people with complex, intersecting identities and concerns that interact uniquely with their environment.

Professional interests: Mood and anxiety disorders, acute and complex trauma, crisis management, family and relationship issues, queer/trans identity formation and liberation, social adjustment, self-esteem, body positivity, empowerment, and anti-oppression work (anti-racism, feminism, etc.) 

Quincy A. Courtwright (she, her, hers)
quincyk@illinois.edu
Clinical Counselor
MA, Clinical Psychology, Eastern Illinois University
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, State of Illinois

Theoretical Orientation: Person-centered with emphasis on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy; short-term interventions often with a focus on crisis situations/etiologies; I practice from a brief, solution-focused framework.

Professional Interests: Group therapy, anxiety-related distress, health and wellness, trauma/crisis management, grief, interpersonal relationships, and identity development.

Carlton Cummings (he, him, they, them)
cumming4@illinois.edu
Clinical Counselor
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Palo Alto University

Theoretical Orientation: I integrate a psychodynamic framework with family systems, social justice, behavioral-cognitive perspectives. At the core of my work resides the assertions that relational experiences shape our beliefs about the world, others, and ourselves, dictating our perspectives and behaviors. I believe the therapeutic process of building, exploring, and healing depends on both the client and therapist maintaining a commitment to acknowledging and enduring distress in a goal-oriented manner.

Professional Interests: Identity development, diversity/multicultural issues, social justice, self-compassion, historical trauma, minority stress, Black student concerns, and LGBTQIA+ student concerns.