Dr. Summer Allen has a wide array of clinical experience to include court-mandated treatment, custody concerns, parental alienation, criminal justice involvement, and trauma, anxiety, and depression. She has worked in a variety of settings to include non-profit agencies, correctional facilities, Child Protective Services, and currently sees clients in a private practice setting.
Dr. Allen’s research interests include the need for a strengths-based approach when working with those involved with the criminal justice system. Additionally, she is interested in the importance of peer mentorship for counselors-in-training.
Dr. Allen’s service efforts focus on the education and empowerment of novice counselors throughout the licensure process.
Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision
The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio Texas
08/2015-05/2018
Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Augusta State University, Augusta, Georgia
01/2014-12/2015
Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Minor in Philanthropic Studies
Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana
08/2009-05/2011
Teaching styles that promote collaboration, enthusiasm, and student engagement enhance the learning process. I believe students retain information best through active participation, social interaction, and applied activities. My philosophy of learning and teaching aligns with Vygotsky’s (2012) social constructivism theory. This theory of learning may help support longer-term knowledge acquisition, unlike rote memory. An effective learning process encapsulates a true conceptualization and integration of knowledge. I believe students learn from applying principles in an interactive and experiential way. I believe students also benefit from activities outside of the classroom.
My passion for teaching stems from my desire to support and encourage growth in future counselors. My primary goal as an educator is to aid students in the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities. My approach in the classroom is to facilitate meaningful dialogue, encourage students to expand their thinking, and create a collaborative environment in the classroom. Students should feel supported, respected, and safe to share their ideas in classroom settings. As an educator, I work to create a variety of innovative and engaging approaches in the classroom. I incorporate experiential learning practices throughout the teaching process. These may include community immersion activities, group projects, applied counseling exposure, and reflection papers. I also serve as a mentor to students through my efforts to engage them and meet their needs outside of the classroom. Some of the most influential people in my life have been professors who took the time to mentor and support me. I owe much of my success to educators who went above and beyond in their efforts to help me succeed. For these reasons, I incorporate the opportunity for a mentoring relationship into my role as an educator.
As a Counselor Educator, I strive to aid in the development of future counselors. My greatest responsibility in this field is to provide counselors-in-training with quality education. The students in counselor education classrooms are the future of the counseling profession. I am privileged and honored to serve these students on their journey to becoming counselors. I hope to not only educate students, but also to promote growth-fostering relationships with them. I provide practical and real-world experiences for students to take with them into their practice as future counselors. I teach in a way that inspires, encourages, and supports students in wherever their counseling path may take them. I would like my students to know that the possibilities are endless in their quest to become a facilitator of change. I create a positive learning environment with respect and authenticity for the cultural and individual needs of each student. I educate counseling students on the fact that roles and responsibilities of a counselor reach far beyond counseling sessions. Lastly, I work to ensure students leave my classroom with a clear understanding of the importance of social justice, advocacy, and research among counselors as practitioners.
References
Vygotsky, L. (2012). Thought and language. E. Hanfmann, G. Vakar, & A. Kozulin (Ed.).
Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Strengths-based approaches to working with forensic populations
Enhancing the school to work transition for novice counselors
Addressing policy and legislative issues for the counseling profession
Liberation psychology in counseling
Allen, S.B., & Lloyd-Hazlett, J. Success stories of males convicted of a violent offense. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling.
Allen, S.B. & Hunter, Q. (2018). Counselors-in-training and recent counseling graduates: the power of a peer-based
Community. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Summer Newsletter.
Allen, S. B., Lloyd-Hazlett, J., Cornelius, H., & Hunt, D., (2016). Bridging the gap:
implementing peer-mentoring programs for counselors in training. Counseling and Wellness.
Allen, S.B., Hunter, Q. (April 2020, deferred to April 2021 due to pandemic). Using a liberation psychology model in career counseling. Paper to be presented at the annual conference of the American Counseling Association.
Allen, S. (2017, January). The value of mentoring. Presented at The University of Texas at
San Antonio, Chi Sigma Iota workshop.
Hunt, D., Altamirano, G., & Allen, S. (2016, February). Homogeny in counselor education: the
need for students of color in counselor education. Presented at the midwinter conference of the Texas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Austin, Texas.
Allen, S. (2016, March). Knowing your professional identity. Presented at The University of
Texas at San Antonio Chi Sigma Iota workshop.
Allen, S., & Cornelius, H. (2016, February). Bridging the gap between master’s level counselors
and post-graduation research: a relational perspective. Presented at the midwinter conference of the Texas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Austin, Texas.
Deaner, R., & Allen, S. (2015, March). Reality t.v.: bane or bounty for counselors-in-training?
Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Counseling Association, Orlando, Florida.
Deaner, R., & Allen, S. (2014, October). Reality t.v.: bane or bounty for counselors-in-training?
Paper presented at the annual conference of the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Birmingham, Alabama.
Deaner, R., & Allen, S. (2014, February). Reality t.v.: cultural bane or bounty for
counselors-in-training? Paper presented at the Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savannah, Georgia.
Founder 12/2014-Present
LPC Associates of Texas (*formerly Texas LPC Intern Association)
Early Career Professional Task Force Member 01/2019-06/2020
President Appointed Position, American Counseling Association
Chair 08/2016-09/2017
Peer-Mentoring Program, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Counseling
Student Advisory Board Member 05/2016-05/2018
Career Development Committee, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Student Representative 07/2016-07/2017
Public Policy & Legislation Committee, American Counseling Association
American Counseling Association
Association for Multicultural Counseling & Development
Research and Program Evaluation
Couples and Family Counseling
Psychopharmacology
Professional Orientation and Ethics
Assessment and Diagnosis
Career Counseling
Crisis Counseling
Creative Approaches to Trauma