Free Resources Contributors

Amber Lin is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Her research interests include forensic assessment, competency to stand trial, and the refinement of instruments used to assess the psychological states of criminal defendants.

Leila N. Wallach is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Palo Alto University. Her research and clinical interests focus on alternatives to incarceration, culture and trauma-informed care, policy in the juvenile justice system, and risk assessment for community offender management.

Dèsa Karye Daniel is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Counselor Education Supervisor in New Mexico. Ms. Daniel’s research interest focuses on supervision relationships for racial/ethnic minorities, the lived experiences of racial/ethnic college students, and the experiences of Black/African American Women in academic spaces. Ms. Daniel continues to work with diverse clients at a community mental health clinic and a college counseling center where her work focuses on the Black student populations. Ms. Daniel advocates for inclusive spaces for racial/ethnic minority students within academia and within organizations for increasing graduate student resources. She received her dual master’s degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Higher Education Administration from New Mexico State University. She is a University of New Mexico Center for Social Policy Fellow and was recently named a 2021 New Mexico Office of African American Affairs Everyday Hero. Daniel is the recipient of the 2020 NBCC Minority Fellowship. As an NBCC Minority Fellow her most recent work will address the mental health needs and health disparities of Black/African American populations by increasing her opportunities to be involved in national organizations, receive professional development training, and the development of scholarly publications.

Jessica Tyler, Ph.D., LPC-S, BC-TMH, NCC, is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Auburn University, the Program Coordinator and Practicum/ Internship Coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, and a private practitioner. Dr. Tyler’s expertise entails using CBT, ACT, EMDR, and yoga-informed therapy in working with trauma and women’s issues and training on suicide prevention.

Dr. Megan Speciale is an Associate Professor of Counseling at Palo Alto University. Megan has worked as a professional counselor and advocate in a variety of community settings, focusing primarily on sexual health and wellness. Her research focuses on issues of equity and social justice, LGBTQIA+ issues, the intersection of sexuality and mental health, and liberatory education. Megan is the current Editor-in-Chief for The Thoughtful Counselor Podcast and served as a contributor since 2016, specializing in sexual health topics.

Dr. Margaret Lamar is a board-certified, licensed professional counselor with a background in university and clinical mental health counseling. Her research is in the areas of maternal mental health, parental mental health, alcohol, and substance use during COVID-19, and research education in counselor education. She has several publications in this area and has been interviewed by various outlets, such as Counseling Today and The Thoughtful Counselor. Dr. Lamar is the current past-president of the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.

Dr. Jones holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University and an MA in Clinical Pastoral Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary.  Dr. Jones is a licensed professional counselor in Arkansas, board-certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors, and a board-certified telemental health provider (BC-TMH). His research and clinical interests focus on biracial adults, African American men, ethics, and telemental health counseling. Dr. Jones is a member of the American Counseling Association and serves on the Ethics Committee. He has had multiple leadership roles in the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Arkansas Counseling Association, and the Arkansas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.  Outside the classroom, Dr. Jones enjoys fishing, creating humorous videos for social media, and spending time with his family. His private practive website is www.renewedvisioncounseling.com.

Mike is husband to Becca and father to John, Matthew, and Everett. He has lived in China since 2007, where he worked for an NGO caring for children with medical needs before beginning a career in mental health counseling with English speaking cross-cultural workers and immigrants living in Beijing. Mike holds an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Palo Alto University, is a national certified counselor, and a licensed mental health counselor in Florida. He also serves as a leader and elder in his church, Oasis Christian Fellowship in Beijing. Mike loves Christian theology and spirituality, his family, reading, beer, good food, and the outdoors.

Dr. Mickey White (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at East Tennessee State University. His work centers the experiences of transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive individuals, with a special emphasis on self-disclosure and mental health access in Appalachia. He is a past Emerging Leader for the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES) and the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE). He joined The Thoughtful Counselor team in 2023.