Chris LaFever, PhD, LPCC-S (KY), LCADC (KY), NCC

Assistant Professor of Practice

Biography

Growing up in part in Western North Carolina, being close to the Appalachian Mountains feels at home for Chris. He has joined the core UT counseling faculty this year on a visiting capacity after completing his doctorate from UT. He enjoys spending time with his partner, Chelsea, and their two dogs, pet snake, and betta fish. Chris enjoys playing board games with friends (do you need two sheep, was that a haunt roll, don’t pick up a duck in a dungeon), exploring the outdoors, trying new experiences, experiencing the theatre, and singing. He pursues wellness often through grounding and mindfulness, as well as going for walks often with his dogs.

Education

• PhD, Counselor Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2022
• MS, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Freed-Hardeman University, 2013
• BS, Psychology | Bible, Freed-Hardeman University, 2010

Download a CV

Professional Service

• Tennessee Counseling Association, NBCC Liaison, 2019-2023
• Chi Sigma Iota, Leadership Intern, 2021-2022
• Smokey Mountain Counseling Association, President, 2020-2021

Awards and Recognitions

• Tennessee Association for Counselor Education & Supervision, Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, November 2020
• UT Counselor Education Programs, Outstanding Leadership & Advocate Award, April 2020
• UT, Educational Psychology and Counseling Department Outstanding Advocate Award, December 2019

Publications

Hill, M. B., Hightower, J., Halliburton, A., Harrison, T., LaFever, C. R. (in press). Mental health during COVID-19: College students’ stressors and need for structure. Journal of College Counseling.

Johnson, T., LaFauci Schutt, J. M., Messinger, E., Blanchard, R., Saunders, R., LaFever, C. R., & DuFresne, R. (2022). Why CSI: Revisiting the importance of professional organization membership. Exemplar, 37(2), 14-17.

Brott, P. E., DeKruyf, L., Hyun, J. H., LaFever, C. R., Patterson-Mills, S., Sandifer, M. C., Stone, V. J., (2021). The critical need for clinical supervision among school counselors. Journal of School-based Counseling Policy and Evaluation, 3(2), 51-60. https://doi.org/10.25774/nr5m-mq71

LaFever, C. R. (2020). In good times and bad there is only one mother [Review of the book Saying goodbye to our mothers for the last time, edited by C. T. Cox & W. A. Harrison III]. Death Studies, 44(12), 819-822. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2019.1627456

Recent Presentations

LaFever, C. R., West, N., & Diambra, J. (2022, October 17-21). Getting the Most Out of Supervision: Equipping Emerging Counselors to Self-Advocate [Conference Session]. American Counseling Association 2022 Virtual Experience Conference.

LaFever, C. R., & West, N. (2022, November 3-5). Training Counseling Students for Post-Masters Clinical Supervision [Poster Session]. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Association, Baltimore, MD.

Fisher, A., McMullen, J., Messinger, E., LaFever, C. R., Arnekrans, A., Dardis, K., & Suggs, B. G. (2022, March 16). Connecting with Chapters and Professional Members in Creative Ways [Panelist] [Webinar]. Chi Sigma Iota International. https://www.csi-net.org/

LaFever, C. R., Wynn, M., & Ault, H. (2021, October 5-10). Site supervision training: Providing comprehensive support and relationship building [Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. http://www.aces2021.net/resources/ACES-Conference-Program-2021-finalversion.pdf

Gonzalez-Rosario, L. M., Gibbons, M., LaFever, C. R., & Hightower, J. (2021, October 5-10). Developing social justice leaders and advocates through internships for doctoral students [Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. http://www.aces2021.net/resources/ACES-Conference-Program-2021-finalversion.pdf

West, N., Taylor, A. L., & LaFever, C. R. (2021, June 11). Addressing supervisees’ developmental needs: Practical techniques for using IDM with supervisees [Conference Session]. Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association Summit, Nashville, Tennessee.

LaFever C. R., & Gonzalez-Rosario, L. M. (2019, February 16). Advocating for children and adolescents during times of crisis [Conference session]. Smoky Mountain Counseling Association Conference, Jefferson City, Tennessee.