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National Board for Certified Counselors


Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), Loidaly González-Rosario (she/her/ella) received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in August, 2021.

Headshot of Counselor Education Alum, Loidaly González-Rosario

Dr. González-Rosario recently graduated from the CACREP-accredited Counselor Education PhD program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is now serving as an Assistant Professor at Western Carolina University in North Carolina. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma and a second Graduate Certificate in International Children, Youth and Families from the University of Tennessee.

She received her MS in Counselor Education from Florida International University in 2016, and her BS in Elementary Education, with ESOL Endorsement, from Florida International University in 2013.

Loidaly is from Miami, Florida, and is fluent in Spanish and English.

Her passion is for “social justice advocacy, community action, and supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students in the public school system.”

“I use the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to ground my work. I strive to uplift the voices of youth and families in research and advocate for families across systems.”

Loidaly was an active volunteer at the CentroHispano de East Tennessee during her studies in Knoxville, for which she led the development of a youth mentorship program, and created a bilingual mental health resource guide of language-accessible services in East TN.

She was the recipient of the National Board of Certified Counselor’s Minority Fellowship in 2019, which is awarded to a doctoral student to “increase the impact of service to marginalized populations. Loidaly has also been the recipient of the SACES Emerging Leaders award in 2020-2022, as well as other distinguished awards and fellowships.

Loidaly enjoys gardening, reading, crafting, and hanging out with her “fur-babies” in her spare time. Looking for great food when studying in Knoxville? Loidaly recommends Sticky Rice Cafe and La Herradura.

The Educational Psychology & Counseling Department at the University of Tennessee is extremely proud to be apart of the scholarly journeys of its students, like Loidaly, and will continue to follow Dr. González-Rosario’s endeavors with enthusiasm.


Full Interview:

Degree/Program/Concentration

PhD Counselor Education, 2021              

Hometown

Miami, FL

Awards, Accomplishments, Publications, etc. you would like to share

Most Notable are the National Board of Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program and the Counselor Education & Supervision Fellow

Current Occupation or Career Goals

Currently an Assistant Professor at Western Carolina University in Asheville, NC

Would you like to share your hobbies and personal interests with us?

Gardening, Reading, and Crafting are some of my joys in life. Also, snuggles with my fur babies!

Tell us about your research interests

My work centers around social justice advocacy, community action, and supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students in the public school system. I use the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to ground my work. I strive to uplift the voices of youth and families in research and advocate for families across systems.

What is something you love/loved doing in the Knoxville area, or a restaurant you would recommend?

Knoxville is such a unique place to live! Some of my favorite things to do was connection with small non-profits like Centro Hispano de East TN and volunteering my time for the benefit of the entire community! Also, some great restaurants to try out are Sticky Rice and La Herradura! They were monthly, and sometimes weekly staples to my survival in grad school.


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Marlon Johnson, doctoral student in Counselor Education, was one of 23 chosen for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program (NBCC MFP) and has received an award of $20,000 to support his education, and facilitate his service to underserved minority populations.

Marlon Johnson, Counselor Ed“I’m awestruck at the opportunity to receive this award. It’s an honor to be presented a chance to use research and education in a way that advocates for underrepresented communities within our local, regional, and national environment. It feels encouraging as this award is a conglomeration of my efforts and the many efforts of others who have mentored me and guided me along the way.”

Johnson focuses his research on enhancing opportunities of access and equity for underrepresented communities to enter counselor training programs. He seeks to understand the unique stories of people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ persons as they continue through master’s-level counseling programs. As a graduate research assistant for the University of Tennessee’s Possibilities in Postsecondary Education and Science (PiPES) and Appalachian Students Promoting the Integration of Research in Education (ASPIRE) program, Johnson seeks to identify the unique needs of rural Appalachian students at various developmental levels as they learn about STEMM-related fields of study. This fellowship will allow Johnson to better serve these communities through participation in various trainings, conferences, and organizations focused upon community-oriented scholarship and intentional research practices. This fellowship will also provide continued mentorship to help Johnson develop as a researcher, an advocate, and a leader.

“I’m just grateful for each person I have been able to encounter here at UT and specifically those within EPC. I’m thankful for their support and encouragement. I hope to make them proud as I research and advocate for my profession and my community.”

The NBCC Foundation is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), based in Greensboro, North Carolina. NBCC is the nation’s premier professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling. Currently, there are more than 64,000 board-certified counselors in the United States and more than 50 countries. The Foundation’s mission is to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change.

The NBCC MFP is made possible by a grant first awarded to NBCC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in August 2012. The Foundation is contracted by NBCC to administer the NBCC MFP, as well as training and collaboration activities, such as webinars, that are open to all National Certified Counselors (NCCs). The goal of the program is to strengthen the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of professional counselors providing effective, culturally competent services to underserved populations.

The NBCC Foundation has also awarded 30 $8,000 master’s-level fellowships through the MFP-Youth (MFP-Y) and 34 master’s-level fellowships of up to $11,000 through the MFP-Addictions Counselors (MFP-AC).The Foundation plans to open the next NBCC MFP application period in fall 2018. To learn more about the NBCC MFP and its fellows, please visit nbccf.org/Programs/Fellows.


Isabel C. Farrell, PhD student in Counselor Education, was selected by the NBCC Foundation, an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), for the National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program (NBCC MFP). As an NBCC MFP Fellow, Farrell will receive funding and training to support her education and facilitate her service to underserved minority populations.

“I feel honored to have been selected to receive this award along with other outstanding scholars. This fellowship allows us to continue with our passion and determination to serve minority clients and bring education and awareness to our community. I am looking forward to the connections, trainings, and knowledge this award will provide me.”

Isabel C. Farrell


The NBCC MFP will distribute $20,000 to Farrell and the 22 other doctoral counseling students selected to receive the fellowship award. Farrell’s goal for the future is to be a counselor educator that provides appropriate multicultural training to her students. Farrell wishes to bring cultural awareness to each class by incorporating exposure to diverse populations and to continue serving the Hispanic community throughout her doctoral journey and beyond. Farrell plans to conduct research on the psychological effects of immigration in young Latino adults and develop a more effective method for connecting them to the community resources they need to be successful. She is also interested in bringing awareness about the effects of immigration and the struggles many immigrants face. Farrell wants to provide a better understanding of the grief and loss many immigrants experience while transitioning to a new culture. She wants to shine a light on the population’s struggles and pain, and help to combat the racism, discrimination and neglect Latino immigrants face. By receiving this fellowship, Farrell will be able to continue to focus all her energy on growing as a counselor educator and on becoming an advocate for all Hispanics.

Currently, Farrell is a graduate research assistant and has a special focus on grief and loss experiences. She is also a co-instructor of a course called Critical Issues in Counseling Lifespan Development that addresses themes and issues affecting clients’ development with relevance to counselor interventions, including family and personality development, crises and trauma, and addiction and addictive behaviors.

The NBCC MFP is made possible by a grant first awarded to NBCC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in August 2012. The Foundation is contracted by NBCC to administer the NBCC MFP, as well as training and collaboration activities, such as webinars, that are open to all National Certified Counselors (NCCs). The goal of the program is to strengthen the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of professional counselors providing effective, culturally competent services to underserved populations.

The Foundation plans to open the next NBCC MFP application period in September 2016. To learn more about the NBCC MFP and its fellows, please visit NBCC Foundation’s Meet the Fellows page.


The NBCC Foundation is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), based in Greensboro, North Carolina. NBCC is the nation’s premier professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standards for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling. Currently, there are more than 60,000 National Certified Counselors in the United States and more than 50 countries. The Foundation’s mission is to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change.


SS_Farrell_03.02.16

Counselor Education

Isabel is currently seeking her PhD in Counselor Education. Originally from Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, she received her BA in psychology and MS in counseling psychology from Northeastern State University and came to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2015. We asked her to reflect on some of her past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Awards

2016 National Board for Certified Counselors Minority Fellowship Program (NBCC MFP)
Award ceremony May 24th, 2016

Recipients must demonstrate knowledge of and experience with racially and ethnically diverse populations, and commit to providing mental health and/or substance abuse and addictions counseling services to underserved minority populations through direct practice or the training of direct practitioners.

The NBCC MFP helps ensure that the behavioral health needs of all Americans are met, regardless of language or culture, thereby reducing health disparities and improving overall community health and well-being. The NBCC MFP strengthens the infrastructure that engages diverse individuals in counseling and increases the number of professional counselors providing effective, culturally competent services to underserved populations.

Accomplishments

Conference Presentations:

  • The Four Women Project: On Becoming a Counselor Educator (February 27, 2016)
    Co-presenter, Smokey Mountain Counseling Association Annual Conference
  • An Ethical and Multicultural Discussion about Immigrant Clients (February 27, 2016)
    Chair, Smokey Mountain Counseling Association Annual Conference

Position

  • Graduate Student Liaison (February, 2016 – Present)
    Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association, Knoxville, TN

Accepted Proposals

  • An Ethical and Multicultural Discussion about Immigration Clients (March 31 – April 1, 2016)
    Presentation at the 10th Annual Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association (TLPCA) Conference
  • Treatment and Prevalence of Substance Abuse with Co-Occurring Eating Disorders (July 14-16, 2016)
    Poster Presentation at the 2016 American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) Annual Conference
  • Our Lives Are Stories: Healing Through Creative Expression (July 14-16, 2016)
    Poster Presentation at the 2016 American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) Annual Conference

Refer to Curriculum Vita for more details

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Current Occupations

Graduate Research Assistant
Working under assistant professor, Laura S. Wheat, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Special focus on grief and loss experiences of LGBTQ+ self-identified individuals, grief and loss among graduate students and peer bereavement.

Co-Instructor of COUN 545: Critical Issues in Counseling Lifespan Development
Working under associate professor, Casey A. Barrio Minton, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Addressing themes and issues affecting clients’ development with relevance to counselor interventions, including family and personality development, crises and trauma, addiction and addictive behaviors.

Wedding

Personal Interests

I grew up in Venezuela, I moved to the US when I was seventeen-years-old to pursue a career in counseling and reunite with my mother who moved to the US when I was thirteen-years-old. I come from a big family of three brothers, one niece (two others on the way) and five step siblings. I am newlywed to a wonderful husband named Patrick, we have been married for almost a year and we have an adorable dog named Ares.

My hobbies include biking, running and baking. My biggest passion is traveling, I have been to twenty-two countries and five continents. One of my goals is to visit all the new seven world wonders (five done, two to go!).

Future/Vocational Goals

My goal for the future is to be a counselor educator that provides appropriate multicultural training to my future students. Diversity is a complex subject that cannot be covered in one multicultural class. I wish to bring cultural awareness to each class I teach by incorporating exposure to diverse populations. I aspire to continue serving the Hispanic community throughout my doctoral journey and beyond. Bringing awareness to our society about the effects of immigration and the struggles many immigrants face. Also, I want to better understand the grief and loss many immigrants face while transitioning to a new culture. My goal is to shine a light on the population’s struggles and pain, and help to combat the racism, discrimination, and neglect Latino(a)s daily face.

What sold you on this program?

The faculty! I still remember after the interview I was at the airport waiting for my flight back to Oklahoma. I remember calling my dad and telling him “I feel like I am meant to be here.” The faculty makes you feel special, appreciated, and at home. I never feel unsupported by them and they see more in me than I see in myself.

What would you tell an incoming student who joins the program/department?

Make the most of it and don’t be afraid to try things out. Fellowships, presentations, manuscripts, anything is possible. You will be supported and encouraged to just try! Let someone else say yes or no to you, and don’t limit yourself because you are capable of incredible things.

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