Department of Counseling

Dr. Ryan D. Foster
Interim Department Head
Professor
682-703-7049

Dr. Foster serves as Interim Department Head and Professor of Counseling at Tarleton State University. His research focuses on humanistic sandtray therapy (HST)—an expressive, relationship-centered approach to counseling—and on how counselors learn, supervise, and deliver effective care. He examines the theory and active ingredients of HST alongside treatment outcome research that informs day-to-day practice in clinics and training programs. Dr. Foster is the author of the book Humanistic Sandtray Therapy: The Definitive Guide to Philosophy, Therapeutic Conditions, and the Real Relationship (Routledge).

A complementary line of his work explores grief, meaning-making, and learning about near-death experiences, including interdisciplinary studies that test immersive virtual-reality simulations as brief interventions to reduce death-related anxiety and stress. He has published multiple conceptual pieces on spirituality and spiritual development and co-edited the book Connecting Soul, Spirit, Mind, and Body: A Collection of Spiritual and Religious Perspectives and Practices in Counseling (ASERVIC). 

Methodologically, he uses quantitative and mixed-methods designs, meta-analysis, and program evaluation—keeping research directly connected to supervision, curriculum, and community practice. Dr. Foster serves on the Editorial Review Boards for the World Journal for Sand Therapy Practice and Counseling and Values and regularly mentors graduate students as co-authors and presenters. Across his projects, his goal is consistent: translate evidence into practical guidance that strengthens ethical, effective, and meaningful counseling services for clients from all backgrounds.

Dr. Beck Munsey
Professor
817-717-7993

Dr. Munsey’s research agenda encompasses a wide range of topics, including flexible seating in higher education classrooms, humanistic counseling approaches, and sandtray therapy. He has been asked to give presentations and trainings to professional clinicians both locally and nationally. 

Dr. Pedro Blanco
Professor
Clinical Coordinator
817-717-3695

Dr. Blanco has specialized training and experience in working with children using play therapy in community agencies as well as in the school system. P.J.’s primary teaching areas are Play Therapy, Counseling Skill Development, Child and Adolescent, and Group Counseling. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and a Certified Humanistic Sandtray Therapist. As a therapist and educator Dr. Blanco believes strongly in the importance of providing developmentally appropriate treatment. He has over ten years of clinical experience and has conducted and published multiple research projects in the public school system. He is interested in strengthening the link between play therapy and academic achievement.

Dr. Ryan Holliman
Associate Professor
Doctoral Program Coordinator
817-717-3693

Dr. Holliman is an Associate Professor of Counseling at Tarleton State University, where his research centers on play therapy, instrument development, and clinical supervision. With over 660 citations and an h-index of 12, Dr. Holliman’s work is widely recognized for its contributions to both clinical practice and counselor education. His most influential research focuses on child-centered play therapy (CCPT), exploring its long-term impact on aggression, academic achievement, intrinsic motivation, and emotional resilience in children—particularly those considered at-risk. He is the co-developer of the Child Interpersonal Relationship and Attitudes Assessment (CIRAA), a psychometric tool designed to measure therapeutic outcomes in play therapy, for which he has provided reliability and validity evidence through Rasch and other quantitative analyses. His work also includes research on Jewish Orthodox counseling practices, dreamwork in supervision, emotional support animal policy, and affirming care. He is the author of The Mental Health Practitioner’s Guide to Research and a contributor to several edited volumes on topics such as sandtray therapy, trauma-informed counselor education, and developing school-based play therapy clinics. Dr. Holliman’s work reflects a commitment to bridging the gap between empirical rigor and humanistic, culturally responsive practice.

Dr. Chris Wilder
Associate Professor
Director, MCC Student Counseling Center
254-299-8321

Dr. Chris Wilder is a counselor educator and researcher whose work bridges the fields of school counseling and clinical mental health counseling. With a strong background in both practice and counselor preparation, Dr. Wilder’s professional focus centers on developing effective, ethical, and culturally responsive counselors equipped to serve diverse school and community populations.

In his faculty role, Dr. Wilder teaches and supervises graduate students in school counseling and clinical mental health counseling programs, emphasizing evidence-based interventions, data-driven decision-making, and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). His teaching philosophy integrates theory with practical application, preparing counselors to address the academic, career, and social-emotional needs of clients and students through comprehensive, preventive approaches. Additionally, he plays a key role in clinical supervision and counselor development, supporting emerging counselors in refining their professional identity, applying ethical standards, and developing self-reflective clinical practices. His applied work often involves collaboration with schools and community agencies to enhance counselor training, ethical practice, and student well-being.

Dr. Wilder’s current research interests focus on the intersection of school counseling practice, ethical and legal issues, and clinical supervision. He is the co-editor and author of The Professional School Counselor: A Concierge of Academic, Career, and Social Supports, and a contributor to an edited text on adolescent development. His work includes training recommendations for school-counseling site supervisors, examinations of multi-tiered systems of support and school-based counseling, emotional support animal policy, and the effectiveness of play therapy for children from poverty- and trauma-exposed backgrounds.

Dr. Elizabeth Aguilar
Assistant Professor
817-973-5926

Dr. Aguilar is a bilingual Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with specialized training in play therapy, a developmentally appropriate approach to working with children. Her clinical and research interests focus on strengthening the therapeutic relationship, providing inclusive services, and fostering the professional growth of students and counselors. Additionally, she is dedicated to supporting the training of bilingual clinicians to strengthen their therapeutic practice.

Dr. Melissa Deroche
Assistant Professor
817-984-4982

Dr. Deroche’s primary research interests include counselor training, preparation, and competence specific to the topic of disability; the challenges, strengths, and resiliencies of individuals with disabilities; and universal design and digital accessibility. Within this framework, she also has an interest in the intersectional experiences of individuals with disabilities.

Dr. Kelly Guidry
Assistant Professor
Director, Purple Counseling and Wellness Clinic
682-703-7051

Dr. Kelly Guidry is an Assistant Professor at Tarleton State University, where she has served for the past four years. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor–Supervisor (LPC-S) and a certified School Counselor with more than 20 years of experience in elementary and secondary school counseling. Dr. Guidry also holds specialized certifications in Thanatology through the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and in Sports Counseling and Student-Athlete Mental Wellness from PennWest University.

In addition to her faculty role, Dr. Guidry serves as Director of the Purple Counseling and Wellness Clinic, a community-based training clinic staffed by Clinical Mental Health Counseling interns.

Her research interests focus on grief and bereavement, first-generation college and graduate student experiences, sports counseling, and women’s mental health.

Dr. Crystal Hughes
Assistant Professor
254-299-8986

Dr. Hughes’ research interests focus on career counseling, applications of Relational Cultural Theory, generational applications to counseling, and eco-therapy and wellness.  

Dr. Jeremy Blake Mallory
Assistant Professor
254-968-9367

A seasoned professional bridging the gap between high-stress environments and clinical mental health counseling, Dr. Blake Mallory leverages over 25 years of experience gained in the Marine Corps, law enforcement, counselor education and investigative fields. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), counselor educator, and the Founder and Owner of Cardinal Counseling and Wellness Group, a trauma- and grief-informed practice.

Dr. Mallory’s work is driven by a firsthand understanding of the unique culture and stigma public servants face when seeking mental health support. His research, clinical practice, and advocacy focus on supporting veterans, first responders, frontline medical workers, pilots, aviation personnel, and families of children with special needs.

His extensive program development and research efforts have been pivotal in implementing evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches designed to discover, prevent, and manage the physiological impacts of high-stakes environments. Dr. Mallory is committed to combating suicide, fostering counselor development, and ensuring clients and students are equipped to maintain peak condition throughout their fulfilling careers.

Dr. Rebekah Pender
Assistant Professor

Dr. Pender’s research agenda examines the connection between digital media use (specifically social media), body image, and mental health among adolescents and young adults to understand how online environments shape clients’ self-perceptions and emotional well-being, and how counselors can respond effectively through prevention, psychoeducation, and intervention.

Dr. Madison Walker
Assistant Professor
254-968-0701

Dr. Walker’s research interests include play therapy, expressive arts, and clinical supervision. Her work prioritizes qualitative methodologies to gain deeper insight into the experiences of clients and counselors in training.

Dr. Leila Warraich
Assistant Professor
Master’s Programs Coordinator
817-973-5928

Dr. Warraich’s research interests are focused on various populations and their experiences in counseling. Her interests include the role of religion and spirituality in counseling. She focuses on Muslim mental health and community partnership for clergy. Additionally, she is interested in spiritual competence for counselors in training. 

Dr. Kelsey Webb
Assistant Professor
682-703-7078

Dr. Webb serves as the Principal Investigator for a federally funded employment initiative awarded in 2023 for $135,000 by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), housed within the Administration for Community Living (ACL) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her research agenda centers on examining structural and attitudinal barriers to employment among multiply marginalized populations, the intersections of disability and substance use disorders, and societal perceptions that shape opportunities and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Dr. Linda Duncan
Emeritus Professor