Karena Heyward

Contributing Faculty
College of Social and Behavioral Health
School of Counseling
M.S. Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

Dr. Heyward is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Approved Clinical Supervisor in the state of Virginia and a National Certified Counselor.

As a firm believer in the importance of service to the profession, Dr. Heyward served in the following roles: President and Past-President of the Virginia Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling, Secretary for the Virginia Association of Couples, and Family Counselors, and on two foundational committees for the Association of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness.

Before joining academia, Dr. Heyward worked in various community agencies seeing couples, families and individual clients with a variety of presenting issues. She is currently in private practice where she supports adults who are struggling with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Her approaches are trauma- and polyvagal-informed.

Dr. Heyward became a contributing faculty member in Walden’s School of Counseling in 2013, and became a senior contributing faculty member in 2017.

Courses Taught

COUN 6101 - Foundations of Counseling

COUN 6201 - Introduction to Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

COUN 6361 - Human Sexuality

COUN 62`15 - Lifespan Development

COUN 6356 - Theories and Techniques of Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling

COUN 6370 - Counseling Addictive Disorders

Education

PhD, The College of William and Mary

MEd, The College of William and Mary

BS, Virginia Commonwealth University

Publications

Hermann-Turner, K., Heyward, K., Bailey, C. (2019). Community Uprising: Counseling interventions, educational strategies, and advocacy tools. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

Heyward, K. J., Honderich, E. The Counselor’s Role in Fostering Emotional and Cognitive Development across the Lifespan.

Lloyd-Hazlett, J., Honderich, E., Heyward, K. (2016). Fa-MI-ly: Experiential Techniques to Integrate Motivational Interviewing and Family Counseling. The Family Journal

Heyward, K., Benoit, E., Hermann, K. M., Holmes, C. M., Lloyd-Hazlett, J. (2013). Conquering Ambiguity with Creativity: Using Creative Family Counseling Interventions with Military Families. Journal of Military and Government Counseling

Wyatt, K., Dewell, J., Heyward, K., Osborne, L. A., Norris, K., Lukow, H., Sederquest, K., Newman, B. (2012). Meeting the Mandate for Program Evaluation in CACREP Programs: A Study in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia Counselors Journal

Presentations

Bailey, C., Heyward, K., Hermann-Turner, K. (2017). Community Uprising: The Spheres of Influence and Change.

Hermann-Turner, K., Heyward, K., Bailey, C. (2016). Community Uprising: The Spheres of Influence and Change - Building Resiliency.