Marisa White

Marisa White, contributing faculty at Walden, graduated from Mount Union College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. In 2004, she obtained a Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In addition, she earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the CACREP-accredited program at the University of Akron.
Dr. White has a strong counselor identity and has experience in the areas related to counselor education, including teaching, counseling, supervision, research, advocacy, and service to the profession. She is also a licensed professional counselor (LPC-Ohio).
She has been teaching since 2006 and has taught a variety of classes at the bachelor, master, and doctorate levels. Some of her favorite courses to teach include Ethical and Professional Issues in Counseling, Multicultural Diversity and Advocacy, Community Mental Health, and Practicum/Internship. She also enjoys being a guest speaker and presenting information at local, state, regional, and national conferences.
Her clinical experience is vast. She has worked in several residential treatment centers including one for juvenile sex offenders. After which, she worked in a counseling center housed on a university campus. Prior to becoming a faculty member, she worked as a licensed professional counselor and drug and alcohol counselor at a community mental health center, specializing in working with populations who have a HIV-positive status and clients who have an addiction diagnosis and/or a criminal background.
Dr. White is always looking for new ways to collaborate with colleagues and advance the counseling profession. Dr. White’s research interests include the use of technology in counselor education, advocacy for marginalized populations, social justice concerns for counselors, and leadership development.

Courses Taught

COUN 6785 - Social Change in Action: Prevention, Consultation, Advocacy

COUN 6100 - Introduction to Community Mental Health Counseling

COUN 6101 - Foundations for Graduate Study in Counseling

COUN 6306 - Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling

COUN 6723 - Multicultural Counseling

COUN 6726 - Couples Counseling

Education

PhD, University of Akron

MS, University of Tennessee

BA, Mount Union College

Awards / Honors

Counselor Educator of the Year, Middle Tennessee Counseling Association, 2017

Dr. Susan Hammonds-White Service, Leadership and Advocacy Award, TLPCA, 2017

Dr. William Beryl West Counselor Advocate/Humanitarian Award, Tennessee Counseling Association, 2014

Professional of the Year, Mental Health America of Middle Tennessee , 2017

Publications

Sandhu, D., Crane , J., White, M. (2025). Counseling Aging Clients: Case Studies for Scholarly Discussions.

White, M., Pope, M., Gonzalez, M., Cameron, E., Pangelinan, J. (2019). Career Discrimination Interview.

White, M., Pope, M., Gonzalez, M., Cameron , E., Pangelinan, J. (2019). Counselor Professional Identity: The Advocate.

Presentations

White, M. (2023). Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Counseling: What You Need to Know. . Tennessee Counseling Association

White, M., Whitsett, A., Neal, M. (2023). Avoiding ethical Pitfalls: Lessons from Ethics Experts. . Tennessee Counseling Association

Lou, A., Wiley, J., White, M. (2023). ChatGPT for Researchers: Engaging in an open conversation on its role and impact. Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling

White, M. (2023). Exploring the Lived Experiences of Counselors Who Are Mothers. . Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling

Brooks, A., White, M. (2023). Professional Advocacy and the Compact Act. . Kentucky Counseling Association

Whitsett, A., White, M., Tift, J., Fucillo, S. (2024). Putting the self in self-care: Culturally \ aware strategies in counselor education.. Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference

White, M., Manier, J. (2023). Supporting Asian American Clients: Culturally Sensitive Strategies for Counselors.. Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association.

White, M. (2024). Weaving AI into the ACA COE: Where does it fit? . Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference.