Nikki Ruffin

Dr. Ruffin is a contributing counseling faculty at Walden University in the school of Counseling. Her area of formal teaching and field of study is mental health counseling. She has taught for a total of eight years at various online universities focused on undergraduate psychology courses, substance abuse courses and masters level counseling courses. Her professional experiences span from counseling In hospital, elementary , middle school, high school, university, community mental health and correctional settings. She also works through a group practice and contracts providing tele-therapy services. Her primary areas of research are grief and loss, religion and spirituality multiculturalism and clinical supervision.She has been a licensed professional counselor for the past 17 years including the states of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Her professional expertise is in dealing with anxiety and depression and trauma issues with adults. She is currently serving as a consultant for EDC and HLM recovery located in Boston and Chicagoland.

Courses Taught

COUN 6360 - Assessment in Counseling

COUN 6316 - Techniques of Counseling

COUN 6723 - Multicultural Counseling

COUN 6401S - School Counseling Practicum

COUN 6500S - School Counseling Internship I

COUNS 6336 - Crisis, Trauma and Response

Education

BA, Saint Louis University

MA, Boston College

EdD, Northern Illinois University

Public Service

Heart Life Ministries Recovery 180 Program, Board Member - Tinley Park

Awards / Honors

Diversifying Faculty in Illinois Fellowship, Illinois Board of Higher Education, 2009

Publications

Ruffin, N. R. (2011). THE IMPACT OF A SPIRITUALITY INTEREST GROUP ON COUNSELOR DEVELOPMENT. VISTAS ONLINE

Presentations

Ruffin, N. R. (2015). Integrating Spirituality into Counseling Practicum: A look at Competence and Comfort. Illinois Counseling Association