Dr. Kristin Erickson

Dr. Kristin Erickson is an Associate Professor in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Bellevue University. She has a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from University of Wyoming, an MA in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education from University of Colorado - Denver, an MA in Music Education from Brigham Young University with a minor in Counseling, and a BA in Music, also from Brigham Young University. Dr. Erickson is currently a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner in Nebraska where she is also holds a certification as a Professional Counselor. She is also an Approved Clinical Supervisor, and is Board Certified in Biofeedback.

As a counselor educator, Dr. Erickson has taught a wide variety of courses over the years such as: Counseling Theories; Wellness and Prevention; Human Growth and Development; Counseling Ethics; Integrating Spirituality and Counseling; Counseling Practicum; Internship; Group Procedures; Career Development; Diagnosis of Mental Health and Behavioral Disorders; Advanced Counseling Skills, Techniques, and Practices; and Therapist Self-Care: Mindfulness, Relaxation, and Other Self Renewal Strategies. She has taught courses in related discipline such as Stress Management, Interpersonal Communication, and Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Leadership.

Dr. Erickson has extensive clinical experience working with diverse clients of various cultural, socioeconomic, and spiritual/religious backgrounds. Although she has worked primarily in the field of college counseling and student affairs for 15 years, she has also worked in community agency, medical, church, and private practice settings. She has experience with individual, couples, and group counseling, and has worked with individuals of various ages - from children, adolescents, young adult. Working from an existential counseling theoretical framework, she is especially interested in helping clients with the meaning making process (i.e. making sense of suffering and the various challenges faced in life), working through every day anxiety, finding purpose and meaning, reaching one's full potential, living life more fully, and establishing authentic, genuine, and meaningful relationships with self and others. Her clinical experiences include working with those who have struggled with depression and anxiety disorders, adjustment issues, health issues, grief and loss issues, various addiction issues, couples and other relationship issues, parent/child relationship issues, identity and/or sexuality issues, learning disorders, attention deficit challenges, spirituality issues, diversity related challenges, and social justice and/or advocacy related issues. Since being a strong clinician is important to her, she frequently attends professional development training to further strengthen her clinical skill base. Dr. Erickson has 15 years of supervision experience, of which two included developing and overseeing a counseling training clinic for master's level students in their practicum and internship phases of their counseling programs.

Dr. Erickson's research interests focus on addressing taboo, stigma, and grief-related topics of disenfranchised populations. Additional research interests relate to diversity topics and exploring creativity in personal and professional development in counselor and counselor educators. She also has a special interest in qualitative research, particularly the duoethnography research methodology and its applications to the counseling profession.