Elizabeth Nutt Williams

Elizabeth Nutt Williams is a Professor of Psychology at St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM), where she has taught since 1997. She previously served as President of the Faculty Senate (2020–2023), Dean of the Core Curriculum and First Year Experience (2007–2014), and Department Chair in Psychology (2006–2007 and 2015–2019). Her leadership roles also include coordination of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Cross-Disciplinary Studies Program (2004–2006).

Dr. Williams holds a B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University (1989), an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland (1994), and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the same institution (1997). She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and has held significant national roles, including President of APA Division 29 (Psychotherapy) and membership on the APA Council of Representatives. She has served on editorial boards for journals such as Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Research, and Psychology of Women Quarterly.

Her research focuses on psychotherapy process, feminist/multicultural counseling approaches, qualitative methods, and leadership in academia. She has authored/co-authored three major books: Counseling Psychology (4th ed., 2022), The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Multicultural Counseling Psychology (2012), and earlier editions of her foundational textbook. Her work emphasizes social justice, intersectionality, and feminist critiques in mental health practices.

Williams has received awards for both scholarship and teaching, including the Norton T. Dodge Award (2021) and Homer L. Dodge Award (2003). Her contributions extend to advocacy for women, marginalized communities, and systemic change in higher education.