معرفی
Dana Abernathy Wicker serves as the Director of the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling program and Professor of Psychology and Counseling in the Graduate School of Ministry at Dallas Baptist University (DBU). She joined DBU as a full-time faculty member in 2011 after teaching for 13-14 years at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Wicker has dedicated her career to integrating psychological principles with Christian faith in counseling practice and education.
Dr. Wicker received her educational foundation with a B.A. in Psychology from Baylor University, followed by a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of North Texas. She completed her formal internship at the Dallas Child Guidance Clinic, gaining hands-on experience counseling children and families. After earning her doctorate, she spent several years focused on family before returning to professional counseling and teaching.
Dr. Wicker's research and professional interests center around Christian counseling, particularly working with individuals experiencing emotional difficulties and traumatic experiences. Her approach integrates psychological science with biblical principles, emphasizing that "true transformational change can only occur when God transforms people." She has been instrumental in developing DBU's Master of Arts in Christian Counseling program, which launched in fall 2017 after she was asked by Dr. Cook in 2016 to pray about starting the program. Dr. Wicker believes "God's plans are greater than our plans" and finds fulfillment in seeing students use their training for "Kingdom work."
As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Wicker maintains an active counseling practice at the Impact Counseling and Guidance Center in Arlington. She is deeply committed to ministry, serving as a church greeter, decision counselor, and teacher at Disciple University at First Baptist Church of Dallas. Her personal calling to ministry began at a young age, feeling God's direction toward Christian service after sixth grade, which eventually led her from pre-med studies to psychology and counseling.
