Darleen Dempster

Darleen Dempster serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Bushnell University since 2024, bringing 24 years of clinical experience as a licensed professional counselor/supervisor (LPC/S), approved clinical supervisor (ACS), and national certified counselor (NCC).

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. from The University of Mississippi
• M.S. from Mississippi State University
• B.A. from Mississippi State University

Dr. Dempster's research centers on attachment theory, sexual violence prevention, and campus mental health programming. Clinically, she specializes in evidence-based trauma treatments including prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and collaborative management of suicidality, with emphasis on post-traumatic stress, family systems, and culturally responsive interventions.

In her teaching role, she instructs graduate courses in crisis/trauma counseling, career development, and field experiences while supervising counselors-in-training through thesis committees and research projects. Her educational philosophy prioritizes student empowerment and professional development in mental health practice.