Eric Davis

Dr. Eric Davis serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Lifelong Learning at the College of Education, University of South Florida. He holds certifications as a Florida Certified School Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and School-Based Registered Play Therapist. Dr. Davis contributes to academic discourse as an Editorial Board Member for Professional School Counseling and the Journal of International Counselor Education.

His research centers on play therapy practice and pedagogy, school counseling practice and pedagogy, and creative techniques in counselor education and supervision. This work emphasizes innovative interventions for children with chronic illnesses and behavioral challenges, while advancing counselor training through expressive modalities like art, music, and play therapy.

Analysis of Dr. Davis's 2018-2025 publications reveals evolving research trajectories: early work focused on play therapy techniques for chronic illness, while recent scholarship increasingly addresses social justice advocacy, policy impacts (including Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act), and underrepresented populations like male school counselors and stay-at-home fathers. His interdisciplinary collaborations with speech-language pathologists demonstrate methodological innovation in therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Davis has secured significant research funding:

• Co-PI for "Project ready for success" (Institute of Educational Sciences, $1,549,192) targeting language/behavior skills in pre-K children with developmental disorders
• Co-PI for USF Mini-Grant ($2,880) on male school counselor recruitment/retention
• Co-PI for USF Nexus Award ($7,000) on child-therapist relationship training for speech pathologists
• PI for Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling grant ($400) examining aggressive toys in play therapy

No scientific awards were documented in the provided information.

Dr. Davis leads active research initiatives in school-based counseling though no dedicated laboratory facilities are specified. His current projects examining Elementary School Counselors’ Perceptions of Illness-Related Trauma and Group Counseling Skills Applications indicate continued focus on practical, school-centered therapeutic approaches with emerging emphasis on sociopolitical dimensions of counseling practice.