Michelle Crossley

Michelle Crossley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology at Rhode Island College. She serves as a Faculty Advisor for the Rho Iota Chi Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an International Honor Society, and is affiliated with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. Her work focuses on clinical counseling practices, multicultural perspectives, and gender-affirming care.

• Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education from North Carolina State University (2013)
• M.S. in College Student Development and Counseling from Northeastern University (2005)
• B.S. in Athletic Training from Northeastern University (2001)

Her research emphasizes pet loss and human bereavement, with a phenomenological approach to understanding grief processes. She also specializes in transgender and gender-nonconforming affirming counseling, integrating multicultural frameworks into clinical practice. Publications highlight clinical strategies for gender identity navigation, integrative veterinary care, and perinatal transitions.

Professional recognitions include leadership roles as President of NARACES and editorial contributions to the APLB Quarterly Newsletter. She has presented extensively on topics such as suicide risk assessment, evidenced-based clinical interventions, and gender identity negotiation.