Research

Research at Richmont Graduate University

In addition to teaching and being active clinicians, Richmont faculty are productive in research, writing, and professional presentations.  In addition to the faculty, our students give back to the field of Christian counseling by doing research of their own and collaborating with our faculty.  Often these students are enrolled in a thesis track while completing their coursework, however, students don’t need to be formally enrolled in a thesis track to conduct research while enrolled at Richmont.

Want to learn more about Richmont’s professional and student research?

Contact Dr. Mary Plisco, Director of Research.

DeVon Mills, Assistant Professor and the Clinical Director of the Richmont Trauma Center, is currently conducting research on males’ experiences in CACREP accredited schools of counseling. While men once comprised more than 50% of counselors, the most recent numbers indicated that current male enrolment in CACREP accredited graduate schools of counseling rests at approximately 17%. The decline of males in the counseling profession is alarming due to the implications it holds for male clients seeking help in areas such as work-life balance, sexual issues, and fatherhood. Exploring male students’ perceptions of their lived experiences and perceptions of their educative experience as a whole will better equip counselor educators to assuage factors that impact male students who are pursuing degrees in counseling. Being knowledgeable of these factors will help counselor educators both prevent and address these issues should they arise or if they are found to be present in current educational setting. Thus, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature in a meaningful manner by examining the experiences of male students who are enrolled in CACREP accredited graduate schools of counseling.

Faculty Productivity Report 

July 2022-December 2022 *Bolded names are Richmont Faculty

Doverspike, W. F. (2022, November). Ethics webinar: How to avoid an ethics complaint. Live ethics webinar with no recording presented at Espyr® Training and Professional Development Department for Customs and Border Protections team and network providers, Marietta, Georgia.

Doverspike, W. F. (2022, August). Ethics case examples: Collections of complex cases [Part 4]. Live ethics webinar with no recording presented at Espyr® Network and Provider Relations Department and network providers, Marietta, Georgia. 

Doverspike, W. F. (2022, July). Ethical decision making: Case scenarios [Part 2]. Live ethics workshop with no recording presented at 14th Annual Northeast Georgia Trauma Conference sponsored by Children’s Center for Hope & Healing, Avita Community Partners, and Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. 

Hill, P. (2022). Soul-sleep, the intermediate state, and Holy Saturday in Calvin's Psychopannychia [Conference presentation]. Sixteenth Century Society, Minneapolis (USA).

Hill, P. (2022). Posttraumatic disability and the hope of everlasting union with God [Conference presentation]. American Academy of Religion, Denver (USA).

Hoover, S.C., & Mills, D. (2022, November). Ethical complexity in clinical practice and supervision: A relational perspective [Conference presentation]. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Baltimore, MD.

 Jackson, K. L.,  Chien, J. L. (2022, September 28 - October 1).  Fixer upper:  Creative renovation for the human growth and development course in counselor education [Conference Presentation].  NCACES 2022 Conference, Omaha, Nebraska. 

Plisco, M. K. (2022, December). Techniques for treating emotional distress caused by intrusive thoughts. Live webinar with no recording presented at Tanner Behavioral Health, Carrollton, GA.

Richmont Faculty Productivity Report – July 2021-June 2022 

*Bolded names are Richmont Faculty 

PUBLICATIONS

Doverspike, W. F. (2021). [Review of the book The midlife self-discovery workbook: Practical  exercises to reconnect with your life’s purpose, by L. L. Wonders. (2021). Emeryville,  CA: Rockbridge Press].  

Doverspike, W. F. (2021). [Review of the book Telehealth for the mental health professions:  Constructive and evidence-based tips for practicing safely, efficiently, and legally, by S.  C. Litton. (2021). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press].  

Doverspike, W. F. (2021). [Review of the book Endgame: A new commentary on Daniel, by J.  Gladson. (2021). Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock].  

Gladson, J. (2021). Updating the bible: The modern English version: Modern bible translations  1. Sharing the Practice, 44, 9-12. 

Gladson, J. (2021). Improving the bible: The (Holman) Christian standard bible: Modern bible  translations 2. Sharing the Practice, 44, 8-11. 

Gladson, J. (2021). Endgame: A New Commentary on the Book of Daniel. Wipf and Stock. 

Jones, M. (2021). The lack of African American men in counselor education: Ethical  implications. Counseling Today, 64, 5. 

Jones, M. (2021) Independent contractors in private practice: Ethical viewpoints and  implications. MACES Newsletter, 14-16. 

Jones, L., & Plisco, M. K. (2021). The stories of women, by women, married to male ministry  leaders. Mental Health, Religion, and Culture, 24, 1037-1049. 

Moon, G. W., & Velasquez, M. (2021). Living our theology: Highlighting the work of the  Martin Institute at Westmont. Westmont Faithful, 40, 50-52.  

Moon, G. W. (2021). Finding meaningful relationships and help for loneliness in solitude. Christian Counseling Today, 24, 60-61.  

Moon, G. W. (2021). Finding serenity in today’s traumatic culture of anger and contempt: Part  1. Christian Counseling Today, 24, 60-61

Moon, G. W. (2021). Finding serenity in today’s traumatic culture of anger and contempt: Part  2—Learning from Jesus and a Black Christian mystic. Christian Counseling Today, 25, 60-62.  

Moon, G. W. (2021). Today’s political climate: Is it time for Christ-followers to bravely step  into the messy, mystical middle? Christian Counseling Today, 25, 60-62.  

Sapp, T., & Jones, M. (2022). Navigating suspected ethical violations: Practical steps to an ethical response. Counseling Today, 64. 

Presentations 

Bazile, K. E. & Wilkinson, R.T. (2021, October). Call for standardization: Why it's time to  legitimize online counselor education pedagogy. [Oral Presentation] Association for  Counselor Education and Supervision Conference. Atlanta, GA. 

Doverspike, W. F. (2021, October). Ethics and supervision: Top 10 best and worst practices  [Part 1]. Live in-person workshop with live stream with no recording presented at  Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta, GA. 

Doverspike, W. F. (2021, September). Virtue ethics: Practicing virtue ethics and building  character. Live in-person workshop with live stream with no recording presented at  Richmont Graduate University, Atlanta, GA.  

Doverspike, W. F. (2021, September). Ethical dilemmas: Case scenarios [Part 3]. Live ethics  webinar presented to Espyr Network and Provider Relations Department and network  providers [via live webinar due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions], Marietta, GA. 

Doverspike, W. F. (2022, March). Ethical decision making: Case scenarios [Part 2]. Live ethics  webinar with no recording presented at Pyramid Health Care, Sandy Springs, Georgia. 

Doverspike, W. F. (2022, March). Ethical decision making: Case scenarios [Part 2]. Live ethics  webinar with no recording presented at Ridgeview Institute, Smyrna, Georgia. 

Frey, M. (2021, November). Duty to warn vs duty to protect. Webinar presentation for  LPCAGA. 

Hill, P. (2021, July). Dolores Inferni in Anima Sustinuisse: Christ's descent into hell in the  thought of Calvin, Lefèvre, Pico, and Cusa. Paper presentation at the International  Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. 

Hill, P. (2021, July). The death of the soul: Christ's descent into hell in the thought of Calvin,  Lefèvre, and Cusa. Paper presentation at the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies,  Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Hill, P. (2021, July). Christ and trauma: Theology east of Eden. Paper presentation at Systematic  Theology, Religious Studies, and Interdisciplinary Research Colloquium, Aachen  University, Germany. 

Hoover, S. & Jones, M., (2022). iThou relationality in online counselor education. Counselor  Education Distance Learning Conference (CEDL). Virtual. 

Jones, M. & Jennings-Hood, H. (2021). Telemental health ethics in the midst of a pandemic. Paper presentation at the Arkansas Counseling Association (ArCA). Little Rock, AR. 

Jones, M. & Campbell, J. (2021). Where are the Brothas?: The ethical implications of the lack of  African American men in counselor education. Paper presentation at the Arkansas  Counseling Association (ArCA). Little Rock, AR. 

Mills, C. D. (2022, June). Men and masculinity on the male experience in graduate schools of  counseling. Presented at the American Men’s Studies Association’s Virtual  Interdisciplinary Conference. Tacoma, Washington. 

Moon, G. W. (2021, April). Hearing God: Slowing down to listen. Presentation for Mental  Health Collective at WinShape Conference Center, Rome, GA.  

Moon, G. W. (2021, April). Transformational psychology: Practicing counseling and  psychotherapy as if God exists and is real smart. Continuing Education Workshop, Eagle  Ranch, Flowery Branch, GA. 

Moon, G. W. (2021, June). Transformational psychology: Locating spiritual practices at the  heart of counseling and psychotherapy. Conference for Christian Mental Health  Practitioners. Topeka, KS.  

Moon, G. W. (2021, June). Union with God: A gift and a process. Webinar for Renovare  International.  

Painter, E., Baca, J., Jones, M., & Giovannetti, M., (2022, April). Current trends and topics in  ethics: A discussion panel with the ACA Ethics Committee. American Counseling  Association (ACA). Atlanta, GA. 

Plisco, M. K. (2022, April). Self-transcendent positive emotions as catalysts for meaning making in the grief narrative. Paper presented at the American Counseling Association  Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA. 

Plisco, M. K., Blackburn, A., White, J., & Aikins, E. (2022, March). Curricular & co curricular interventions to enhance grace-to-self. Paper presented at the annual meeting of  the Christian Association of Psychological Studies (Counselor Education track). Virtual.  March, 2022.

Plisco, M. K., & Gold, A. (2021, October). Experiential instruction in emotion differentiation.  Poster presented at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Annual  Conference. Atlanta, GA. 

Plisco, M. K., & Perkins, S. (2021, October). Utilizing poetry to enhance emotional  experiencing for counselors in training. Poster presented at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA. 

Wheelus, C. & Wheelus, A. (2021, November). Using clinical supervision models in practice:  Current models and future directions. An invited three-hour presentation at the CPCS  Virtual Training Summit of the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of  Georgia.  

Wheelus, C. (2021, October). Career calling and social justice advocacy: Is there A link?  Concurrent session at the annual conference of the Association for Counselor Education  and Supervision. Atlanta, GA. 

Williams, C., Brooks, M., Burt, I. & Jones, M., (2022, April). The Black Male Experience. Paper presented at the American Counseling Association (ACA). Atlanta, GA.

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Spiritual Formation and Leadership

Application Requirements

  • Admission application with a $50 nonrefundable application fee 
  • An acknowledgement that the applicant has reviewed the Statement of Faith
  • A 40 hours Master’s degree with 11 hours of Bible and Theology in Ministry or a related field of study 
  • Three completed reference forms:
    • Pastoral Reference
    • Character reference
    • Academic or professional reference
  • Resume
  • Academic Writing Sample 
  • Personal Interview with the Dean of the School of Ministry and Program Director 
  • A personal statement that outlines the applicant’s intent behind applying for the Doctor of Ministry at Richmont. Said application must be between 500 to 700 words typed, double spaced.