Counseling

College of Education and Human Development

Belinda J. Lopez, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, CSC

belinda lopez


Belinda J. Lopez, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, CSC
Interim Department Chair
Associate Professor
(409) 880-7149 p.
Education 223
belinda.lopez@lamar.edu 

Belinda Lopez, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S (TX), CSC is the interim department chair and associate professor in the Counseling Department at Lamar University. Dr. Lopez received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. She has over 30 years of experience in working with the public education system, of which the last 10 years as a professional school counselor. Dr. Lopez has been afforded the opportunity to work in many facets of school counseling, including large groups of diverse populations ranging from the school valedictorian to adaptive education students. Involvement in professional organizations and participation in leadership positions are important for counselor advocacy and development. At the national level, Dr. Lopez has served as the secretary for the Association for Humanistic Counseling, a division of the American Counseling Association, and at the state level, co-committee chair of the Strategic Planning Committee and region 1 director for the Texas Counseling Association. Her research interests include mattering, multicultural counseling, supervision and online education.

Awards and Honors

  • Distinguished Service Award for Service and Leadership, Texas Counseling Association – served as co-chair for the TCA Strategic Planning Committee (Nov. 2016)
  • Distinguished Service Award for Service and Leadership, Texas Counseling Association – served as Region 1 director (Nov. 2015)
  • Distinguished Service Award for Service and Leadership, Texas Counseling Association – served as senator (Nov. 2014)

Courses

Masters level:

  • CNDV 5301: Human Growth and Development
  • CNDV 5302: Foundations of Clinical Mental Health
  • CNDV 5303: Foundations of School Counseling
  • CNDV 5310: Counseling Skills
  • CNDV 5311: Individual Counseling Theory/Techniques
  • CNDV 5312: Group Counseling Theories/Techniques
  • CNDV 5320: Multicultural Counseling
  • CNDV 5322: Professionalism Ethics and Law
  • CNDV 5323: Career Development
  • CNDV 5330: Developmental Guidance and Counseling
  • CNDV 5334: Measurement and Assessment
  • CNDV 5352: Crisis Prevention Intervention
  • CNDV 5353: Research and Program Evaluation
  • CNDV 5380: Seminar Counseling and Development
  • CNDV 5390: School Counseling Practicum
  • CNDV 5394: Internship in Counseling

Experience

2012 - present:
Assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Special Populations, Lamar University
Duties include: teaching campus based and online master’s level courses, course preparation/minor revisions, coordinator for fieldwork, advising

2013-15:
Coordinator, school counseling program, Lamar University 
Duties include: overseeing and managing the school counseling program operations, specific program weekly and monthly meetings, organized phase reviews with faculty, organizing practicum, oversee the orientation of practicum students, advising, met with students to address questions, problems, concerns/complaints, student reviews, district contacts, worked with certification officer to address questions, instruction training and scheduling, program outcomes and course development, facilitated the accreditation procedures for the school counseling program and attended meetings and assisted with other tasks assigned by the department chair.

Certified school counselor, State of Texas (grades PK - 12)

Licensed professional counselor, Texas-approved supervisor (LPC-S)

Research and Publications

  • Lopez, B., Harris, P., Nguyen, A.  Mattering: An Investigation of School Counseling Practicum Students
  • Harris, P., Nguyen, A. Lopez. B.  Coping Strategies for Informal Caregivers of a Relative with Alzheimer’s: A Case Study
  • Sheperis, C. J. & Lopez, B. (2013). Best practices in parenting education: ACA Best Practices Series. American Counseling Association. Alexandria, VA.
  • Sheperis, C., Sheperis, D., Monceaux, A., Davis, R.J., Lopez, B. (2015). Parent–child interaction therapy for children with special needs. The Professional Counselor. 5(2), 248–260. doi:10.15241/cs.5.2.248 
  • Lopez, B. (2016). Supervision, individual and group. In J. Carlson (Ed). The SAGE encyclopedia of marriage, family, and couples counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Lopez, B., Whitaker, R. Harris, P., Wines, L. (2015). Navigating a digital textbook or online lab. In C. Sheperis & R.J. Davis (Eds.). Student handbook to online counselor education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Sheperis, C.J., Ammons, R., Lopez, B. (2016). Clinical supervision in an online group format. In T. Rousmaniere & E. Renfro-Michel (Eds.). Using technology to enhance clinical supervision (pp. 175-190). American Counseling Association. Alexandria, VA.
  • Sheperis, D., Lopez, B.J., (2015) Counseling children of poverty. In B.T. Erford, (Ed.). The professional school counselor’s handbook (3rd Ed.) Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Service

NATIONAL SERVICE/ PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

  • Presentation Proposal Reviewer: American Counseling Association (2015 and 2016)
  • Secretary: Association for Humanistic Counseling (2013-2017)
  • Mission and Values Committee, Association for Humanistic Counseling (2014-2015)

STATE SERVICE/ PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

  • Presentation Proposal Reviewer: Texas Counseling Association (2014- 2016)
  • Co-Chair Strategic Planning Committee: Texas Counseling Association (2015-2016)
  • Senator: Texas Counseling Association (2013-2014)
  • Region 1 Director: Texas Counseling Association (2014-2015)
  • Research Committee Member, Liaison, Texas Counseling Association (2014-2015)

LOCAL SERVICE/ PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

  • Senator: South East Texas Counseling for Texas Counseling Association (2013-2014)

COLLEGE SERVICE

  • Strategic Planning Committee (appointed position)
  • Assessment Director Search Committee member (2016-2017)
  • College Curriculum Committee (2016- present)
  • College Assessment Steering Committee (2014-2016)
  • Policy and Procedures Committee (2016-present)
  • NCATE Committee for 2015 Site Visit
  • Presentation Chair, College of Education and Human Development, 14th Annual Educational Research Conference April 2017     
  • Presentation Chair, College of Education and Human Development 13th Annual Educational Research Conference March 2016    
  • Presentation Chair, College of Education and Human Development 12th Annual Educational Research Conference March 2015 

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

  • University Faculty Senate (2016-2018) 
  • Distance Education Committee (2016-2017)
  • Ad Hoc Faculty Salary Equity Task Force (2016-2017)                                                                                  

DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE

  • Coordinator for School Counseling Fieldwork (2016- Present)
  • COSP Admissions Committee (2016)
  • Phase Review Committees (2014-2017)
  • CAEP Course and Rubric Alignment Program Committee
  • CAEP Standard 4 Sub-Committee
  • Clinical Instructor Search Committee Chair (2016)
  • Faculty Search Committees (2013-2015)