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Stephenie Spencer, M.S. (she, her, hers)

Biography

Stephenie Spencer, M.S. (she/her/hers) is a psychology intern completing her doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Stephenie has practicum experience providing therapy in university counseling centers, athletics departments, and a high school. She also received specialized training in concussion assessment, diagnosis, and treatment at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program. With a background in athletic counseling, Stephenie has provided mental performance consultation to athletes, teams, and coaches across various levels of competition. Stephenie’s therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing on techniques from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and Choice Theory while considering the impact of social, environmental, and cultural factors on daily functioning. She is particularly passionate about integrating physical health factors into her practice, emphasizing the mind-body connection. In sessions, she values collaboration, transparency, and, above all, a healthy dose of humor. Her clinical interests include working with students in transition, especially first-year and graduating students. She also enjoys working with student-athletes on identity exploration, the injury and concussion rehabilitation process, and retirement from sport. She was recently awarded a research grant from the Association of Applied Sport Psychology for her dissertation titled “Experiences of Women’s College Coaches in Supporting Athlete Activism.” Her research interests include athletic coach burnout, athlete social justice activism, and the interplay between athletic training practice and supporting athletes’ mental health in the athletic training room. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new running trails, watching cycling with her husband, learning Portuguese, and visiting her home in the Pacific Northwest. Stephenie is excited to join the Zip community and looks forward to working with students this year!