Dr. Dunham's Biography

Shea M. Dunham, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor at a university in the North Carolina area. Previously (from 2008- 2018), she was an Associate Professor in the Division of Psychology and Counseling at Governors State University, where she won Faculty of The Year in 2010 in the Division of Psychology and Counseling and was nominated for the highest university award, “University Faculty Excellence Award,” several times. Shea has been a counselor educator for over 15 years and is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Counseling Association. Dr. Dunham specializes in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, working with parents and their adult children, and with African Americans and intercultural couples. She has published and/or presented on such topics as African Americans and intimacy, poisonous parents and their adult children, emotional skillfulness in African American couples, training counselors and marriage, and family therapists, and family social advocacy. She previously published a book, Poisonous Parenting: Toxic Relationships Between Parents and Their Adult Children. Dr. Dunham continues to add to the field of counseling and marriage and family therapy/counseling by seeing clients in a private practice setting. In addition, she also provides coaching for students who are struggling academically and/or with personal issues.

EDUCATION:

• Ph.D. (December 2008) University of Akron: Counseling Education and Supervision, Specialization: Marriage and Family Therapy

• MS.Ed (December 2007) University of Akron: Counseling, Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy

LICENSURE:

• Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

CERTIFICATIONS

• Gottman's Couples Method Therapy -Level 1

• Prepare and Enrich -Commonly used for premarital therapy.

• Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (in progress)