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Ph.D. in Counselor Education, University of New Orleans
M.Ed. in Counselor Education, University of New Orleans
BA in Speech Communications, Southeastern Louisiana University
Dr. Mary Ballard is a Professor of Professional Counseling with over 30 years of counseling and higher education leadership experience. A Licensed Professional Counselor, she began her career as a school counselor and principal before accepting a position as an Employee Assistance Counselor with the U.S. Postal Service. After receiving her Ph.D. from the University of New Orleans (UNO), she began teaching in the Counseling Program at Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU), where she held several administrative and leadership roles, including those centered on counseling program development, national accreditation and faculty development.
Dr. Ballard brings to SEU a passion for exploring the role of holistic, Spirit-driven, non-pharmaceutical strategies in achieving a more balanced, Christ-centered life, including prayer, nature, movement, nutrition, sleep, rest, and connection. She has also researched and presented globally on the impact that addiction can have on a family, with an emphasis on empowering family members. With a wealth of experience working with children and adolescents, Dr. Ballard has now pivoted her research interests to pursuing strategies that promote life satisfaction among the elderly and older adults.
Dr. Ballard currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC), as Chair of the IAPC Ethics Committee, and as a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. She is Past-President of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC) and the Louisiana Association of Counselor Education and Supervision. As a member of ACA she also held several committee memberships, including the Awards Committee, Emerging Leaders Task Force, and the Taskforce on Best Practices to Empower All Families through Counseling Interventions.
Dr. Ballard is the recipient of the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Presidential Award and IAMFC’s Outstanding Leadership Award and Distinguished Service Award.
