Dr. Saundra Penn

Research Interests:

• Intercultural sensitivity and the counseling relationship
• Womanhood and health and wellness
• Play therapy
• Parent consultation

Awards (selected):

• Queens University of Charlotte – Recipient of the Grier Teaching Award, 2019

Counseling Experience:

• Part-Time Outpatient Therapist, Family First Community Services, 2012 – 2018
• Therapist/Team Supervisor, Family First Community Services, 2010 – 2011
• Part-Time Outpatient Therapist, Sims Counseling & Consulting, 2009 – 2010
• Outpatient Therapist, Excel Personal Development 2006 – 2009

Certifications and Licenses:

• Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC)
• Registered Play Therapist

Professional Memberships:

• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA)

Service (selected):

• Member, Interprofessional Educational Leadership Collaborative Practice, August 2020 – July 2023
• Faculty Contributor, Charlotte AHEC Self-Paced Case Study: A Case Based Approach to Interprofessional Educational Leadership Collaborative, January 2020 – June 2020
• Past-President, South Carolina Association for Play Therapy, April 2019 – March 2021
• President, South Carolina Association for Play Therapy, April 2017 – March 2019
• President Elect, South Carolina Association for Play Therapy, September 2016 – March 2017
• Board Member, South Carolina Association for Play Therapy, April 2013 – September 2016
• Best Practice Compliance Officer, Unique Caring Foundation, September 2012 – September 2015
• Member, Central Piedmont Community College Human Services Technology Advisory Board, April 2012 – December 2021

Recent Presentations (selected):

Penn, S. (2023, February). Creating sacred anti-oppressive spaces for Black American women. Presented at the Annual North Carolina Counseling Association, Durham, N.C.

Penn, S., &  Mitchell, R. (2023, February). Counseling women in survival mode. Presented at the Annual North Carolina Counseling Association, Durham, N.C.

Mitchell, R., & Penn, S. (2023, February). Supporting counselor advocacy and wellness through clinical supervision. Presented at the Annual North Carolina Counseling Association, Durham, N.C.

Penn, S. (2020, February). Redefining womanhood: Exploring college-age women’s perceptions of womanhood, femininity, and well-being. Presented at the Annual North Carolina Counseling Association, Charlotte, N.C.

Penn, S. (2020, February). The transformative power of culture in the playroom. Presented at the 56^h Annual South Carolina Counseling Association, Hilton Head, S.C.

Penn, S. (2019, February). Ethics in action: Helping students analyze ethical dilemmas in real time. Presented at the 55^th Annual South Carolina Counseling Association, Hilton Head, S.C.

Penn, S. (2019, February). Using fiction to teach interprofessionalism in the classroom. Presented at the 55^th Annual South Carolina Counseling Association, Hilton Head, S.C.

Penn, S., & Shockley, T. (2019, January). Creating a culture of interprofessionalism with beginning healthcare Professionals. Presented at Virginia Tech’s 11^th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy. Blacksburg, V.A.

Penn, S. (2019, January). Pedagogical strategies for teaching empathy and vulnerability. Presented at Virginia Tech’s 11^th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Blacksburg, V.A.

Penn, S. (2017, April). Ethical issues in action. Presented at the Southern Organization for Human Services Conference, Charleston, S.C.

Penn, S. (2016, March). Making meaning out of child centered play therapy. Presented at the South Carolina Association for Play Therapy, Greenville, S.C.

Penn, S., & Mitchell, R. (2016, February). Professional and ethical issues in human services: A preliminary study. Presented at the North Carolina Counseling Association, Greensboro, N.C.

Recent Publications (selected):

Penn, S., & Baartmans, H. (2018). A phenomenological study on meaningful professional experiences for human service professionals. Journal of Human Services, 38, 35-44.

Pasiali, V., LaGasse, B., & Penn, S. (2014). The effect of musical attention control training (MACT) on attentional skills of adolescents with neurodevelopmental delays: A pilot study. Journal of Music Therapy, 51, 334-354. 

Penn, S., & Post, P. (2012). Investigating various dimensions of play therapists’ self-reported multicultural counseling competencies. International Journal for Play Therapy, 21, 14-29.

Post, P., Ceballos, P, & Penn, S. (2012). Consulting with parents to establish behavioral goals in child centered play therapy. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples for Families, 20, 50-57.

Personal:

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I likewise value quiet moments listening to music and historical books. One of my guilty pleasures includes dreaming up fantasy vacations.