Dr. Robert Casares

Assistant Professor

Faculty Member at Wake Forest University since July 2017

Mailing Address: Department of Counseling, Box 7406, WFU, Winston-Salem, NC  27109 

Email address: casaredr@wfu.edu

Office phone: (336) 758-5804

Location: Carswell 228

Education:

Ph.D., Counselor Education and Supervision, University of Holy Cross, 2016

M.A., Marriage and Family Counseling, University of Holy Cross, 2014

B.A., British and American Literature & Theology, Franciscan University, 2005

Research and Special Interests:

Boomerang children, creativity in counseling, the clinical and pedagogical uses of podcasts.

Counseling Experience: 

  • Counselor, Private Practice, Winston-Salem, NC, 2018-present
  • Counselor, North Shore Pastoral Center, Covington, LA, 2016-2017
  • School Counselor, Archbishop Hannan High School, Covington, LA, 2013-2017
  • Clinical Intern, Catholic Counseling Service, New Orleans, LA, 2014
  • Clinical Intern, Thomas E. Chambers Counseling & Training Center, New Orleans, LA, 2013

Professional Licensure and Certifications:

  • Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), North Carolina
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Louisiana
  • National Certified Counselor (NCC)

Professional Service (selected):

  • Chair, Podcast Committee, International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors
  • Chair, Technology Committee, International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors
  • Member, Editorial Board, International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling
  • Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Creativity in Mental Health
  • Member, Editorial Board, The Family Journal
  • Member, Ad Hoc Editorial Board, The American Journal of Family Therapy
  • Chair, Technology Committee, Department of Counseling, Wake Forest University
  • Member, School Counseling Committee, Department of Counseling, Wake Forest University
  • Lower Division Advisor, Wake Forest College, Wake Forest University

Podcasts (selected):

Casares, R. (producer). (2021, February 9). Episode 23 – Failure does not have to be fatal with Gerald CoreyThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2021, January 29). Episode 22 – Unstructured but intentional with Marissa DavalaThe Reframe.

Garcia, E., & Morris, M. (producers). (2020, December 10). It’s trending: Adult kids moving back in with mom and dad with Dr. Robert CasaresBuilding Us.

Casares, R. (producer). (2020, September 17). Episode 21 – There are no 10s with Rick BalkinThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2020, September 1). Episode 20 – Finding your voice with Rebecca Pender BaumThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2020, April 7). Episode 19 – A sense of place with Mike ShookThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2020, March 3). Episode 18 – Lessons learned with Heather TrepalThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2020, February 4). Episode 17 – Worth the wait with Kellie CamelfordThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2019, November 12). Episode 16 – All in with Mark E. YoungThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2019, October 1). Episode 15 – Meaning-making with Victor YalomThe Reframe.

Casares, R. (producer). (2019, September 24). Addictions counseling with Dr. Phil ClarkeWake Forest University Counseling M.A. Program Podcast.

Casares, R. (producer). (2019, May 21). Exciting career opportunities for school counselors with Dr. Erin BinkleyWake Forest University Counseling M.A. Program Podcast.

Nations, J. R., & Warden, S. P. (producers). (2018, December 25). Multiple paths to counseling with Dr. Robert Casares and Dr. Cheyenne CarterWake Forest University Counseling M.A. Program Podcast.

Jencius, M., & Baltrinic, E. (producers). (2018, July 24). Teaching: Promoting creative approaches in the classroom with Dr. Rob CasaresThe Faculty Meeting.

Recent Presentations (selected):

Casares, R. (2023, February). Utilizing digital media to expand bibliotherapy practices with couples and families. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. St. Petersburg, FL.

Pistorius, J., & Casares, R. (2023, February). Strategies for helping couples and families navigate work-related relocations. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. St. Petersburg, FL.

Casares, R. (2023, February). Counseling boomerang children and their families: Ethical, cultural, and professional considerations. Presentation to the 2023 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Casares, R., & Pistorius, J. (2023, February). Legal, ethical, and technological issues associated with counseling couples and families via telehealth. Presentation to the 2023 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Casares, R. (2022, December). Creative approaches to premarital counseling. Presentation for The IAMFC Webinar Series, Fall 2022.

Casares, R. (2022, February). Creative approaches to teaching ethics in marriage and family counseling courses. Presentation to the 2022 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Pistorius, J., & Casares, R. (2022, February). Conceptualizing gatekeeping as a continuum: Ethical and professional considerations. Presentation to the 2022 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Casares, R., & Pistorius, J. (2021, February). Legal, ethical, and professional issues associated with telehealth counseling. Presentation to the 2021 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Casares, R., & Lange, R. (2021, February). Stepping up, or overstepping?: Ethical school counseling in a time of crisis. Presentation to the 2021 Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference.

Casares, R. (2020, May). Embracing the transition to teletherapy: Strategies for managing expectations and emotionsPresentation for the Teletherapy Tuesdays Webinar Series, Association for Graduate Students in Counseling, University of Holy Cross.

Casares, R. (2020, February). Utilizing podcasts as teaching tools in marriage and family counseling courses. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Casares, R. (2020, January). Counseling boomerang children and their families. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Casares, R. (2020, January). The pedagogical potential of podcasts. Presentation for The ACES Webinar Series, Spring 2020.

Casares, R. (2019, February). Novel approaches to exploring age-old challenges: Using mental health podcasts to teach and process complex ethical dilemmas. Presentation to the annual Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Casares, R., & Pistorius, J. (2019, February). Tight knit doesn’t have to equal tight spot: Navigating multiple relationships in small communities and schools. Presentation to the annual Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Casares, R. (2019, February). From headphones to head over heels: Utilizing podcasts as bibliotherapy in couples counseling. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Casares, R., & Pistorius, J. (2019, February). Wired for connection in a wireless world: Addressing couples and family issues related to technology and social media use. Presentation to the annual International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors World Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Peer-Reviewed Publications:

Casares, R. (in press). Counselor educator- and student-produced podcasts: Technical considerations and educational applications for marriage and family counseling courses. The Family Journal.

Casares, R, Hendricks, B., Bradley, L., Noble, N., Flinchum, M., & Wilhite, H. (in press). Amelia and the Patel family: Helping families of boomerang children shift from stressors to strengths. The Family Journal.

Casares, R. (2023). The pedagogical potential of podcasts: Using digital audio to enhance learning in marriage and family counseling courses. The Family Journal.

Gladding, S., & Casares, R. (2022). The ABCs of teaching family counseling: Putting “fun” into the fundamentals of the professionThe Family Journal.

Casares, R., & Binkley, E. (2021). An unfiltered look at idealized images: A social media intervention for adolescent girlsJournal of Creativity in Mental Health.

Casares, R., & Binkley, E. (2021). Podcasts as an evolution of bibliotherapyJournal of Mental Health Counseling.

Casares, R. (2020). Embracing the podcast era: Trends, opportunities, & implications for counselorsJournal of Creativity in Mental Health.

Casares, R., & Gladding, S. (2019). Using comedy to explore racial-ethnic identity with clients: A narrative approachJournal of Creativity in Mental Health.

Casares, R., & White, C. (2018). The phenomenological experience of parents who live with a boomerang childThe American Journal of Family Therapy.

Current Writing Activities:

Ivers, N., Johnson, D., Casares, R, Lonn, M., Duffey, T., & Haberstroh, S. (under review). Understanding Prolonged Grief Disorder from an existential counseling perspective.

Morris, M., & Casares, R. (data collected and analyzed). Divorced parents experiences with a court-mandated co-parenting program: A phenomenological perspective. Qualitative manuscript.

Media Interviews:

Lusinski, N. (2022, February 9). This is when it’s time to do couples therapy, according to therapistsThe Zoe Report.

Kelly, H. (2021, March 15). From podcasts to Clubhouse, audio is filling more of our time. For some families, that’s a problemThe Washington Post.

Personal:

Enjoys playing tennis, reading, listening to podcasts, and supporting Liverpool FC.