Janeé Avent Harris, PhD

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, Counselor Education

aventj16@ecu.edu

Expertise: Mental health Stigma, The Black Church and Mental Health, African American Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors, Religion and Spirituality in Counseling, Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education, Diversity and Inclusion in Mental Health and Counselor Education

Dr. Avent Harris’ research interests include understanding the role of the Black Church in mental health, African American mental health help-seeking behaviors, integrating religion and spirituality in counseling, and mental health stigma. Dr. Avent Harris research interests also include diversity and inclusion in counselor education and higher education. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on these topics and is featured in journals such as Journal of Counseling & Development, Counseling & Values, and The Professional Counselor. Dr. Avent Harris has also been a featured guest on various media outlets such as news broadcasts, nationally syndicated podcasts, and professional newsletters and magazines. Dr. Avent Harris is a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Association for Spiritual Religious and Ethical Values in Counseling and was the 2021 recipient of the North Carolina Counseling Association Don. C. Locke Multicultural & Social Justice Award.