September 29, 2021
Camp, Berger join Counselor Education program
The Department of Interdisciplinary Professions welcomed two new faculty members this year to the Counselor Education program.
Dr. Ami Camp
Dr. Ami Camp is an assistant professor in counselor education. Originally from Stafford, Va., she attended Hampton University for her BA in psychology and MA in school counseling. Camp received her doctoral degree in counselor education and supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Her research interests include training and self-efficacy of school counselors supporting students experiencing homelessness, multicultural and social justice advocacy and child-centered play therapy. Camp will teach two classes at ECU currently: COAD 6400 – Intro. to Counseling and Human Services and COAD 6406 – Counseling in Schools.
“I joined the ECU Counselor Education program because the program’s mission and vision align with my passions and interests,” Camp said. “I was also drawn to the program’s intentionality in developing programs and initiatives that better serve the local community. The diverse areas of expertise and talent among faculty in the program were also appealing to me. It is evident that faculty in this program are adequately preparing future generations of counselors to serve a culturally diverse clientele and I am honored to be part of the team and contribute to the training of students in the program at ECU aspiring to become future counselors! Being closer to family and friends in VA, NC, and SC is also a plus!”
Meghan Berger is a research and teaching fellow in counselor education. She is from New Orleans, La. and attended the University of Texas at Dallas, where she earned her BS in neuroscience and psychology. Berger also attended Xavier University of Louisiana for her MA in clinical mental health counseling. Currently, she is concluding her doctoral studies in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation counselor education at North Carolina A&T State University.
Meghan Berger
Berger’s research interests include traumatic stress research, neuroscience-informed counseling, and brainspotting therapy outcome research. Her dissertation is exploring the experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Brainspotting licensed practitioners that have graduated from CACREP-accredited programs. Brainspotting is an integrative somatic-based neurocounseling intervention, similar to eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR).
She teaches COAD 6409 – Counseling Skills and Techniques this fall and will teach Career Counseling and Development in the spring.
“The ECU Counselor Education Program aligns with my passion for community engagement in counselor education,” Berger said. “This past February, I participated in the North Carolina Counseling Association’s virtual conference experience and attended a session where Drs. Avent Harris, Crowe, and Crumb shared implications about the mental health of African-Americans living in rural North Carolina, along with the insights gained from their School-Community-University Research partnership. I thought to myself, “wow, I love seeing counseling programs active within their communities.” The community engagement and service-learning experiences at Xavier definitely inspired me to pursue my Ph.D. in Counselor Education. Truly, those community experiences taught me valuable skills for my research activity. So when my dissertation chair shared the ECU Research and Teaching fellowship announcement, I did not hesitate to pursue this amazing opportunity to join a team of counseling scholars and students that were active in promoting culturally competent counseling within their community. With that, I look forward to the collaborative opportunities and receiving faculty mentorship while I further develop my research agenda. I hope to integrate that new knowledge gathered into the learning environment as counseling students pursue their career aspirations and transform their communities.”