About Melissa Fickling

Dr. Fickling joined the CMH Counseling faculty in August 2015. Her primary research, teaching, and service interests are focused on the intersections of work, mental health, and meaning among adults. She is especially interested in the lived experiences of long-term unemployed and underemployed adults. Another line of research involves understanding and improving counselor advocacy competence. To this end she hopes to gain a better understanding of social justice movements such as labor activism in order to highlight implications for both counselors and clients. Other topic areas of interest include grief & loss, aging, gender, spirituality, and mindfulness. She has worked in a number of clinical settings, including higher education, private practice, and community career counseling.

Dr. Fickling is the Chapter Faculty Advisor for Kappa Zeta, the Counseling program's chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, an international honors society for professional counselors. She co-leads the College and Career Transitions Research Team with Dr. Chloe Lancaster.

Dr. Fickling is a member of the editorial review board for the Journal of College Counseling. She has received several small research grants ($250-$2000). She recently completed the National Career Development Association's Leadership Academy and was recognized as an ACES Emerging Leaders Fellow in 2013.

Credentials

National Certified Counselor
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor – Illinois (inactive)
Licensed Professional Counselor – North Carolina

Education

BA in Social Science, minor in Counseling – University of North Texas
MA in Community Counseling – Roosevelt University (CACREP accredited)
Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education – University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Professional Affiliations

American Counseling Association 2007 – present National Career Development Association 2007 – present
Association for Counselor Education & Supervision 2010 – present
Southern Association for Counselor Education & Supervision 2012 – present
Chi Sigma Iota 2013 – present
Tennessee Counseling Association 2015 – present
Tennessee Association for Counselor Education & Supervision 2015 – present
Tennessee Career Development Association 2015 – present