Counseling Program Faculty

Rebecca Pender Baum received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Counseling from Idaho State University and her M.S.Ed, in Community Counseling and Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Before joining the faculty at Murray State University, she worked as a counselor with children, adolescents and adults at Family Services Alliance of Southeast Idaho, a small organization that facilitates services for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. She is the current vice president of the Kentucky Counseling Association. Her scholarly and research interests include mental health counseling, play therapy, marriage, couple and family counseling, trauma and crisis work, group work and supervision. Rebecca currently serves as the Practicum and Internship Coordinator for the Counseling Program. Specialty Areas: Play Therapy, Crisis and Trauma, Substance Abuse, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling, Group Counseling.

Susana Contreras Bloomdahl, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Education and Human Services. She has earned her doctorate in Counselor Education from the University of Arkansas in 2007. Originally from El Salvador but raised in South Louisiana, Dr. Bloomdahl has knowledge and experience in cultural diversity issues. She has worked with the minority populations within the school systems of New Orleans, Louisiana, and with the immigrant student populations in Northwest Arkansas. Her areas of expertise are in Multicultural Counseling and School Counseling.

Samir H. Patel, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the counseling program and earned his doctorate in Counselor Education from the University of Central Florida in 2010. He is the past-president of the Kentucky Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. Research interests include (a) the promotion of evidence-based practices in counselor education, (b) exploring outcome factors of the supervisory working alliance and (c) improving treatment outcomes for juvenile sex offenders.