I have been a counsellor educator at Athabasca University for almost 25 years. I chose a career in academia because I am interested in, and committed to, the continued improvement of teaching and learning. I focused part of my research and writing on enhancing counsellor education, promoting online and distributed learning, advancing competency-based practice and education, exploring course and program design, developing creative and multimedia learning processes and activities, and more recently, creating open-source educational resources. I see myself, first and foremost, as a counsellor educator, and my sense of meaning and satisfaction comes from seeing students thrive in their courses, find their voices through their writing journeys, and apply their learning to their work with clients and their broader roles within the professions of counselling and psychology. I have particular enjoyed my roles as program and curriculum developer.
My research focuses primarily on culturally responsive and socially just counselling. I am interested in what kinds of competencies counsellors and counselling psychologists require to be able to honour cultural diversity and address social justice issues, both with individual clients and in the broader systems that impact clients’ lives, as well as how we best instill those competencies through counselling and psychology programs. In my research and writing I focus on counselling women and clients of nondominant sexual orientation and gender identity, feminist and multicultural therapy, intersectionality and multiple nondominant identity development, and multicultural supervision. I am also very committed to my own continuing competency development in processes of decolonization and Indigenization within counsellor education and professional practice more broadly. I am committed to the removal of barriers to learning, human growth and development, and to supporting full and equal participation in society by all persons and peoples, both as part of my academic role and my research focus.
Research interests
culturally responsive and socially just counselling
multicultural counselling
social justice
nondominant sexual and gender identities
feminist therapy
intersectionality
counsellor education
decolonization
anti-racism
open educational resources
ebook publishing
Educational credentials
Ph.D. Counselling Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
M.Sc. Counselling Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
B.A. Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
Professional affiliations
Regulatory College of Alberta Psychologists (Registered Psychologist)
Nonregulatory Canadian Psychological Association (Member)
Canadian Counselling Association (Member)
Ko, G., Anderson, M., Collins, S., & Yasynskyy, Y. (2021). Fostering responsive therapeutic relationships: Repositioning microskills and techniques in service of just conversations. Counselling Concepts. https://responsiverelationships.pressbooks.com/
Collins, S. (Ed.). (2018). Embracing cultural responsivity and social justice: Re-shaping professional identity in counselling psychology. Victoria, BC: Counselling Concepts. https://counsellingconcepts.ca/
Collins, S. (Ed.). (2018). Culturally responsive and socially justice counselling: Teaching and learning activities and resources guide. Counselling Concepts. https://crsjguide.pressbooks.com/
Lam, G., Collins, S., & Wong, G. (2020). Alone in paradise: A review of the literature related to single, immigrant mothers in Canada. Journal of the Motherhood Initiative, 11(1), 51-71. https://jarm.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jarm/article/view/40591
Huezo, M., & Collins, S. (2019). “It’s about human connection”: Transgender community wisdom to inform practice. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy. 53, 147-168. https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/61216
Collins, S., Arthur, N., Bisson, S., & McMahon, M. (2015). Assessing the Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies of Career Development Practitioners. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 14(1), 4-16. https://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/172
Collins, S., Arthur, N., Brown, C., & Kennedy, B. (2015). Student Perspectives: Graduate Education Facilitation of Multicultural Counseling and Social Justice Competency. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 9(2), 153-160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tep0000070
Arthur, N., & Collins, S. (2014). Counsellors, counselling, and social justice: The professional is political [Introduction to the special edition]. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 48(3), 171-177. https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/61030
Brown, C., Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2014). Fostering Multicultural and Social Justice Competency Through Counsellor Education Pedagogy. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 48(3), 321-342. https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/60997
Audet, K., Collins, S., Jay, M., Irvine, K., Lehr, A., & Schmolke, C. (2014). Poverty, mental health, and counsellors for social justice: Reflections on an interactive workshop. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 48(3), 300-320. https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/60036
Collins, S., Arthur, N., McMahon, M., & Bisson, S. (2014). Development of the Multicultural and Social Justice Competencies (MCSJC) scale for career development practitioners. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 13(1), 14-24. https://cjcd-rcdc.ceric.ca/index.php/cjcd/article/view/187
Collins, S., Arthur, N., Brown, C., & Kennedy, B. (2013). Counselor and Supervisor Views of Multicultural and Social Justice Education. Journal of Counsellogy, 279-295. https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/search/article?articleId=1357016
2022 Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. Canadian counselling book award. Awarded for:
Ko, G., Anderson, M., Collins, S., & Yasynskyy, Y. (2021). Fostering responsive therapeutic relationships: Repositioning microskills and techniques in service of just conversations. Counselling Concepts. https://responsiverelationships.pressbooks.com/
2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards. Silver medal for best e-book design. Awarded for:
Collins, S. (2018). Embracing cultural responsivity and social justice: Re-shaping professional identity in counselling psychology. Counselling Concepts.
2018 Athabasca University Graduate Students Association. Outstanding Distinction Award. Awarded to acknowledge and honour faculty who stand out because of their support, availability, and leadership.