Tira Stebbins, PH.D - Counseling Psychology Alumni Spotlight

Tira Stebbins, Ph.D

Dr. Tira Stebbins finished her doctoral degree in counseling psychology in August, 2012 after completing an APA accredited internship at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare, part of the Ohio Psychology Internship consortium and successfully defending her dissertation, entitled, "Effects of an Equine Assisted Activities Program on Youth with Emotional Disturbance: A Pilot Study".

Dr. Justin Perry served as her dissertation director. She is currently working as a post doctoral trainee at Bellefaire JCB and is studying for the EPPP.

Tira completed the program in 5 years after earning her Master's degree in clinical psychology at East Carolina University and working as a therapist at Bellfaire JCB, in Cleveland.

Tira deserves accolades not only for finishing her degree in a timely fashion (despite giving birth to her first child in the middle of the program), but also for conducting the first empirical study of equine assisted therapy with children with special needs as her dissertation.