The awards committee of The Professional Counselor (TPC) recently selected the winners of the annual Dissertation Excellence Awards. 

The Dissertation Excellence Awards recognize original research that significantly contributes to the counseling profession and are judged according to presentation and clarity of ideas, sound methodology and interpretation of findings, innovative quality, and overall utility to the future of the counseling profession. In this 11th year of the award program, TPC conferred two Dissertation Excellence Awards, one for qualitative research and one for quantitative research. 

The winner of TPC’s 2024 Dissertation Excellence Award in the Qualitative category is April Brown, for her dissertation entitled Lived Experiences of Black Women Counselor Educators Mitigating Experiences of Racial Trauma in the Workplace. 

April Brown, PhD, NCC, CPCS, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, wellness expert, business consultant, Kaiser Permanente awardee, and founder of The Wellness Room, LLC and The Wellness Room Coaching & Consulting, LLC. Dr. Brown combines 10 years of training and experience in counseling and education to deliver evidence-based practices and a solution-focused approach to help people and businesses prioritize mental health, elevate wellness, and embrace self-care. Dr. Brown was awarded the Thriving Schools Honor Roll Award from Kaiser Permanente in 2018 for her work in designing a wellness room for teachers and staff to improve employee wellness. 

A firm believer in mental health awareness and self-care, Dr. Brown is passionate about teaching people how to prioritize self-care to reduce stress, obtain mental health resources, find work–life balance, and improve their overall well-being. Dr. Brown is on a mission to help people and businesses achieve optimal wellness by providing individual therapy, wellness coaching, business consulting, and wellness event planning and hosting wellness retreats. Dr. Brown plans to continue her research journey, develop innovative ways for more people to access mental health resources, create corporate wellness programs for businesses, and engage in advocacy to promote policy change around safety in the workplace. 

Aside from her professional pursuits, Dr. Brown is passionate about faith, family, food, and fitness. She is a devoted wife, sister, aunt, friend, and avid plant mom. When she is not working, Dr. Brown enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with family, reading books, and cooking vegan-friendly recipes. To learn more about Dr. Brown and her work, visit www.trythewellnessroom.com. Also, keep up with Dr. Brown on social media @thewellnessroomatl. 

The winner of TPC’s 2024 Dissertation Excellence Award in the Quantitative category is Patricia “Patti” Lindsey, for her dissertation entitled Training School Counselors to Close the Gap in College and Career Readiness: A Brief Intervention Study.

Patti Lindsey, PhD, NCC, LSC, LPC (MN), is a Licensed School Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds the National Certified Counselor certification. Dr. Lindsey has served 7th–12th grade students in rural Southern Minnesota public schools for the past 16 years. Dr. Lindsey co-led the ASCA Affinity Group for rural school counselors over the past 2 years and was a member of the MN ACT Council for 9 years, helping plan and host an annual professional conference for educational stakeholders. Her passion for school counseling and college and career readiness led her to pursue her PhD in counselor education and supervision and research these topics for her dissertation. She earned her PhD from the University of the Cumberlands in December 2023 and is ready to use her knowledge, experience, and expertise to make a difference in our profession. 

Read more about the Dissertation Excellence Awards here.