• PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Holy Cross of New Orleans
• MA in Counseling from Xavier University of Louisiana

Teaching is a transformative practice rooted in advocacy, reflection, and human connection. As a former high school teacher and practicing school counselor, now Counselor Educator, I approach teaching as an opportunity to cultivate critical consciousness, professional identity, and cultural responsiveness in future counselors. I believe in the power of the “village”; a supportive learning community where students feel seen, valued, and challenged. Grounded in strength-based and trauma-informed practices, I center the lived experiences, intersecting identities, and aspirations of my students to ensure instruction is relevant and inclusive.

Whether teaching in synchronous or asynchronous online formats, I foster dynamic engagement through real-time dialogue, multimedia learning, and personalized feedback. I ensure my virtual classrooms reflect the same warmth and rigor as face-to-face learning. My pedagogy is guided by four core values: empowerment through knowledge, equity in access and instruction, engagement through relevance, and reflection as growth. These principles help students explore their identities, examine bias, and develop the skills necessary to serve diverse communities with compassion and ethical integrity.

Inspired by W.E.B. Du Bois’ belief that “education must teach life,” I aim to prepare counselors not just to do the work; but to live the work with clarity, conviction, and heart.

My research spans multiple dimensions of counseling education, bridging clinical practice with educational theory to cultivate culturally competent counselors and counselor educators. With a dual focus on graduate student preparation and faculty development, I am committed to transforming how counselor educators are trained by implementing effective and innovative educational strategies that evolve alongside the counseling profession.

Recent legislative changes at both the federal and state levels have introduced significant challenges that impact the ethical responsibilities of counselors and counselor educators. In response, I develop scenario-based training designed to equip professionals with practical tools for navigating complex ethical dilemmas, particularly those involving ethics, social justice, and human rights.

A key area of my scholarly inquiry centers on adolescent developmental experiences. Drawing from my background as a former high school educator, I focus especially on how adolescents navigate critical life transitions within a pivotal developmental window that spans 20 to 25 years. My prior research, including my dissertation, examines the academic, behavioral, social, sexual, and racial identity development of African American adolescent males experiencing father absenteeism, emphasizing their interactions with male authority figures.

My mission is to enhance the educational experiences of graduate students, advance counselor education practices, and meaningfully contribute to the counseling profession. I envision establishing a mentoring program that bridges clinical and educational settings, fostering leadership development and collaborative networks among current and future counselors. 

• Elzey, B.  (2025)- Criminal Justice Mental Health Conference, Las Vegas, NV Presentation Title: From Trauma to Reentry: Healing Youth and Families Through Community Care.
• Elzey, B.  (2025)- Counselors for Social Justice Conference, San Juan, PR Presentation Title: A Strength-Based Approach: Culturally Sensitive Counseling Techniques for African American Adolescents
• Elzey, B.,& Varnado-Johnson, C. (2025)- Counselors for Social Justice Conference, San Juan, PR Presentation Title: Fostering Equity in Career Counseling: Integrating Erikson’s Human Development and Multicultural Competence
• Elzey, B.  (2025)- Louisiana Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Conference  Play Therapy Conference, Virtual Presentation Title: Sins of the Father: Diagnosing the Trauma of Absence, ACEs, and Their Legacy in Black Families
• Elzey, B.,& Varnado-Johnson, C. (2025)- Louisiana Play Therapy Conference, New Orleans, LA Presentation Title: Counseling BIPOC Adolescents with ADHD: Integrating Adventure- Based Counseling and Play Therapy
• Elzey, B., Tisdale, T.,Varnado-Johnson, C., & Martin, A. (2024)- Southern Association of Counselor Educations and Supervision Conference, Dallas, TX Presentation Title: Reality vs. Ethics: A Counselor’s Role in Supporting Their Clients in an Anti-LGBTQ World
• Fadul, O., Elzey, B., McFarland, K., & Alderson, L. (2024)- Black Mental Health Symposium, Virtual Presentation Title: Developing Culturally Responsive Care for BIPOC Youth with Disabilities and Intersectional Identities
• Elzey, B., Ward. J., Sevin, T.,  & Alderson, L. (2024)- Black Mental Health Symposium, Virtual Presentation Title: Using RCT Adventure-Based Play Therapeutic Framework for At-Risk Black Youth and Caregivers
• Elzey, B., Tisdale, T., & Varnado-Johnson, C. (2024)- National Cross-Cultural Counseling & Education Conference for Research, Action, & Change, Charlotte, NC Presentation Title: Reality vs. Ethics: Challenging Implicit Bias in Counseling Education While Navigating the Revocation of Affirmative Action
• Elzey, B., Tisdale, T., & Varnado-Johnson, C. (2024)- Law and Ethics in Counseling Conference, New Orleans, LA Presentation Title: Reality vs. Ethics: How Implicit Bias and the Revocation of Affirmative Action Impacts Cultural Competency for Future Counselor Educators

• Immediate Past President, Louisiana School Counselor Association
• Diversity and Social Justice Co-Chair, Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES)
• Counselor Educator-Member at Large, Louisiana Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (LACES)
• 24-26 National School Counselor Fellow, San Diego State University’s Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment (CEPA)

• Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society for Counselors
• Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education
• American School Counselor Association
• American Counseling Association
• Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
• Association for Counselor for Counselor Education and Supervision
• Louisiana Counseling Association
• Louisiana School Counselor Association
• Counselors for Social Justice 

• COUN 5350: Social Justice & Advocacy
• COUN 5050: Sys Perspectives: Family Therapy
• COUN 5150: Psychopathology
• COUN 5322: Counseling Approaches to Trauma, Grief, and Loss
• COUN 5070: Group Counseling 
• COUN 5270: Career Counseling
• COUN 5180: Ethical & Professional Issues 
• COUN 5040: Multicultural Perspectives