Dr. Wynn Purvis's educational journey includes a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a Counseling Emphasis, which she earned from Lander University in 2000. Subsequently, she pursued and obtained a Master's degree in Community Counseling from Western Carolina University in 2003. In 2013, Dr. Purvis completed her academic training with a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of South Carolina.

Sexuality Counseling and Sexual Wellness: This includes research and advocacy around sexuality counseling training, defining and advancing sexuality counseling within the profession, and addressing specific concerns within the LGBTQIAP+, polyamorous, and holistic spirituality communities. This is further highlighted by her role in establishing the Sexual Wellness in Counseling Interest Network and the Association for Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness.
Trauma-Informed Care: Dr. Purvis emphasizes trauma-informed approaches in her clinical work and training, including the impact of reproductive loss and grief, maternal mental health, and systemic and spiritual trauma. She's involved in providing training on trauma-informed clinical supervision and how trauma uniquely affects neurodiverse individuals.
LGBTQIAP+ Affirming Care: Dr. Purvis is a strong advocate for inclusive mental health services for LGBTQIAP+ youth and adults, actively working on advocacy projects and establishing a non-profit organization to provide supportive interventions and training in affirmative care. She works to combat efforts to erase identities and advocates for human rights within these communities.
Adolescent Mental Health: Her clinical practice prior to teaching focused on supporting adolescents struggling with suicidal and self-injurious behaviors, sexual behavior and sexuality-related concerns, and mood disorders.
Counselor Development: As a counselor educator and supervisor, she's invested in developing culturally responsive training and preparing future counselors, evident in her work mentoring students and offering clinical supervision.
Advocacy and Community Leadership: Beyond her academic and clinical work, Dr. Purvis is dedicated to community leadership and advocacy, leading outreach programs, and working to address gaps in clinical and community support for marginalized communities.

Dr. Wynn Purvis's teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in a dialectical constructivist approach, cultivated from an early passion for understanding human behavior and fostering growth in others. Her approach emphasizes active learning, collaboration, and critical reflection to empower students to become thoughtful, informed, and compassionate counselors and educators.
Active Learning and a Student-Centered Environment
Dr. Purvis champions learning as a collaborative process where students actively engage with course content, their colleagues, and real-world experiences. She strives to create a dynamic learning environment by incorporating hands-on activities such as projects, group discussions, problem-solving exercises, role-playing, and case studies. These strategies enable students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical application in a meaningful and experiential manner.
Collaboration and the Social Construction of Knowledge
At the heart of her teaching is the belief that knowledge is constructed socially through dialogue and collaboration. Dr. Purvis fosters an environment built on mutual respect where students feel comfortable sharing their insights, asking questions, and challenging ideas collaboratively. Through group interaction and discourse, students gain exposure to diverse perspectives and engage with the material more meaningfully. She particularly leverages the online environment to facilitate interaction with perspectives from different geographical areas and encourages students to incorporate their intuition and wisdom.
The Essential Role of Reflection
Reflecting on and integrating knowledge is crucial for creating meaning. Dr. Purvis integrates opportunities for students to reflect on their discussions through journaling, peer discussions, and individual assessments. By encouraging students to revisit previous conversations and weave them into current topics, she helps them forge dynamic connections between concepts, domains, and skill sets, fostering authenticity and increased self-awareness in their practice.
Valuing Diverse Learners and Multiple Perspectives
Dr. Purvis recognizes that each student brings a unique tapestry of experiences, prior knowledge, and cultural backgrounds to the learning environment. As a dialectical constructivist educator, she approaches each student with a genuine desire to understand their individual perspectives on themselves and what motivates human experience. This understanding allows her to guide students towards theories and approaches aligning with their core beliefs about human behavior and to tailor group processes to benefit both individual students and the group as a whole. This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also prepares students to navigate the complexities of a diverse world as professional counselors and counselor educators. She fosters robust discourse by openly sharing her own perspective and inviting students to question, challenge, and expand on the information presented, intentionally validating their contributions even while encouraging them to consider alternative perspectives.

DISSERTATION/THESIS COMMITTEE WORK

• Vaughn, W. (2025). “School Principals’ Perception of Hiring School Counselors” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Maulding, Barbara (2023). “The Experience of a Now Adult Who Grew Up with a Suicidal Sibling: A Retrospective Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study.” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Velez, Lisette (2022). “Lived Experiences of School Counselors Working with Urban Minority High School Students.” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Abraham-Lewis, Grace (2022). “Black Women, Mental Health Treatment, and Spiritual Healing: A Transcendental Phenomenological Dissertation.” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Hus, Jillian (2021). "Inside Out: Mask-Making and the Counseling Student Identity." [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Mangruder, Lauren (2021). "African American Mothers’ Experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit." [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Watanabe, J. (2021). “Counselor Perceptions on Alignment of Education, Supervision, and Preparation in Correctional Settings” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Peterson, L. (2020). “School Counselors’ Lived Experiences Working with Students with Mental Health Concerns” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Mbosowo, H. (2018). “The Relationship between Recidivism and Inpatient Treatment for Co-occurring Disorders among African American Male Ex-offenders” [quantitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Stead, M. (2018). “Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Persons Share Experiences with Counseling Assessments” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Whinnery, W. (2018). “Evaluating the Lived Experiences of Military Spouses of Soldiers Who Served in Combat in Iraq or Afghanistan Who Developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder From Combat” [qualitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).
• Dadashazar, N. (2017). “Return to Prison: Motivational Factors Affecting Offender Recidivism Rates” [quantitative] (Doctoral Dissertation at Walden University).

• Dupkoski, W., Kelchner, V. & Haley, A. (2021). Sex is Not a Four-Letter Word: Incorporating Sexuality Counseling Training Into CACREP Competency Areas in Counselor Education Programs. Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness: Research, Practice, and Education, 3 (1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.34296/03011046 .
• Mallicoat, W. D. (2014). Counselors’ perceptions of sexuality in counseling: A pilot study. The Practitioner Scholar: Journal of Counseling and Professional Psychology, 3(1), 63-81.doi: xx.xxxxxxxxxx
• Dupkoski, W. (2012). Sexuality is universal: Implications for using a constructivist approach to sexuality training in counselor education programs. In Ideas and research you can use: VISTAS 2012. Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/Resources/

National:
Mallicoat, W. D. (October, 2015). The Fauna of Mirrors?: Exploring Subjectivity in Qualitative Research. Symposium conducted at the Association for Counselor Education Supervision Conference. Philadelphia, PA.

Mallicoat, W. D. & Kelchner, V. (October, 2015). Sex is Not a Four Letter Word: Integrating Sexuality Counseling in Counselor Education Programs. Symposium conducted at the Association for Counselor Education Supervision Conference. Philadelphia, PA.

Mallicoat, W.D. & Gibson, D. M. (March, 2015). Beyond sexual healing: advanced topics and techniques in sexuality counseling. Pre-conference learning institute for the American Counseling Association. Orlando, Fl.

Gibson, D.M., & Dupkoski, W. (March, 2012). Sexual healing: Learning to be confident in
providing sexuality counseling. Pre-conference learning institute for the American Counseling Association, San Francisco, CA.

Dupkoski, W. N. (October, 2011). Sexuality is universal: implications for using a constructivist approach to sexuality training in counselor education programs. Symposium conducted at Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Nashville, TN.

Kelchner, V., Dupkoski, W.N., Jones,T.J., Gibson, D., Taylor, C., & Brooks, K. (October, 2011). Proceed with caution: Ethical decision making in counselor education. Symposium conducted at Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Nashville, TN.
Regional:
Mallicoat, W.D. & Bozard, L. (October, 2014). Going All the Way: A Wellness Perspective to Sexuality Counseling Training. Content Session conducted at the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Birmingham, AL.

Mallicoat, W. D. (October, 2014). A Constructivist Examination of Counselors’ Conceptualization of “Sexuality”: Implications for Counselor Education. Poster session conducted at the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Birmingham, AL.

Dupkoski, W.N. & Kelchner, V. (September, 2012). Sex is Not a Four Letter Word: Enhancing Sexuality Training in Counselor Education. Content session conducted at the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Savannah, GA.

Local/State:

Dupkoski, W.N. (November, 2021). Becoming a “Mother”: Postpartum Grief, Adjustment, and Self-Care. Annual KCA Conference. Louisville, KY.

Mallicoat, W. D. (February, 2017). Rainbows and angels: Counselors supporting women during pregnancy and motherhood after loss. Annual NCCA Conference. Durham, NC

Mallicoat, W.D. & Miller, J.S. (February, 2017). When the tea ain’t so sweet: Advocacy and awareness of sexual minorities in North Carolina. Annual NCCA Conference. Durham, NC

Mallicoat, W.D. & Miller, J.S. (September, 2014). Reaching for the Skype: Online Versus Traditional Supervision. Annual LPCANC Conference. Greensboro, NC

Mallicoat, W.D. (March, 2014). Let’s Talk About Sex: Addressing Sexuality in Counseling with Confidence. Annual ACAM Conference. Jefferson City, MO

Mallicoat, W.D. (March, 2014). Counseling Women with a History of Trauma Before and After Childbirth. Annual ACAM Conference. Jefferson City, MO

Mallicoat, W.D. (November, 2013). Sexual Trauma and Childbearing. Doulas of Greater Kansas City Monthly Meeting at the Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO.

Dupkoski, W.N. (October, 2012). Working with non-suicidal clients who self-harm. Chi Sigma Iota Workshop provided at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC..

• Leadership Appreciation Award, 2024
• SACES Emerging Leaders Fellowship, 2014
• National Military Family Association’s Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship, 2014
• Upsilon Sigma Chi Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota Outstanding Doctoral Student, 2012
• Chi Sigma Iota Leadership Essay Contest First Place Award—Doctoral Student Category, 2012
• Psychology Award for Outstanding Academic Performance, 2000
• Mental Health Scholarship Recipient, 1996
• Lander Presidential Scholarship Recipient, 1996-2000

• Founder/Director, Yew Belong Community Services, Columbia, SC (2022-present)
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (2018-2021)
• Founding President, Association of Counseling Sexology & Sexual Wellness (ACA Division) (2018-2019)
• CCO Family Readiness Group (FRG) Advisor, Fort Bragg, NC (2016-2017)
• Postpartum Progress Climb Out of the Darkness Event Leader, Fayetteville Team (2016-2018)
• Committee Member, Student Support Committee (2016-2019)
• Committee Member, Leadership Mentoring Committee (2016-2018)
• CACREP Admissions Reviewer (2015—2019)
• Faculty Advisory Council Member (2015—2017)
• Committee Member, Skills Committee (2014 – 2016)
• Facilitator/Founder, Sexual Wellness in Counseling Interest Network (ACA) (2013 – 2018)
• Editor, Sexual Wellness in Counseling Interest Network Newsletter (2013-2018)
• ACA Conference Proposal Reviewer (2014)

• CES Courses: Civil Engagement, Public Policy, & Resilient Narratives, Leadership Ethics & Social Justice, Doctoral Practicum, Doctoral Internship, Clinical Supervision, Teaching in Counselor Education, Crisis Management, Dissertation, Foundations for Graduate Study, Counseling Theories, Research Design, Professional Orientation, Foundation of Graduate Studies, Crisis Management, Vicarious Trauma
• CMHC Courses: Counseling Approaches for Trauma, Grief, & Loss, Psychodiagnostics and Treatment Planning, Counseling and Professional Identity, Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling, Research and Evaluation, Crisis, Trauma, and Response, Communication Skills in Counseling, Sexuality Counseling, Group Methods in Counseling