Influential Women spotlights counselor educator Helena Stevens

Influential Women featured Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, an associate professor at Bethany Lutheran College whose work spans counseling education, trauma-informed care, and mental health advocacy. Her profile highlights a career focused on training future counselors, expanding access to support, and pushing for more equitable systems in higher education and mental health care.

Why it matters: - Helena Stevens’ work affects how future counselors are trained, which shapes care for students, clients, and communities. - Her focus on trauma-informed practice and equity speaks to ongoing gaps in mental health access and higher education. - Stevens’ profile also underscores the growing role of practitioner-educators who combine clinical work, teaching, research, and advocacy.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, LSC, PPS, NCC, in a profile published July 22, 2026. - Stevens is an associate professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota. - Stevens is based in the Greater Minneapolis–St. Paul area. - The profile highlighted Stevens’ work as a counselor educator, mental health counselor, school counselor, and psychometrician. - A full profile is available through Influential Women.

The details: - Stevens teaches foundational counseling courses and oversees residency components in Bethany Lutheran College’s counseling program. - Stevens also provides academic advising, contributes to accreditation efforts, and helps develop assessments. - Stevens provides virtual outpatient mental health counseling with a trauma-informed focus. - Stevens facilitates group counseling for people receiving inpatient drug and alcohol treatment. - Stevens has advanced training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and experiential learning methods. - Stevens has worked as a school counselor across levels from kindergarten through postsecondary education. - Stevens has also served as a practicing therapist and counselor educator. - Stevens is a senior test developer for a calibration engineering education company, where she supports psychometric testing and accreditation initiatives. - Stevens is currently writing her first textbook on university-level supervision in counseling programs. - Stevens’ research interests include mindfulness, wellness, social justice advocacy, school counseling, assessment development, program evaluation, and experiential interventions.

Between the lines: - Stevens ties her advocacy to growing up in a trauma-affected household with parents facing addiction. - That background shaped her focus on overlooked and underserved populations in educational and mental health systems. - Stevens’ career reflects a broader push in counseling education to connect research with real-world practice. - Her comments on systemic barriers in higher education point to continued access and advancement challenges, especially for women of color. - Her emphasis on mentorship, authenticity, and self-care suggests a leadership model built around sustainability, not just achievement.

What's next: - Stevens plans to continue research and leadership work in counseling education and mental health advocacy. - Her upcoming textbook is expected to add to the field’s resources on university-level supervision. - Stevens said continued innovation and research are needed to improve evidence-based interventions in educational settings. - She sees opportunities to strengthen training programs and bridge the gap between scholarship and practice.

The bottom line: - Stevens’ profile centers a career built on teaching, clinical service, and advocacy, with a clear goal of preparing more compassionate and effective mental health professionals.