Bethani Cogburn

Bethani spent her childhood exploring the woods, climbing trees, and leading the neighbors on adventures. In her teens, she began working as a camp counselor every summer for seven weeks at a Girl Scout resident summer camp in the Appalachian mountains. As a first generation college student, Bethani attended Belmont Abbey College, earning a bachelor’s in sociology. She attended Charlotte for her master’s in clinical mental health counseling and post-master’s certificate in school counseling. She worked for six years as a school counselor, primarily at the secondary level in urban environments. In her work, she aims to lead with authenticity and empower all students to achieve their goals; she utilizes creative techniques and natural resources in her work. At one of her schools, she led mindfulness, yoga, camping, and backpacking trips with secondary school students. In her time as a clinician, she worked to provide creative strategies for regulation and processing for her adolescent and adult clients. Now, finishing her dissertation focused on ecowellness, she’s excited to complete her Phd in Counselor Education, equipped with tools related to supervision, teaching, and research. Once finished, she aims to collaborate with students and faculty at Naropa to produce research publications that reflect the many strengths of the university. She’s excited to join Naropa University and support the continued development of the Nature-Based Transpersonal Counseling program.