- Ph.D. in Counselor Education, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- B.S. in Psychology, Western Carolina University
Department of Counseling, Human Development and Family Science
BIO
Dr. Thacker Darrow (she/hers) is a Counselor Educator with a background as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor specializing in grief and LGBTQ+ counseling with youth and college student populations. In the classroom, she utilizes discovery learning and critical theories to develop students' critical consciousness and professional identities. She prioritizes experiential learning that helps students translate research to practice.
Throughout her work, Dr. Thacker Darrow aims to be critical of systemic inequities that shape development and wellbeing. Her research explores this aim in three topic areas: grief theory and counseling, LGBTQ+ persons’ mental health and development, and culturally-informed practices in counselor education and higher education. She regularly merges these interest areas through investigations of non-death loss and grief experiences among minoritized individuals, primarily in educational settings.
Specializing in critical qualitative research methods, Thacker Darrow strives to uncover systemic interventions that may address both individual and community needs in the face of loss. Her peer-reviewed articles have been published and presented at national, regional, and local levels. She currently serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy and the Journal of Mental Health Counseling.
Publications
Area(s) of expertise
- Culturally-informed grief theory and counseling, non-death losses
- LGBTQ+ mental health and development
- Social justice and equity in education and counseling
- Qualitative research and critical methodologies
Bio
Dr. Thacker Darrow (she/hers) is a Counselor Educator with a background as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor specializing in grief and LGBTQ+ counseling with youth and college student populations. In the classroom, she utilizes discovery learning and critical theories to develop students' critical consciousness and professional identities. She prioritizes experiential learning that helps students translate research to practice.
Throughout her work, Dr. Thacker Darrow aims to be critical of systemic inequities that shape development and wellbeing. Her research explores this aim in three topic areas: grief theory and counseling, LGBTQ+ persons’ mental health and development, and culturally-informed practices in counselor education and higher education. She regularly merges these interest areas through investigations of non-death loss and grief experiences among minoritized individuals, primarily in educational settings.
Specializing in critical qualitative research methods, Thacker Darrow strives to uncover systemic interventions that may address both individual and community needs in the face of loss. Her peer-reviewed articles have been published and presented at national, regional, and local levels. She currently serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy and the Journal of Mental Health Counseling.
Publications
Areas of Expertise
- Culturally-informed grief theory and counseling, non-death losses
- LGBTQ+ mental health and development
- Social justice and equity in education and counseling
- Qualitative research and critical methodologies