Terri DeWalt PhD

Clinical Assistant Professor of Behavioral Health Psychology Get Contact Info

TEACHES IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM(S)

Behavioral Health Psychology

Biography

Dr. DeWalt graduated with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Political Science from Beloit College in 1999, obtained a master’s degree in Counseling in 2001 and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Marquette University in 2009. She was the Director of Sexual Assault Services of Lutheran Social Services (LSS) in Racine, Wisconsin from 2001- 2013 and supervised the Stop Child Abuse And Neglect (SCAN) program from 2009- 2013. She was the Training Director and a Licensed Psychologist in University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater from 2013-2022. Within UHCS she worked with her team to develop Wisconsin’s second APA Accredited Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology within a university counseling center.

Within her professional work she has held numerous leadership positions, including chairperson of the Racine County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Chairperson of the Racine County Family Violence Community Coalition, and a founding member of the Racine County Child Advocacy Center Steering Committee. During her tenure at UW- Whitewater she was Chairperson of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Advisory Committee, the UHCS Diversity, Training and TransHealth Committees and was a member of the center’s Administrative Team.

She has taught undergraduate courses at UW- Whitewater and graduate courses in the Masters in Community Psychology program at Alverno College.

Education

Marquette University, Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology
Marquette University, M.A. in Counseling
Beloit College, B.A. in Psychology and Political Science

Areas of Specialization

Clinical and counseling psychology
Trauma informed care for survivors of sexual and other forms of interpersonal violence
Clinical supervision and the identity development of mental health professionals
Inclusive support for members of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities
Crisis intervention and risk assessments with individuals who are experiencing suicidality

Scholarly and Professional Achievements

Publications

Kozlowski, J. M., Pruitt, N. T., DeWalt, T. A., & Knox, S. (2014). Can boundary crossings in clinical supervision be beneficial? Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 27, 109-126.

Burkard, A.W., Knox, S., DeWalt, T., Fuller, S., Hill, C., & Schlosser, L. (2014). Dissertation experiences of doctoral graduates from professional psychology programs. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 27, 19-54.

Selected Presentations

DeWalt, T.A., Reiser, M., Sudarsky-Gleiser, C., Urruty, K., (2018, September). S.O.S. Assistance Writing a Self-Study Under the Standards of Accreditation (SOA). Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies. Minneapolis, MN.

DeWalt, T.A. (2018, April). Perspectives on the Aftermath of Sexual Assault: The Impact on a Survivor. University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. The Big Read 2018 Lunch Discussion.

Fleming, E., DeWalt, T.A., Dindo, C., Brass, J. (2017, September). The Tide Has Turned: Challenges Facing New Internship Programs Seeking Accreditation. Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies. Denver, CO.

DeWalt, T., et al. (2012, October). Building Stronger Cases and Overcoming Obstacles in Sexual Assault Investigations. Racine County Sexual Assault Response Team. Racine, WI.

DeWalt, T., et al. (2010, March). A Multidisciplinary Approach to Sexual Assault Investigations. Racine County Sexual Assault Response Team. Racine, WI.

DeWalt, T. (2009, July). The Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence Against Adolescents in Racine County and the Community Readiness Model. Marquette University. Milwaukee, WI.

Daood, C., & DeWalt, T. (2007, August). Person, Place and Location: Is Your Program Well-Oriented? Presentation provided at the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Prevention Education Conference. Steven’s Point, WI.

Daood, C., & DeWalt, T. (2007, June). Global Warming, Sexual Violence and Other Radical Notions. Presentation provided at the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Training Institute.

Biehn, V., & DeWalt, T. (2007, April). Advanced Training on Keeping Kids Safe from Sexual Predators. Presentation provided at the Lutheran Social Services’ All Staff Conference. Oconomowoc, WI.

Boticki, M., DeWalt, T., & Rork, R. (2007, April). Promoting Healthy Recovery from Sexual Abuse. Presentation provided at The Youth Connections Conference. Racine, WI.

DeWalt, T. (2007, August). What Can I do as a Counseling Psychologist? Symposium conducted at the American Psychological Association National Convention. San Francisco, CA.

DeWalt, T. (2007, March). Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence and the Community Readiness Model. Paper presentation provided at Marquette University’s Conference and Research Exchange. Milwaukee, WI.

Biehn, V., & DeWalt, T. (2006, May). Helping Keep Kids Safe from Sexual Predators. Presentation provided at the Lutheran Social Services’ All Staff Conference. Oconomowoc, WI.

DeWalt, T., Downs, J., & Fuller, S. (2005, March). Positive and Negative Dissertation Experiences Among Clinical & Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students. Paper presentation provided at Marquette University’s Conference and Research Exchange. Milwaukee, WI.

DeWalt, T. (2001, March). Using Logotherapy to Combat Drug Addictions. Paper presentation provided at Marquette University’s Conference and Research Exchange. Milwaukee, WI.

DeWalt, T. (2000, February). The Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Survivors of Domestic Violence. Paper presentation provided at Marquette University’s Conference and Research Exchange. Milwaukee, WI.

Honors and Awards

Board of Regents Academic Staff of Excellence Nominee, April 2021, University of Wisconsin System
Non-Instructional Staff Award, April 2020, University of Wisconsin- Whitewater
Women in Leadership Award, March 2017, University of Wisconsin- Whitewater
Future Pioneer of Psychology: August 2008, American Psychological Association of Graduate Students
Voices of Courage Sexual Assault Victim/ Survivor Advocacy Award: April 2008, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault for excellence in sexual assault survivor/ victim advocacy in the state of Wisconsin.

What is your teaching style?

My teaching style is guided by the belief that when students feel truly seen and cared about they are better able to believe in themselves and are more likely to succeed. To this end I take the time to try and get to know each student with whom I work. I try to understand my students’ perspectives through the eyes of their experiences, culture, privileges and the sociopolitical barriers they may have faced. In the classroom, I use a variety of methods to convey new and/or complex material, including case studies, clinical anecdotes, and multimedia so that research and scholarly material is relatable for each student.

Why do you do what you do?

I care deeply about helping to develop the professional identities and skills of mental health professionals so that our field is able to meet the varied and diverse needs of all members of our society.

How do you make learning engaging?

I believe that in order for students to get anything out of a class they have to be personally engaged in the material. Therefore, I try to connect classroom material to real-world examples from my clinical work, the media and each student’s experiences to bring psychological principles to life. I have also found that small group discussions and interactive activities are key to keeping students present and invested in their learning. As a result, I try to cultivate opportunities for one on one conversations between students and myself and through using other interactive forums as much as possible.

What should students know about you?

I enjoy all things in nature- hiking, gardening, swimming, scuba diving and riding horses through the woods. I am known by my friends for my love of all animals and I hold a special place in my heart for amphibians, especially frogs and salamanders. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my partner, our 2 kids, our 3 cats Max, Ivan and Oliver, our turtle, Stella, and our bunny, Rory. Once COVID subsides I look forward to returning to my love of traveling.