Bethany Lutheran College professor highlights trauma-informed counseling leadership

Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, an associate professor at Bethany Lutheran College, is being featured for her work in clinical mental health counseling, trauma-informed care, and counselor training. Her profile points to the growing need for stronger mentorship, evidence-based practice, and more equitable pathways in mental health education.

Why it matters: - Helena Stevens works across counseling, education, and assessment at a time when higher education and mental health systems face persistent equity gaps. - Her focus on trauma-informed care and counselor preparation speaks to the shortage of well-trained mental health professionals and the need for better support for underserved communities. - Stevens also highlights barriers that can limit women, especially women of color, from mentorship, resources, and leadership roles in higher education.

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. - She is based in the Greater Minneapolis–St. Paul Area. - The profile describes Stevens as a counselor educator, mental health counselor, school counselor, and psychometrician. - Stevens is authoring her first textbook on university-level supervision in counseling programs. - A profile page is available through her Influential Women profile.

The details: - Stevens teaches foundational counseling courses, oversees residency components, advises students, and contributes to accreditation and assessment work. - She integrates research, practical skill-building, and advocacy in her teaching. - Stevens provides virtual outpatient counseling with a focus on trauma-informed care. - She also facilitates group counseling for people in drug and alcohol inpatient treatment. - Stevens has advanced training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and experiential learning. - She is a Nationally Certified Counselor. - Her background includes school counseling across kindergarten through postsecondary education, clinical therapy, and counselor education. - Stevens also serves as a senior test developer for a calibration engineering education company, supporting psychometric testing and accreditation initiatives. - Her research interests include mindfulness, wellness, social justice advocacy, school counseling, assessment development, program evaluation, and experiential interventions. - The profile says Stevens has held leadership roles in local, state, and national counseling organizations.

Between the lines: - Stevens connects her career to childhood experiences in a trauma-affected household with parents facing addiction. - That background appears to shape her emphasis on empathy, service, and advocacy for overlooked and underserved populations. - Her work blends clinical practice with academic training, which can help narrow the gap between research and day-to-day counseling work. - The profile frames resilience, integrity, mindfulness, and self-care as core to sustainable leadership in a demanding field.

What's next: - Stevens is continuing to expand her influence through research, mentorship, leadership, and her upcoming textbook. - Her stated priorities include improving counselor preparation, broadening access to quality mental health care, and developing more effective evidence-based interventions in educational settings. - She encourages emerging professionals to seek mentors, build networks, and stay authentic while advancing in the field.

The bottom line: - Stevens' profile presents her as a practitioner-educator working to strengthen counselor training and advance more equitable mental health support through both classroom instruction and clinical practice.