Dr. Barkis received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1988. She is a licensed psychologist in both Missouri and Kansas, and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Kansas. Dr. Barkis has worked in both University settings and in private practice. Her areas of special interest include treatment for anxiety, cross-cultural counseling, organizational psychology, personality styles, and relationship counseling. She is also a trained mediator. She practices a blend of cognitive-behavioral and solutions-oriented therapy. She has traveled extensively in China and likes to explore new cultures. Tennis or an evening of cards are outlets for her competitive side. Watch out for puns.    

Dr. Abels received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 2001. He is licensed as a psychologist in Missouri and Kansas. He has worked extensively with traditional and non-traditional age college students, international students, students of color, students with disabilities and other under-represented populations. He is trained as a generalist and feels comfortable working with a wide range of psychological concerns. His experiences include working with issues of abuse and trauma, academic skills development, career development, depression and other mood disorders, issues related to physical disability, family of origin problems, grief and loss, identity development, relationship issues, spirituality, and stress management. He works from a holistic framework that incorporates person-centered, interpersonal, cognitive-behavioral, and insight-oriented theories with the goal of identifying and developing individual strengths that will empower individuals to more effectively deal with their presenting concerns. In his spare time he enjoys exploring nature and the healing and calming splendor that it offers.

Krista is a pre-doctoral psychology intern at the counseling center.  She received her Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Dance from the University of Iowa and her Master of Arts Degree from the University of Denver.  She is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Denver.  Krista has experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families in a variety of settings.  She has worked with multiple diverse populations, including immigrants from Mexico.  She conducts therapy in Spanish.  Krista believes that people can change by better understanding themselves, including their feelings and behavior.  She approaches therapy from a psychodynamic point of view, but integrates cognitive-behavioral, behavioral, and developmental aspects into her work.  Her interests are very broad and include focusing on relationships, characterological difficulties, working with diverse populations, conducting therapy in Spanish, long-term and brief therapies, spirituality, outreach, assessment, and dance/movement therapy.  Krista is an die-hard college football fan and loves to spend time with loved ones and being outdoors running, hiking, and skiing.

Alice is a pre-doctoral intern at the CHTC. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and is currently a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Iowa. Alice has worked with adults, adolescents, and children in a variety of settings, including a university counseling center, a community mental health center, and an outpatient psychology clinic in a major hospital. Her approach to counseling is primarily client-centered, and focuses on the relationship between the client and the counselor as the main agent of change. She also integrates some cognitive-behavioral strategies into her work. Alice’s clinical interests include psychological assessment, recovery from sexual trauma, women’s issues, and multicultural considerations in counseling. In her free time, Alice enjoys traveling, camping, cooking (and eating!), board games, and spending time with friends and family.

Bio coming soon....

Shannon is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia class of 2006. She taught English in South Korea immediately following graduation. She is a first semester student in the Higher Education Administration program here at UMKC in the School of Education. Her personal hobbies include reading, knitting, cooking and playing Scrabble. Shannon is the smiling face that greets test takers on their day of testing.