Erika Leblanc, Ph.D., LPC,

Associate Professor of Leadership and Counselor Education

Erika L. Schmit is an Associate Professor of counseling at the University of Mississippi. Her clinical background included work with children, adolescents, and adults in community agencies, schools, and inpatient hospital settings. Her passion lies in clinical mental health counseling, specifically working with individuals at risk for suicidality. Her primary research interests include clinical mental health, suicidality prevention, intervention, and training, and sexuality in women. As an educator, Dr. Schmit loves to work with masters and doctoral students to develop critical thinking skills as well as a strong professional counselor and researcher identity. Dr. Schmit is an active member in several counseling organizations. She serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling and on the editorial board of several other journals. Dr. Schmit recently co-authored a textbook, Counseling Youth: Systemic Issues and Interventions.

Gender Studies -Related Research Interests:  Sexuality development in women; religious trauma, purity culture, and shame; mental health and sexual health in women.