Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, LSC, PPS, NCC
Dr. Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, LSC, PPS, NCC, is a distinguished counselor educator, mental health counselor, school counselor, and psychometrician based in the Greater Minneapolis–St. Paul Area. She currently serves as an associate professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Bethany Lutheran College, where she teaches core courses, coordinates residency components, advises students, and supports program accreditation and assessment development. Dr. Stevens is a Nationally Certified Counselor with specialized training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness, and experiential learning, and she provides virtual outpatient mental health counseling with expertise in group counseling for drug and alcohol in-patient treatment.
Her professional journey is deeply rooted in personal experience, growing up in a trauma-affected household with parents struggling with addiction. This early exposure inspired her lifelong commitment to supporting overlooked and underserved populations in educational and mental health systems. Through her work as a school counselor across all K–postsecondary levels, a practicing therapist, and now as a counselor educator, Dr. Stevens integrates research, lived experience, and practical skill-building to prepare future counselors to serve individuals and communities with competence, empathy, and social justice advocacy.
In addition to her clinical and teaching roles, Dr. Stevens is a senior test developer for a military education company and contributes to psychometric testing and accreditation work. She is active in leadership roles at local, state, and national counseling organizations and is publishing her first textbook on university-level supervision in counseling programs. Her research interests include mindfulness, wellness, social justice advocacy, school counseling, assessment development, program evaluation, and experiential interventions, reflecting a career dedicated to cultivating excellence in counselor training and advancing effective mental health practices.
• Licensed Professional Counselor
• Licensed School Counselor
• Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi - Ph.D.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to staying true to my own principles, holding firm to my values and beliefs, and demonstrating resilience through challenges. My commitment to serving others is a guiding force in everything I do, shaped by my experiences growing up in a trauma-affected household.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came from a colleague who challenged me to focus only on what truly moves me toward my goals and to let go of battles that don’t. In their words: “Are you sure… is that going to get you there? No? Let it go, sister.”
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to stay true to yourself—don’t play anyone else’s game. Uphold your values, seek out mentors, and intentionally build a supportive community. Be resilient and courageous, and learn to choose wisely which battles are worth fighting.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field include systemic and institutional barriers in higher education, particularly for women and women of color, as well as the ongoing reliance on ineffective school-based interventions. At the same time, there are significant opportunities to create practitioner-focused scholarly work and to consult on designing standards-driven, evidence-based training programs for universities and other training providers.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me in both my work and personal life include serving others, maintaining integrity by staying true to my principles, and demonstrating resilience and courage. I also prioritize mindfulness, practice radical acceptance, and recognize the importance of self-care.
Locations
Bethany Lutheran College
700 Luther Drive, Mankato, MN 56001