Gerta Bardhoshi is a passionate advocate for social-emotional-behavioral health (SEBH) for students. As the director of research and training for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and associate professor for the University of Iowa's Counselor Education program, Bardhoshi sees her passions realized daily in her work.
Bardhoshi focuses on crafting and integrating school-based interventions that improve social-emotional and mental health supports for diverse students, and conducts research on counselor burnout and counseling instruments that measure a range of clinical outcomes.
Bardhoshi recently accepted the 2022 American Counseling Association (ACA) Research Award, which honors her for exemplary research in the counseling field.
The following is an excerpt from the College of Education article:
The ACA is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings. She will be recognized with the award at the annual American Counseling Association Conference & Expo April 7-9 in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference is the premier professional development and networking event for licensed professional counselors, students, and mental health professionals.
“It feels motivating to be recognized by my profession after a decade of what at times feels like a painstaking and ambiguous search for meaningful findings,” Bardhoshi says. “I hope that my work can serve as a springboard for promoting accurate, effective, and systemic counseling assessment in schools, ultimately helping with early identification and prompt school-based intervention.”
The impact of Bardhoshi’s work goes beyond what is accomplished in school buildings.
“Mental health awareness in schools can be a game-changer, not only for students, but also for teachers, parents, and entire communities,” Bardhoshi says. “I am passionate about training the next generation of engaged counselors who can empower schools with the knowledge and skills to improve mental health outcomes.”
Bardhoshi says she feels fortunate to be at an institution that provides faculty with extensive support for research.