Jennifer Stefanovski is a first-year doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program.

Where is your hometown?

Columbus, OH

Where did you obtain your bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and what were your major(s)?

Bachelors from Miami University (2010) with Major in Psychology and minors in neuroscience and violin performance

Masters in Counseling from Ball State (2012) Community Mental Health Counseling

What first interested you in counseling psychology?

Probably when I was a volunteer on a suicide hotline as an undergrad. I originally wanted to be a researcher, but being able to see growth and resiliency in people was a powerful experience.

Why did you choose Ball State?

I want to be a better therapist and I valued the training that I received as a masters’ student and knew I would get that and much more as a doctoral student. In knowing the program to a degree, I value what it stands for and how BSU’s counseling psychology program supports the holistic growth of their students.

What do you think of your experience at Ball State as a doctoral student so far? 

I’m tired, but it’s been amazing. I am surrounded by fantastic people that know fantastic things and I am just trying to absorb as much as I can. I feel so grateful to have the best cohort, I could not ask for more supportive, knowledgeable, and fabulous people to be surrounded by.

What are your research interests?

How to utilize the information that neuroscience provides to cultivate effective treatment interventions. Currently in the process of formulating my dissertation around using EEG recordings capturing aspects of EMDR to support better informing trauma treatment protocol development.

What are your future plans and career goals?

I’m trying to clarify that path, but in general, I just want to learn more. In terms of career path, I know I hope for a mixture of continued work as a therapist in a community mental health setting with the ability to provide assessments as well as teaching/supervising and research. Maybe looking into faculty position in a counseling psychology department or community mental health agency as a psychologist if the opportunity or path should arise. I also want to continue to travel, experience and grow as a person.

What are a few of your favorite hobbies?

Eating, cooking/baking, crafting, keeping my small child alive and planning fun adventures for her.

What food could you not live without?

That’s too hard! I love all food. It depends on the day as well. Today, I would say I would be sad with the idea of living without some form of bread or chocolate.

What’s your favorite TV show currently?

Unfortunately, I literally have not watched a TV show in over a year, not because I don’t want to, but only because it turns out keeping a small human alive is quite time consuming. But I love and miss TV and movies so much, it was a true passion. So if someone could tell me how Barry ended after season 2, I would appreciate it. But I do consume an ungodly amount of TikTok.

What’s something about you that people would be surprised to know?

I’m not sure what would be surprising, I am a comfortably simple and transparent person. But I guess that where I have a side that loves my grandma hobbies of embroidery and baking, I also love high adventure and adrenaline activities, like I’ve backpacked through Europe for a few months, sky dived, enjoy rock-climbing, etc.

How do you practice self-care?

Either being with myself or with the people I love.