Scholarly • Soulful • Social

About

Dr. Destinee LPC (DC), LCPC (MD), NCC is a proud Fayetteville, NC native with deep Southern roots that shaped her values of faith and family. A lover of collard greens and chitlins’, she carries her heritage with pride while embracing a lifelong passion for learning, wellness, and community.

Dr. Destinee holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with a Leadership Specialty from the University of the Cumberlands, a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Trinity Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her insatiable curiosity and dedication to holistic wellness make her an engaging and insightful professor.

A former professional dancer, dance teacher, and fitness instructor, Dr. Destinee has trained in a wide range of movement modalities, including modern, hip-hop, jazz, yoga, barre, and Pilates. Her approach to wellness extends beyond the physical, integrating mind-body practices that foster emotional and mental well-being.

As an international speaker and researcher, Dr. Destinee has addressed diverse audiences on a range of topics, with a primary focus on her research in Behavioral Adultification. As a research team member for the Initiative on Adverse Childhood Experiences, she co-authored a successful grant proposal that secured funding to provide expressive-arts trained counselors for communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Adverse Community Environments (ACEs). Her research and advocacy are dedicated to trauma-informed care, resilience-building, and community wellness.

Dr. Destinee has managed large-scale research projects, bringing expertise in both qualitative and quantitative analysis. She has conducted longitudinal data analysis, scale-development research, and large-sample dataset analysis. As a research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she analyzed longitudinal datasets and conducted comprehensive literature reviews for grant-funded research.

Her research experience includes grounded theory methodology, interviewing, transcribing, and coding. Additionally, she has conducted Delphi expert consultation through a multi-round iterative process, ensuring a diversified sample and clarity in construct consensus.

Dr. Destinee has also performed multivariate statistical analyses, including Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and is proficient with research tools such as JASP, MTurk, and Datatab. She has led research recruitment efforts, collaborated with interdisciplinary professionals for data analysis and interpretation, and presented research findings and implications to major stakeholders.

Beyond her contributions to physical and community wellness, Dr. Destinee has spent over five years as an individual therapist, delivering measurement-based care to clients facing a range of mental health challenges, including Schizophrenia and Substance Use Disorders. Rooted in Gestalt and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), her work blends a holistic, here-and-now worldview with the evidence-based, meditative elements of Eastern philosophy.

Dr. Destinee’s passion for healing is deeply personal. Having experienced Behavioral Adultification and Adverse Childhood Experiences firsthand, she overcame the challenges of housing instability during her teenage years through the kindness and generosity of others. This resilience ignited her commitment to supporting others on their journeys toward healing and wellness.

A lifelong learner and dedicated professional, Dr. Destinee remains actively engaged in regional, national, and international professional organizations, staying at the forefront of evolving health and wellness research to better serve individuals and communities.