Joshua Magruder, Ph.D.
Joshua Magruder, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Mississippi School of Education was recently named Counselor of the Year by the Mississippi Licensed Professional Counselor Association (MLPCA), a division of the Mississippi Counseling Association and theAmerican Mental Health Counselors Association.
Magruder, who also serves as the interim clinical coordinator at UM’s Clinic for Outreach and Personal Enrichment (COPE), will be honored this year at MLPCA’s annual conference in in Tupelo in November.
“Josh is a dedicated counselor who spends much of his professional and personal time working to help students and professional counselors,” said Morgan Bryant, MLPCA president. “The skills and qualities that make him a fabulous counselor, are also the skills and qualities that make him a fabulous professor. Joshua has worked tirelessly in the field of counseling and this is why we chose him for the honor.”
Magruder was selected for the honor for his past service to the MLPCA, which includes serving as its president and providing board supervision training for counselors, a service that allows early career counselors to earn their independent license.
“For me, this is all about service,” Magruder, a Florence, South Carolina, native said. “I am happy that my service has paid off to the point where I’m being honored, but I am more happy that there are good things happening in the world of counseling and it’s good to be part of that.”
Magruder’s specialties include, trauma, psychosis and play therapy and he is currently working toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist. Play therapy is a form of mental health counseling for students that allows children to express their emotions constructively in a playroom setting.
In his current role at COPE, he serves as the clinical and administrative leader for the unit that provides a variety of mental health services for community members and training experience for UM counseling students.
Currently, the clinic serves hundreds of local community members each month.
“I am fortunate to work with great colleagues.” he explained. “I love the day-to-day process of training counselors. That’s why I entered the professorate, to help aspiring counselors learn how to develop their skills.”
A UM alumnus, Magruder holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in counseling and a doctorate in counselor education from the UM School of Education. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in the state of Mississippi and is a National Certified Counselor of the National Board for Certified Counselors.
By Andrew M. Abernathy
