Professor, Coordinator of Counseling Training Clinic
Leadership and Counseling
135E-1 John W. Porter Building
Dr. Perry C. Francis is a professor of counseling and the coordinator of the Counseling Training Clinic in the College of Education Clinical Suite. The clinic is a training facility for advanced level graduate students in the professional counseling program. The clinic provides counseling services to clients from the community, student body of EMU, and referrals from the county courts and local mental health centers.
Dr. Francis is a member of the American College Counseling Association (ACCA) and has served on the leadership team as a board member-at-large and as the president. He is also a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) where he has served on various committees, task forces and boards. Dr. Francis has presented on numerous topics concerning the development and application of ethics and values, suicide prevention and intervention, and professional issues impacting counseling practice at conferences in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. He has also written numerous journal articles and book chapters and provided webinars on classroom management, working with disruptive and disrespectful students, veteran's mental health issues on campus, and campus mental health issues for Magna Publications and Paperclip Communications. Dr. Francis is also an authorized trainer for the Suicide Prevention Resource Center's curriculum on Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk: Core Competencies for Mental Health Providers.
Dr. Francis earned his degree in counselor education at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). Before completing his degree, he was a Lutheran parish pastor and a campus pastor. He also served as an interim staff psychologist at the UNC Counseling Center.
As a professor, Dr. Francis works with non-traditional students on a daily basis, helping them to learn to balance their lives, careers and education. "I find their biggest concerns center around trying to do it all, be the perfect undergrad or graduate student, perfect employee in a tight economy, and perfect spouse and/or parent. This incredible stress takes its toll on their lives and relationships. Understanding how to support them to achieve balance makes for a better student and future alumni."