About Nicole

Nicole is a PhD Candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at Columbia International University (CIU). She completed her Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling at CIU and has clinical experience in multiple settings. Her doctoral research focuses on spiritual abuse in Christian settings, with the hopes of training future clinicians to be mindful of those seeking healing from spiritual wounds. She currently works as an associate professor in the counseling program at CIU, training new clinicians to provide effective and ethical care from a biblical worldview.

Resume/CV

Curriculum Vitae

(Selected Entries)

EDUCATION

  • Exp. 2026 - Ph.D., Counselor Education & Supervision (Columbia International University)

  • May 2023 - Master of Arts, Clinical Counseling (Columbia International University)

  • May 2015 - Master of Arts, Linguistics(University of Delaware)

  • May 2014 - Bachelor of Arts, Linguistics and German Studies(University of Delaware)

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

  • South Carolina Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (#8559)

  • National Certified Counselor, National Board for Certified Counselors

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

  • Counselor & Owner | Ember Counseling, LLC | Columbia, SC (Mar. 2026 – Present)

    • Provide individual mental health counseling in-person and virtually with an emphasis on mood disorders, spiritual issues, and identity development.

  • Associate Professor, School of Counseling | CIU | Columbia, SC  (Jan. 2026 – Present)

    • Courses taught: Professional Orientation and Ethics (residential, Spring 2026); Assessments (residential, Spring 2026); Practicum (residential, Summer 2026); Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (residential & virtual, Fall 2026); Career Development (residential, Fall 2026).

  • Associate Counselor | Lexington Christian Counseling | Lexington, SC (Nov. 2024 – Mar. 2026)

    • Provided mental health counseling to community members with an emphasis on mood disorders, spiritual issues, and identity development.

  • Adjunct Instructor, School of Counseling | CIU | Columbia, SC (Aug. 2024 – Dec. 2025)

    • Courses taught: Career Counseling (residential, Fall 2024); Assessments (residential, Spring 2025); Practicum (virtual, Summer 2025); Foundations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (residential and virtual, Fall 2025).

  • Program Therapist I, Day Treatment Program | Prisma Health | Columbia, SC (Aug. 2023 – Oct. 2024)

    • Facilitated group, family, and individual counseling sessions for adult and adolescent behavioral health and substance use patients in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

  • Kinney, N. (2026, June 24). Recognizing, Preventing, and Healing Spiritual Abuse [Presentation]. Lexington Christian Counseling Training Series, Lexington, SC.

  • Roudkovski, K., Klemashevich, J., & Kinney, N. (2026, March 26-28). The State of Research on Spiritual Abuse: Key Findings and Clinical Implications [Conference session]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Columbus, OH.

  • Kinney, N. (2025, August 5). Recognizing, Preventing, and Healing Spiritual Abuse [Presentation]. CareCola Monthly Gathering, Columbia, SC.

  • Kinney, N. and Herzel, K. (2025, March 20-22). Transforming our Campuses: Recognizing, Healing, and Preventing Religious Abuse in Christian Higher Education and Training Programs. [Conference session]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

  • Scott, S. L. and Kinney, N. (2024, March 21-23). The Implications of Context-Dependent Learning for Faith Integration Practice in Counseling [Conference session]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

  • Scott, S. L. and Kinney, N. (2024, March 21-23). Program Characteristics that Produce High-Quality Faculty for Faith-Based Graduate Counseling Programs [Poster presentation]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.

  • Nanna, G. and Kinney, N. (2023, March 30-April 1). Facilitating Post Traumatic Growth with Clients Recovering from Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse​ [Conference session]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Louisville, KY.

  • Kinney, N. (2023, March 30-April 1). The Prevalence and Severity of Spiritual Abuse in the Lives of Counseling Students at a Christian University [Poster presentation]. Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference, Louisville, KY.

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Christian Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS)

  • Association of Counselors, Counselor Educators, Supervisors, & Students (CAPS - ACCESS)

  • American Counseling Association (ACA)

  • Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACA – ACES)

  • Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACA – SACES)

  • South Carolina Counseling Association (SCCA)                             

  • American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)

Get in Touch

Feel free to reach out if you have a question, comment, or request to collaborate.