Dr. George Stoupas

Assistant Teaching Professor

Faculty Member at Wake Forest University since July 2022

Mailing Address: WFU Department of Counseling, Box 7406, Winston-Salem, NC 27109

Email address: stoupasg@wfu.edu

Office phone: 336-758-2321

Location: Carswell 224

Education:

Ph.D. in Counselor Education, Florida Atlantic University, 2016

M.S. in Mental Health Counseling, Nova Southeastern University, 2011

B.A. in Political Science & Classical Studies, University of Florida, 2005

Research Interests:

Addiction/substance use counseling; harm reduction; recovery identity development; spirituality; couples and family counseling; counselor beliefs/attitudes about addiction; attachment.

Awards (selected):

• Stewart Distinguished Teaching Award, Palm Beach State College, 2018

Counseling Experience:

I have been in my private practice since 2013, now primarily providing Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to individuals and couples both in person and online. I also have many years of agency experience as clinical supervisor and program manager for a non-profit residential substance use disorder treatment program. I love working with people and families who have substance use concerns, providing a strengths-based, affirming, and non-judgmental approach that prioritizes harm reduction and multiple pathways to recovery.

Certifications and Licenses:

• Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), North Carolina
• Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Florida
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT), Florida
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Colorado
• Qualified Supervisor (QS), Florida – MHC Interns
• Master Certified Addiction Professional (MCAP), Florida
• Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Professional Membership:

• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC)
• Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
• American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)
• International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)

Service (selected):

• President-Elect – International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors, 2024 – 2025
• Editorial Board Member, The Journal of Addiction & Offender Counseling, 2024 – present
• Addiction Counseling Program Coordinator, Wake Forest University, 2023 – Present
• Lower Division Student Advisor, Wake Forest University, 2023 – Present
• Member, Behavioral Health Advisory Council, Florida Certification Board, 2017 – 2022
• Board Member & Past President, Rebel Recovery Florida, 2017 – 2020
• Faculty Developer, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Human Services program, 2017-2020
• Editorial Board Member, The American Journal of Family Therapy, 2016 – present
• Faculty Co-Chair, Palm Beach State College Institutional Review Board (IRB), 2016 – 2021
• Member, Faculty Development Committee, 2016-2019
• Member, IAAOC Legislative and Advocacy Committee, 2016 – 2018
• Member, Counseling and Psychology Services Advisory Committee (CAPSAC), 2016 – 2017
• Founding Faculty Advisor, Students for Recovery Club, 2015 – 2022

Recent Presentations (selected):

• Stoupas, G. & Grybush, A.L. (2024) No second-class clients: Ethical practice with people who use substances. Invited 3-hour training session for the Dr. Jonnie H. McLeod Institute on Addiction, University of North Carolina – Charlotte.
• Grybush, A.L., Stoupas, G., & Clarke, P.B. (2024). Words have power: Changing the way we talk about addiction and recovery. Presentation for the Association for Humanistic Counseling (AHC) online conference.
• Park, Y., Stoupas, G., Hymes, A., Gorritz, G., Beck, K., & Wynn, T. (2023). Refocusing the scope of clinical practice for ethical addictions counseling and supervision: Implications for social justice in addictions. Panel discussion for the American Mental Health Counselor’s Association (AMHCA) national conference in New Orleans, LA.
• Stoupas, G. (2023). Community college addiction studies students’ beliefs about addiction: Implications for counselor educators. Poster presentation for the IAAOC Research Consortium at the American Counseling Association’s National Conference in Toronto, Canada.
• Stoupas, G. (2020). Classroom Behavior Rubrics that Enhance Feedback. Invited presentation to Palm Beach State College’s Professional Teaching and Learning Committee (PTLC), Lake Worth, FL.
• Stoupas, G., & Duff, S. (2019). The Criminal History Exemption Process for PBSC Students. Presentation at Palm Beach State College human services students. Collaboration with the Florida Dept. of Children and Families and the Florida Certification Board. Lake Worth, FL.
• Stoupas, G. (2019). Who are You: Writing Your Philosophy of Teaching. Invited presentation to the Adjunct Faculty Colloquium. Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth, FL.
• Cascio, T., Stoupas, G., & Pain, K. (2018). Students as Research Collaborators. PBSC Faculty Development Day. Lake Worth, FL.
• Stoupas, G. (2018). Opioid Overdose Prevention & Naloxone (Narcan) Training. Workshop for students, faculty, and staff at Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth, FL.
• Stoupas, G. (2018). Motivational Interviewing in College: Engaging Students in Change. Invited presentation to Palm Beach State College’s Professional Teaching and Learning Committee (PTLC), Lake Worth, FL.
• Stoupas, G., Sperry, L., Binensztok, V., & Lipp, L. (2018). Evidence-Based Practice and Case Conceptualization: Attitudes in Training. Presentation at 2018 National Convention of the American Counseling Association in Atlanta, GA.
• Stoupas, G., Cade, R., Page, K., Chasek, C., & Stare, B. (2017). Removing Stigma from Addiction: Language as Advocacy for the Counseling Profession. Webinar presented to members of the International Association for Addiction and Offender Counselors (IAAOC).

Recent Publications (selected):

• Stoupas, G. & Ocean, M. (2021). LGB addiction recovery and community membership. In C. Boyd & J. Whitman (Eds.). Homework assignments and handouts for LGBTQ+ clients: A mental health and counseling handbook. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Chasek, C., Nelson, J. A., Cade, R., Page, K., Stare, B., & Stoupas, G. (2020). Advocating for adolescent substance use recovery: An alternative model. International Journal of Psychology: Biopsychosocial Approach, 23(1).
• Stoupas, G., & Ocean, M. (2020). LGB addiction recovery and community membership. In C. Boyd & J. Whitman (Eds.). The therapist’s notebook for sexual and gender identity diverse clients. Routledge.
• Ocean, M., & Stoupas, G. (2020). Exploring the concept of honesty with transgender clients in recovery from addiction. In C. Boyd & J. Whitman (Eds.). The therapist’s notebook for sexual and gender identity diverse clients. Routledge.
• Stoupas, G. (2019). The borderline couple. In L. Sperry, K. Helm., & J. Carlson (Eds.). The disordered couple (2nd ed.). Routledge.
• Stoupas, G., Binensztok, V., & Sperry, L. (2018). Spiritually based integrative case conceptualization. In C. S. Gill & R. Freund (Eds.) The intersection of spirituality and religion in counseling. Routledge.
• Sperry, L., & Stoupas, G. (2018). Spiritual practices and interventions in recovery from addictions: Implementing focused treatment and growth strategies in psychotherapy. In T. Plante (Ed.). Healing with spiritual practices: Proven techniques for disorders. ABC-CLIO.
• Sperry, L., & Stoupas, G. (2017). Incorporating mindfulness in secular and spiritually oriented psychotherapy: Ethical concerns. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 4(2), 152-15.
• Stoupas, G., & Sperry, L. (2015). In L. Sperry (Ed.) Mental Health and Mental Disorders: An encyclopedia of conditions, treatments, and well-being. ABC-CLIO. Multiple Entries.

Personal:

When not counseling, teaching, or writing, I spend time with my family exploring the woods, catching bugs, native plant gardening, and making our home comfy. I also enjoy portrait painting, running (slowly), and all things Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (I’m a Donatello).