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Dr. Bethany R. Russell
Biographical sketch

Bethany R. Russell, Ph.D.

Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Qualified Supervisor · Play Therapist · Accredited Counseling Supervisor

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Personal statement

A career dedicated to children & families.

My career has been dedicated to advancing mental health services for children and families, with a specific focus on play therapy, integrated behavioral health, and the application of innovative technologies.

As a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Qualified Supervisor, Play Therapist, and counselor educator, I have a strong foundation in both clinical practice and research methodologies.

My doctoral research involved the development and initial validation of a new instrument, the Highly Sensitive Child Scale for Preschool Age Children (HSCS-P), providing direct experience in psychometric development and pilot testing.

My research interests include Artificial Intelligence & Technology in Mental Health and Change Mechanisms in Play Therapy.

Education & training

Academic foundations.

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Counselor Education & Supervision
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Play Therapy
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Human Development & Family Studies, Child Life
University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Human Development & Family Studies, Child Life; Spanish
Positions & scientific appointments

A record of practice & leadership.

2026—Present
CMS (Medicare & Medicaid) HealthTech Ecosystem Working Group on Conversational Patient-Facing AI
Washington, D.C.
2023—2026
Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL
2023—Present
Owner, Researcher & Mental Health Therapist, Bethany R. Russell, Ph.D. & Associates, P.A.
Babcock Ranch, FL
2022—2024
Therapist, Orlando Counseling Services
Orlando, FL
2021—2023
Visiting Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Stetson University
DeLand, FL
2021—2022
Program Therapist, Halifax Health — Child & Adolescent Behavioral Services
Daytona, FL
2019—2021
Clinical Coordinator & Research Assistant, Community Research and Counseling Center
Orlando, FL
2018—2021
Assistant Director of Research, UCF Center for Play Therapy Research and Training
Orlando, FL
Honors & Recognitions

Awards & Honors.

2026 (July)

IPEC Public Health Service COF Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration Award

Honorable Mention: Health Communications & Health Technology

National recognition from the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Officers Foundation for outstanding contributions to interprofessional healthcare communication, technology innovation, and pediatric mental health integration.

2026 (March)
Site Supervisor of the Year
Chi Sigma Iota (International Counseling Honor Society)
Honored for exceptional clinical mentorship, evidence-based supervision, and commitment to intern professional development.
2026
Past President
Florida Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (FACES)
Led statewide advocacy, counselor education standards, and clinical supervision initiatives across Florida.
2024—2026
Google Cloud & Perplexity.ai Research Awards
Google Cloud Platform & Perplexity AI Academic Research Grants
Grant recipient supporting research in pediatric mental health applications, conversational AI evaluation, and play therapy outcomes.
Contributions to science

Five strands of scholarship.

01
Development & validation of psychometric instruments
Doctoral dissertation: the Highly Sensitive Child Scale for Preschool Age Children (HSCS-P). Addresses the need for nuanced assessment tools for specific pediatric populations; provided training in instrument design, psychometric evaluation, and pilot testing.
02
Advancing evidence-based play therapy
Contributions to the understanding and evaluation of play therapy approaches, including evidence-based treatment criteria — International Journal of Play Therapy (2024, 2021).
03
Play therapy in diverse settings
Applied play therapy principles in pediatric hospitals and cross-cultural consultation contexts — Journal of Child and Adolescent Development (2019); Int’l Journal of Human Rights & Health (2015).
04
Therapeutic interventions for child-welfare families
Investigated the efficacy of Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) within child-welfare involved families — The Family Journal (2024).
05
Technology & AI in mental health
Current focus, supported by Google Cloud and Perplexity.ai research awards. 2026 publication in Frontiers in Human Dynamics examining public sentiment toward traditional providers versus AI alternatives.
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Scheduling 239-667-5469
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Babcock Ranch, Florida 32988