Rate My Professor David Christian

David Christian is an associate professor of counselor education and supervision in the Department of Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods within the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He founded and currently directs the Adventure Therapy Lab, collaborating with faculty and students to conduct research, produce publications on adventure therapy in mental health and school settings, and deliver workshops, trainings, and supervised experiences. These efforts prepare mental health professionals to serve at-risk populations across developmental levels and align with the goals of the Counselor Education and Supervision program, the college, and the university. Christian's research specializations encompass adventure therapy, school counseling, experiential education, school-based mental health counseling, adventure-based counseling, social-emotional learning, Adlerian theory in counseling, and counselor education and supervision. He joined the faculty as an assistant professor of counselor education in 2015, contributing expertise in adventure-based counseling and attracting students from across the state, nation, and globe.

Christian's scholarly output includes highly cited works such as 'Experiential education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflective process' (2021, co-authored with D.L. McCarty and C.L. Brown), which has garnered 142 citations, and 'Recommendations for the Role and Responsibilities of School-Based Mental Health Counselors' (2018, co-authored with C.L. Brown), with 70 citations. Other notable publications feature 'Understanding English learners’ high school academic experience: Suggestions for educators' (2023), 'Adventures in supervision: Implications for supervision of adventure based counseling' (2018), and 'Improving the parent–adolescent relationship with adventure-based counseling: an Adlerian perspective' (2017). Recent contributions include 'Promoting Social-Emotional Learning Through Adventure Therapy Groups: A Pilot Study' (2025, Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling), 'Navigating adventure therapy: Using Existential theory as a guide' (2025, Journal of Humanistic Counseling), 'Adventure Therapy to Mitigate the Harmful Effects of ACEs with Lower-SES Adolescents' (2024, Journal of Creativity in Mental Health), and 'Using the AT-EcoWellness Framework to Increase the Intentional Use of Nature in Adventure Therapy' (2023, The Journal for Specialists in Group Work). In 2025, he was honored as an Outstanding Faculty member by the College of Education and Health Professions. Christian serves on the University Program Review Committee from 2024 to 2027 and the Honors Council, enhancing institutional leadership and academic impact in counseling fields.