Rate My Professor Sharon Bowman

Sharon L. Bowman, PhD, HSPP, ABPP, LMHC, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling Psychology, Social Psychology, and Counseling at Ball State University, a position she has held since 1996. She earned her BA in Psychology from The Ohio State University in 1981, MA in Counseling Psychology from the University of Akron in 1984, and PhD in Counseling Psychology with a minor in Women’s Mental Health from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1989, including a doctoral internship at the University of Delaware Counseling Center. Joining Ball State in 1989 as Assistant Professor, she advanced to Associate Professor in 1995 and full Professor in 2002, also serving as Doctoral Program Director from 1993 to 1996. In addition to her academic role, she maintains a private practice as a psychologist at The Briarwood Clinic in Muncie, Indiana since 2003, following prior positions at the Professional Psychological Clinic and Ball State’s Counseling Center.

Dr. Bowman’s research focuses on diversity issues including race, ethnicity, gender, women’s issues, and LGB concerns among college students; career counseling and development; supervision and mentoring; and disaster and trauma psychology, serving as a disaster mental health counselor with the American Red Cross. Key publications include the co-edited book Overworked and Undervalued: Black Women and Success in America (2022, Lexington Books); Walsh, Blom, Bolin, and Bowman’s 'Factors Relating to College Football Players’ Conformity to Traditional Masculine Norms' (2021, The Journal of Men’s Studies); Ausmus, Blom, Bowman, and Lebeau’s article on social media and disordered eating in gymnasts (2021, Science of Gymnastics Journal); and her own 'Conversations and Collaborations: What Has Really Changed?' (2015, The Counseling Psychologist). She has received numerous honors, including President of the Society of Counseling Psychology (Division 17, APA) in 2014, Fellow of APA Divisions 17 and 45, Indiana Psychological Association Outstanding Mentoring Award (2025), Ball State Outstanding Administrator Award (2018), and Ball State Award for Outstanding Junior Faculty (1994). Dr. Bowman has held leadership roles such as President of the American Board of Professional Psychology (2026 term), Chair of APA’s Commission on Recognition of Specialties (2024), Past President of the American Board of Counseling Psychology (2019), and member of the Indiana State Psychology Board.