Faculty Directory

Karena Heyward

Karena

Heyward

Karena Heyward

Dissertation Faculty

  •  
  • Campus:
  • Online
Department
Sport & Performance Psychology (SPP)
Institution
University of Western States
Email
Biography

Dr. Karena J. Heyward is a heart-led professor, counselor, and creative force committed to liberation, healing, and transformative education. As a Black and Queer educator, she brings a deep commitment to anti-oppression, social justice, and collective care into every space she enters.

With over 13 years of experience in counselor education, Dr. Heyward has mentored and trained future mental health professionals through an approach that blends rigor with radical compassion. She is known for her ability to challenge students, mentees, and supervisees while holding space for growth, joy, and healing. Her clinical and scholarly work bridges nervous system and brain functioning, somatic-centered practice, and liberation psychology, all rooted in a systemic, trauma-informed lens and a deep belief in the power of community.

Whether she's engaging in non-profit work or planning her next camper van getaway by the sea, Dr. Heyward moves with purpose. Her vision is clear: to cultivate spaces where people feel safe enough to breathe, brave enough to speak, and bold enough to transform. She believes in rest as resistance, in mentorship as legacy, and in the truth that healing ourselves helps heal the world.

Education History
Degree Institution Year
Ph.D. - Counselor Education and Supervision The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 2012
M.Ed. - Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA 2009
B.S. - Psychology Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 2006
Community Involvement
Role Organization
Clinical Supervisor Virginia Telemental Health Institute
Publications
Chapter

Austin, V., Heyward, K. J., & Armstrong, S. (2022). Culturally Responsive Counseling for Clients of Multiracial Descent.. In L. M. Summers, & L. Nelson (Ed.) Multicultural counseling: Responding with cultural humility, empathy, and advocacy (pp. 152). : Springer Publishing.

Honderich, E.M., Heyward, K.J. (2019). The Counselor’s Role in Fostering Emotional and Cognitive Development Across the Life Span. In Adekson, M.O. (Ed.) Handbook of Counseling and Counselor EducationNew York: Routledge.

Journal

Holmes, C. M., Tariq, F., Heyward, K., & Hall, D. (2023). Training Counselors Using Virtual Reality. Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision, 3 (2),

Hermann-Turner, K., Heyward, K., & Bailey, C. (2019). Community Uprising: Counseling interventions, educational strategies, and advocacy tools.. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 12 (1),

Lloyd-Hazlett, J., & Heyward, K. (2016). The Relationship between Students’ Ego Development and Phenomenological Experiences in Live-Supervision. VISTAS, ,

Lloyd-Hazlett, J., Honderich, E. M., & Heyward, K. J. (2016). Fa-MI-ly: Experiential Techniques to Integrate Motivational Interviewing and Family Counseling. The Family Journal, 24 (1), 31.

Heyward, K., Benoit, E., Hermann, K. M., Holmes, C. M., & Lloyd-Hazlett, J. (2013). Conquering Ambiguity with Creativity: Using Creative Family Counseling Interventions with Military Families.. Journal of Military and Government Counseling., 1 (3), 177-191.

Lloyd-Hazlett, K., & Heyward, K. J. (2013). Inter-disciplinary collaboration between professional school counselors and community-based family counselors: A focus group study.. Virginia Counselors Journal, 32 (17),

Wyatt, K., Dewell, J., Heyward, K., Osborne, L. A., Norris, K., Lukow, H., Sederquest, K., & Newman, B. (2012). Meeting the Mandate for Program Evaluation in CACREP Programs: A Study in the Commonwealth of Virginia.. Virginia Counselors Journal, ,

Licenses
Licensed Professional Counselor, Virginia
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Virginia