Laura H. Choate 

Jo Ellen Levy Yates Professor

Bachelor's Degree: Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1990

Master's Degree: Psychology, Hollins College, Roanoke, Virginia, 1992

EdD: Counselor Education, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1997

Phone: (225) 578-1437

Email: [email protected]

Office: 223 Peabody Hall

Biography

Dr. Laura Hensley Choate, Jo Ellen Levy Yates Endowed Professor, has been with the counselor education program since 1999. She is the coordinator of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Her research interests include girls’ and women’s mental health, including depression and eating disorders. She is the author of five books: Depression in Girls and Women Across the Lifespan: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals (Routledge, 2020);  Swimming Upstream: Parenting Girls for Resilience in a Toxic Culture (Oxford University Press, 2015), Girls’ and Women’s Wellness: Contemporary Counseling Issues and Interventions (2008), Eating Disorders and Obesity: A Counselor’s Guide to Prevention and Treatment (edited), both published by the American Counseling Association, and Adolescent Girls in Distress: A Guide to Mental Health Treatment and Prevention  (Springer Publications, 2013). She was awarded the 2016 LSU Distinguished Faculty Award, 2014 College of Human Sciences & Education Distinguished Research Award and the 2012 ACA Best Practices Award for her work in the area of eating disorders treatment and prevention. She served for 10 years on the board of the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, serving two years as Board Chair and eight years as Discipline Committee Chair. Dr. Choate teaches Introduction to Counseling Services, Analysis of the Individual, Girls’ and Women’s Issues in Counseling, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum. Dr. Choate can be contacted at (225) 578-1248 or by email ([email protected]).

Awards & Honors

Distinguished Faculty Award, Louisiana State University, May 2016

Jo Ellen Levy Yates Endowed Professorship, College of Human Sciences and Education, Louisiana State University, October 2014 to present  

Distinguished Faculty Research Award, College of Human Sciences and Education, Louisiana State University 

American Counseling Association Best Practices Award, American Counseling Association, March 2013. 

American College Counseling Association Excellence in Research Award, American College Counseling Association, 2004. 

Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Nontenured Faculty Award for the Humanities and Sciences, Louisiana State University, March 2003. 

Books

Stepping Off the Scale: 5 Keys to Prevent Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating in Girls (Under contract with Routledge Publications, expected publication 2022) 

Depression in Girls and Women Across the Lifespan: Treatment Essentials for Mental Health Professionals (2020; Routledge Publications) 

Swimming Upstream: Parenting Girls for Resilience in a Toxic Culture (2015, Oxford University Press) 

Eating Disorders and Obesity: A Counselor’s Guide to Prevention and Treatment (edited; 2013, American Counseling Association) 

Adolescent Girls in Distress: A Guide to Mental Health Treatment and Prevention (2013, Springer Publications) 

Girls and Women’s Wellness: Contemporary Counseling Issues and Interventions (2008, American Counseling Association) 

Selected Publications

Robillard, C., Choate, L., Bach, J., & Cantey, C. (in press). Crossing the line: Representations of sexual violence in middle grade novels. ALAN Review.  

Choate, L. H. (2018). Depression in girls during the transition to adolescence: Risks and effective treatment. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 4, 50-66. 

Choate, L. H. (2017) Never Enough: Bridging the chasm between college women’s achievements and their anguish. About Campus, 22(2), 21-27.  

Schwitzer, A. M. & Choate, L. (2015). College women eating disorder diagnostic profile and DSM-5. Journal of American College Health, 63, 73-78.  

Book Chapters: 

Choate, L. (in press). Sexual trauma: An ecological approach to conceptualization and treatment. In L. Lopez (Ed.), Trauma counseling: Theories and interventions for managing trauma, stress, and disaster (2nd ed). Springer Publications. 

Choate, L. (in press). Counseling emerging adults (18-21): A time of hope in transition. In S. Smith-Adcock & C. Tucker (Eds.), Counseling Children and Adolescents: Connecting Theory, Development, & Diversity (2nd ed). Sage Publications.  

Choate, L. (2018) Ethical issues in the treatment of eating disorders. In E.Welfel and M. Leach (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of Applied Psychological Ethics. Cambridge University Press. 

Selected Presentations

Invited Presentations:

Treatment for Eating Disorders. Invited webinar presentation for Good Therapy.org. September 2018. 

Counseling Girls and Women Across the Lifespan. Invited 6-hour professional development seminar sponsored by Chi Sigma Iota at University of New Orleans. October, 2016  

Swimming Upstream: Parenting Girls for Resilience. Invited talks to community at Elmwood School, Ontario Canada, and St. Clement’s School, Toronto Canada. February 2017 

Good Therapy.org invited webinar for mental health professionals: Swimming Upstream: Counseling Girls for Resilience. July, 2016. 

Choate, L. (October, 2015). Treatment for Eating Disorders. Invited webinar presentation for American Mental Health Counselors Association.  

Choate, L. (February, 2013). Treatment for Depression in Girls and Women. Invited webinar presentation to 324 international and national mental health professionals. Sponsored by American Counseling Association webinar series on treatments for depression.  

Presentations at Professional Meetings:

Choate, L. (Virtual, April 2021). Mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches to the treatment of eating disorders. American Counseling Association Virtual Conference.  
 
Martin, R., & Choate, L. (Virtual, March 2021). Walking the line: An assessment of ethical and legal issues surrounding minor consent, rights to privacy, and mandated reporting. Law and Ethics in Counseling Virtual Conference. 
 
Choate, L. (March 2019). Ethical and legal issues in the treatment of eating disorders. American Counseling Association, New Orleans, LA.  
 
Choate, L. (February 2018). Legal and ethical issues in the treatment of eating disorders. Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling Conference, New Orleans, LA.  
 
Choate, L. (March 2017). Counseling Girls for Depression During the Transition to Adolescence. American Counseling Association Conference, San Francisco, CA. 
 
Choate, L. (July 2016). Treatment for Depression in Girls and Women Across the Lifespan. American Mental Health Counseling Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA. 
 
Choate, L., & Wilson, H. (March 2015). Treatment for Depression in Girls and Women. American Counseling Association Conference, Orlando, FL.

Editorships and Editorial Boards

Editorial Board Member, Journal of Counseling and Development, 2003-2006; 2008-2011; 2011-2014 

Guest Editor, Journal of Counseling and Development, Special Section on Eating Disorders Prevention and Treatment, Summer 2012 

Editorial Board Member, Eating Disorders Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 2012-15 

Editorial Board Member, Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 2013-2016.  

Editor, Journal of College Counseling, 2004-2006 

Professional/Community Service

American Counseling Association Ethics Committee, 2019-Present  

Chi Sigma Iota Research Grants and Leadership Essay Reviewer, 2013-Present  

Member, State of Louisiana Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors, 2009-2018. Board Chair, 2016-2018; Chair of Discipline Committee; Child Custody Evaluation Guidelines Committee; Member, Scope of Practice Committee.  

Board Policies Authored: 

LPC Board Guidelines for Counselor Intern Registration and Supervision  

LPC Board Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluation

Tenure and Promotion Chair, School of Education, 2020-Present

Links

Psychology Today Blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/girls-women-and-wellness