Associate Professor
Professional background
Brittany Pollard-Kosidowski (“Dr. PK”) (she/her/hers) joined the IUP faculty in fall 2015 and currently serves as graduate coordinator for master’s-level counseling programs. She completed a dual BA at Syracuse University, an MEd in mental health counseling at Lincoln
Memorial University, and a PhD in counselor education at the University of Tennessee. Her dissertation focused on the small group training experiences of master’s-level counseling students learning group work.
Dr. PK’s primary research interests include the use of experiential learning methods within counselor education and the training of counseling students in specialty areas such as group work and social justice advocacy. Before joining IUP, she provided
individual and group counseling services to HIV+ clients in a variety of community and clinical settings. She also spearheaded testing, diagnostic, and clinical initiatives in prisons throughout the greater East Tennessee region. She is active in
a number of professional organizations, including the American Counseling Association, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, and the Association for Specialists in Group Work, where she currently serves as chair of the Special Initiatives
Committee. Dr. PK presents regularly at national, regional, state, and local conferences and has won several awards commending her teaching and scholarly achievements. She is especially passionate about mentoring students around engaging in scholarly
work, enhancing their professional identity, and furthering their career development.
Dr. PK teaches in the master’s and doctoral programs at both campus locations, with Systems, Theories, and Social Justice Advocacy among her favorite courses to instruct. During her free time, she most enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her
husband, Tom. She loves traveling and exploring new cultures, attending various sporting events, playing tennis, reading, and getting out on the water whenever she gets to go back home to Michigan.
Selected Publications
Pollard-Kosidowski,
B. L., Diambra, J. F., Araoz, J. R., & Burd, C. K. (in press). A qualitative exploration of using experiential groups to train future group counselors. Journal
of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. (Volume, Issue, & DOI forthcoming).
Pollard,
B. L., West, S., & Figurelli, K. M.* (in press). Developmental issues of students. In Oberman, A., & Studer, J. R. (Eds.) A guide to practicum and internship for
school counselors-in-training (3rd ed., pp. ###-###). Routledge.
Guth, L., Pollard, B. L., Nitza, A., Puig, A., Chan, C. D., Singh, A. A., & Bailey, H. (2019). Ten strategies to intentionally use group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building. Journal for
Specialists in Group Work, 44(1), 3-24. doi: 10.1080/01933922.2018.1561778
West, S. C., Pollard, B. L., & Wood, C. (2018). Counseling individuals with addictive behaviors. In Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D., Career
counseling: Foundations, perspectives, and
applications (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Pollard, B. L., Varga, M. A., Wheat, L. S., McClam, T., & Balentyne, P. J. (2017). Characteristics of graduate counseling student grief experiences. Illness, Crisis, & Loss [published online]. doi: 10.1177/1054137317730525
Pollard, B. L. (2017). Individuals with HIV and case management. In Woodside, M., & McClam, T. Generalist case management (5th ed.). (pp. 8-13). Pacific Grove, CA: Cengage Learning. Available online.
Pollard, B. L. (2017). Individuals within the correctional system and case management. In Woodside, M., & McClam, T. Generalist case
management (5th ed.). (pp. 29-35). Pacific Grove, CA: Cengage Learning. Available online.
Diambra, J., Pollard, B. L., Gamble, R. M., & Banks, B. P. (2016). Teaching a human sexuality course: What are counseling students thinking? American Journal of Sexuality Education,
11(1), 76-91. doi: 10.1080/15546128.2016.1141737
Hannon, C. R., Woodside, M., Pollard, B. L., & Roman, J. (2016). The meaning of African American college women’s experiences attending a predominantly white institution: A phenomenological study. Journal of
College Student Development, 57(6), 652-666. doi: 10.1353/csd.2016.0036
Selected Presentations
International:
Shook, M. (Producer). (2017, October 4). Utilizing creative and expressive techniques to give grief a voice: A conversation with Brittany
Pollard and Tiffany Brooks [Audio podcast]. The
Thoughtful Counselor.
Stephens, A. F., & Pollard, B. L. (2016, April). Counselor wellness: Promoting mental health career
sustainability. Presented at the international conference for the American Counseling Association, Montreal, Quebec.
National:
Pollard,
B. L., & Uphold, H. (2020, February). A
qualitative exploration of how group practicum impacts clinical competence and self-efficacy. Presented at the national conference for the Association for Specialists in Group Work, Dorado, Puerto Rico.
Guth, L. J., Pollard, B. L., Chan, C. D., Nitza, A., & Singh, A. A. (2020, February). Applying ASGW’s ten
strategies to use group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous
conversations, and enhance community building. Presented at the national conference for the Association for Specialists in Group Work, Dorado, Puerto Rico.
Pollard, B. L., Uphold, H., & Kaule, M. E. (2019, October). Digging
even deeper: Helping students
and supervisees to address the hidden biases we don’t discuss. Presented at the national conference of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Seattle, WA.
Pollard, B. L., Bruno, M., & Guth, L. (2018, February). You want to
talk about what? Ten tips for
addressing sensitive issues in groups. Presented at the national conference of the Association for Specialists in Group Work, Savannah, GA.
Pollard, B. L., & Diambra, J. F. (2017, December). It takes a village: Facilitating support groups for
individuals diagnosed with HIV. Presented at the Center for Sex Education’s annual National Sex Ed Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.
Diambra, J. F., & Pollard, B. L. (2017, December). Human sexuality for
counselors-in-training –
questions, secrets, fantasies: What should we be teaching? Presented at the Center for Sex Education’s annual National Sex Ed Conference, Atlantic City, NJ.
Pollard, B. L., Brooks, T. P., Stephens, A. F., & Hymes, A. (2017, October). What we wish we would have known: Transitional reflections of pre-tenure faculty. Presented at the national conference of the Association for Counselor Education
and Supervision, Chicago, IL.
Pollard, B. L., & Bruno, M. L. (2017, October). Comprehensive
professional identity development:
Infusing supervision and basic skills training. Presented at the national conference of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Chicago, IL.
Pollard, B. L., & Brooks, T. P. (2017, March). Language of loss:
Utilizing creative and expressive
techniques to give grief a voice. Presented at the national conference for the American Counseling Association, San Francisco, CA.
Regional:
Pollard, B. L., Stephens, A. F., & Bruno, M. L. (2018, September). Getting
connected: Training counselors
in the digital age. Presented at the regional conference of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Burlington, VT.
Stephens, A. F., Bruno, M. L., & Pollard, B.
L. (2018, September). Plugging in to
wellness: Using
technology in supervision. Presented at the regional conference of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Burlington, VT.
Guth, L., Pollard, B. L., & Chan, C. (2018, September). Diversity, equity, and
inclusion: ASGW's
innovative tips for fostering unity in group settings. Presented at the regional conference of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Burlington, VT.
Pollard, B. L. (2016, September). The holistic impact of loss:
Exploring the grief experiences of graduate
counseling students. Presented at the regional conference of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Syracuse, NY.
State:
Pollard-Kosidowski, B. L., Guth, L. J., & Bailey, H. (2020, July). Applying ASGW’s ten strategies for using group work to transform hate: A virtual roundtable. Invited to host webinar event for the Pennsylvania Association for Specialists
in Group Work.
Pollard, B. L., Nelson, M. E., & Uphold, H. (2018, November). Practice makes… prepared: Fostering professional identity using group
practicum training experiences. Presented at the state conference of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
Pollard, B. L., Nelson, M. E., & Uphold, H. (2018, November). Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable: Hidden biases we often
ignore. Presented at the state conference of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
Pollard, B. L., & Burd, C. K. (2017, November). Empowerment,
connection, & strength in numbers:
Facilitating support groups for individuals with HIV. Presented at the state conference for the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, King of Prussia, PA.
Pollard, B. L., & Burd, C. K. (2017, November). Privilege,
power, and bias: Addressing social justice
advocacy in group counseling. Presented at the state conference for the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, King of Prussia, PA.
Pollard, B. L., Araoz, J. R., & Duffy, K. E. (2017, April). Diving right in: Infusing supervision and
basic skills training. Presented at the state conference for Chi Sigma Iota, Scranton, PA.
Araoz, J. R., Duffy, K. E., & Pollard, B.
L. (2017, April). We’re all connected: Counselor education and training in the digital age. Presented at the state conference for Chi Sigma Iota, Scranton, PA.