A Higher Education

Amanda Ford, PhD

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Psychology
  • Assistant Professor of Psychology
  • Program Coordinator, Executive Educational Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services (EdD)

Education

  • PhD, Social Work, University of Houston
  • MSW, Social Work, University of Houston
  • MAC, Counseling, Houston Baptist University
  • BA, Art & Religion, Houston Baptist University

Course Taught

  • Mental Health and Communities (EdD)
  • Multicultural Issues in Mental Health (EdD)
  • Program Planning and Consultation in Mental Health (EdD)
  • Policies, Economics, and Services in Mental Health (EdD)
  • Introduction to Social Work
  • Social Challenges
  • Human Behavior in the Social Envrionment I
  • Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
  • Social Work with Groups
  • Social Work with Individuals and Families
  • Dating & Intimate Relationships
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Child Psychopathology
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Introduction to Art Therapy
  • Art Therapy for Children
  • Art Therapy Capstone
  • General Psychology
  • Introduction to Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
  • Theories of Counesling
  • Cultural Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Research Techniques and Procedures (MA/MAP)
  • Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy (MA/MAP)

Teaching Focus

Dr. Ford supports the Executive Educational Leadership in Mental Health and Human Services Program (EdD), the Bachelor of Social Work Program (BSW), and the psychology programs, both graduate (MAP) and undergraduate (BA in Psychology). She seeks to provide experiential learning opportunities for students that synthesize theories with practical application in ways that equip students to fulfill a variety of roles in both clinical and administrative practice. She enjoys mentoring student research projects as the chair of multiple graduate theses and doctoral dissertation committees, and as the former coordinator of the pre-professional art therapy degree program, Dr. Ford delights in integrating expressive arts techniques within the context of her course curriculum.

Research Interests

  • Child Development (predominantly early childhood)
  • Community Advocacy & Development
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Creativity
  • Expressive Arts in Therapeutic Contexts
  • Education
  • Special Education
  • Effective Teaching Practices
  • Experiential Learning
  • Communication Skills
  • Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
  • Client-Centered Approaches
  • Feminism and Empowerment
  • Women’s Health and Social Networking