Brian Clarke
“Be unabashedly yourself; it's the greatest gift you can give”
Brian Clarke, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies in the College of Education at the University of Arizona. He earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, an M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northern Arizona University and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from The University of Arizona. Dr. Clarke is a practicing mental health counselor and his clinical experience grounds his teaching and mentorship in authenticity and professional insight.
Dr Clarke teaches and advises in the MA Counseling and Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral programs. His courses include advanced counseling theories, group counseling, ethics and professional issues, and clinical supervision. He finds deep satisfaction through integrating his research on self-compassion and mindfulness directly into his teaching. Dr Clarke’s compassionate approach to counselor development helps to create a safe and authentic learning environment where students are inspired to be courageous and vulnerable as they develop personally and professionally.
Dr. Clarke is passionate about creating impactful, empirical scholarship that supports counselor development, well-being, and ethical practice. His research agenda follows three interrelated lines 1) the use of mindfulness and self-compassion to address impostor phenomenon and enhance counselor development and wellness, 2) the role of contemplative dispositions in mental health, resilience and life satisfaction and 3) the ethical challenges in profession counseling including the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). His work has been published in the top journals in the counseling field, including The Journal of Counseling and Development, Counselor Education and Supervision, and Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin as well as high-impact interdisciplinary journals such as Emerging Adulthood and Journal of College Student Mental Health. Dr Clarke’s publication titled “The mediating role of mindfulness on stress and counseling self‐efficacy” ranked among the top five cited articles in Counselor Education and Supervision during 2024. His article “Imposter phenomenon and counselor development: The critical role of self-compassion” is nationally recognized by Counseling Today, the monthly publication of the American Counseling Association (March 2025, p. 22). The quality of his scholarship has contributed to a growing national reputation for publishing innovative and practically significant research that directly benefits the counseling profession.