Biography
Penelope Asay, Ph.D., HSPP, ABPP is the director of the Master of Science in Counseling program and associate professor. She earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Maryland, as well as a master’s degree in student
affairs. Her B.A. in psychology is from Connecticut College. She completed her predoctoral internship at Purdue University and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Dr. Asay is board certified in counseling psychology and is an alumna of the American Psychological Association’s Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. She is the co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee of APA’s Division 17 (Society
for Counseling Psychology) and treasurer of the American Board of Counseling Psychology.
Dr. Asay’s research and teaching interests include multicultural and diversity issues, social justice and advocacy, training and supervision, and career issues for women. Current research projects include studies on microaggressions in group
psychotherapy and women’s experiences of sexism and sexual harassment in clinical training. She maintains a private practice and draws on existentialist and feminist theoretical foundations.
Featured publications:
Asay, P. A. & Wilson, T. (2020). Cultural humility and structural competency: Recognizing sociocultural embeddedness can reduce resistance in teaching diversity. In S. Baker (Ed.) Teaching tips: A compendium of conference
presentations on teaching, 2018-2019. Society for the Teaching of Psychology.
Asay, P.A., Paquin, J. D., Arseneau, J. R., Downing, V., Roffman, M., Kettlewell, K., Berman, T., Walton, H. M. & Fassinger, R. E. (2017) Career success of women in the chemical industry, Part 1: Finding a way through the labyrinth. In
D. J. Nelson and H.N. Cheng (Eds.) Diversity in the Scientific Community, Vol 1: Quantifying Diversity and Formulating Success. American Chemistry Society.
Asay, P.A. & Lal, A. (2014). Who’s Googled whom? Trainees’ Internet and online social networking experiences, behaviors, and attitudes with clients and supervisors. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 8,
105-111.
Asay. P. A. (2014). What are we worth? Feminism, money, and psychotherapy. The Feminist Psychologist, 41, 10-12.
Featured presentations:
Wilson, T. & Asay, P.A. (August, 2019). Cultural humility & structural competency: Recognizing sociocultural embeddedness reduces resistance. In K. Keefe-Cooperman (Chair) From Lip Service to Action: A Systems Approach to
Transcending Resistance in Teaching Diversity. Collaborative symposium presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Asay, P.A., Arseneau, J. A., Clarke, M., Davis, T. M., Taylor, N. E., Walton, H., & Wilson, T. (August, 2019). Addressing sexual harassment of clinical trainees in an ethical, empowering, and compassionate way. Roundtable discussion
conducted at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Asay, P.A, Clarke, M. & Wilson, T. (January, 2019). Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Sexual Harassment in Psychology Training. Roundtable discussion conducted at the National Multicultural Summit, Denver, CO.
Asay, P. A., Wilson, T. & Clarke, M. (March, 2018). Marginalization: How the group experience can further harm non-dominant participants. Presentation conducted at the annual meeting of the American Group Psychotherapy
Association, Houston, TX.
Asay, P. A., Clarke, M., Wilson, T., Saripalli, V., Jaffe-Tallberg, J. & Washington, C. (February, 2018) Nevertheless, she insisted: Breaking the silence on sexism, sexual harassment, the money taboo and devaluing of women in
psychology. Symposium conducted at the annual Teacher’s College Winter Roundtable, New York, NY.
