Afroze Shaikh focuses on culturally responsive suicide prevention, crisis service utilization, and improving access to mental health care for underserved communities. Dr. Shaikh has a background in mental health counseling, with specific training and expertise in community-based survey research and quantitative methods focused on suicide risk and service use among populations that are often excluded from research. Her clinical work has included community mental health, hospital, forensic, and university counseling settings serving individuals and families impacted by trauma, community violence, and systemic inequities.
She is currently engaged in an innovative pilot at UT Austin to create a new bachelors level certification pathway within the mental health workforce to help address the provider shortage. The research team supports this project by generating evidence needed to ensure the pilots long-term scalability, sustainability, and impact on expanding access to mental health care.
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Practice, Georgia State University
M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine, Boston University
B.S. in Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Focuses on suicide prevention, healthcare access, mental health service use, and aging
Member, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Texas Counseling Association(2024 - 2025)
Mentor, NBCC Minority Fellowship Program, National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation(2024 - Present)
Membership Chair, International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors(2024 - 2025)
Editorial Review Board Member, Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling(2024 - Present)
Shaikh, A., Westcott, J., Irion, B., Yang, J., Navarra-Bueno, I., Martinson, H. & Diaz, N. (2026). Understanding substance use and suicide risk among LGBTQ+ college students post-COVID-19.
Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling,
47(1), 38–47.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jaoc.70011.
Hsu, L., Jang, J., Shaikh, A., Suh, H., Chang, C. & Wang, K. (2026). Discrimination, self-compassion, and family factors in suicide risk among Asian young adults.
Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jmcd.70024.
Shaikh, A., Martinson, H., Noble, N. & Bruton, J. (2026). Factors associated with intentions to use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline among college students at elevated risk of suicide.
Journal of College Student Mental Health.
https://doi.org/10.1080/28367138.2026.2656276.
Hsu, L., Shaikh, A., McDonald, C., McElory-Heltzel, S. & Davis, D. (2026). Relationship stigma towards interracial relationships: Exploring ethnic identity and cultural humility as protective factors.
Stigma and Health.
https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000709.
Shaikh, A., Westcott, J., Dosal-Terminel, D., Loury, J. & Gueh, B. (2026). Crisis line use among undergraduate men of color: A qualitative inquiry.
The Counseling Psychologist,
54(1), 21–55.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000251352569.
Shaikh, A., Dhar, J., Hsu, L., Kim Chang, M., Yang, J., Sadek, K. & Chang, C. (2025). Culturally-relevant predictors of thwarted belongingness among college students of Asian descent.
Journal of College Student Mental Health, 1–21.
https://doi.org/10.1080/28367138.2025.2459097.
Westcott, J., Shaikh, A. & Miyazaki, Y. (2025). The effects of age cohort and gender on internalized heterosexism over time among sexual minority adults in the United States.
Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.
https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000803.
Hsu, L., Shaikh, A., Chang, `C., Wang, K., Rice, K. & Suh, H. (2025). Culturally relevant risk and well-being factors of suicide and perceived burdensomeness in an Asian young adult sample.
Asian American Journal of Psychology,
16(3), 231–240.
https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000377.
Fullen, M., Westcott, J., Bradley, K., Dockery, N., Lee, J., Mushunje, R. & Shaikh, A. (2025). Strategies for integrating aging and older adulthood into counselor training.
Adultspan Journal,
24(1).
https://doi.org/10.33470/2161-0029.1187.
Castañeda, C., Noble, N. & Shaikh, A. (2025). Utilizing Artificial Intelligence Therapeutic Adjuncts to support autistic adults between counseling sessions.
Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision,
19(3), 1–19.
http://dx.doi.org/10.70013/yytozbdi.
Shaikh, A., Westcott, J., Mize, M. & Chang, C. (2025). The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Evaluating college student knowledge and utilization of crisis services.
Journal of American College Health, 1–8.
http://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2542413.
Wahesh, E., Jones, L. & Shaikh, A. (2025). Impact of social determinants of health and individual characteristics on suicide ideation and treatment utilization among young adults aged 18-25 in the US.
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.
http://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01540-z.
Wahesh, E., Jones, L. & Shaikh, A. (2025). Addressing suicide risk in counseling: The role of social determinants of health in a national sample of young adults.
Journal of Counseling & Development,
104(1), 3–13.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.70015.
Shaikh, A., Chen, M., Dhar, J., Yang, J., Sadek, K., Chang, M., Hsu, L., Shilam, R., Varghese, A. & Chang, C. (2025). Associations between coping and suicide risk among emerging adults of Asian descent.
The Professional Counselor,
15(4), 246–262.
https://doi.org/10.15241/ans.15.4.246.
Shaikh, A., Flynn, L., Isaac, A., Prince, A., Burgan, M. & Coleman, J. (2024). Implications of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline among college students experiencing substance use crises.
The Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling,
45(1), 55–69.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jaoc.12131.
Gantt-Howrey, A., Lin, M., Shaikh, A., Johnson, K., Preston, J. & Wilson, L. (2024). Assessing social determinants of mental health: Client experiences and counselor practices.
Journal of Counseling & Development,
102(4), 394–405.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12519.
Mize, M. & Shaikh, A. (2024). Using The Gerontological Imagination to explore suicide among older adults: An interdisciplinary perspective for professional counselors.
Adultspan Journal,
23(2).
https://doi.org/10.33470/2161-0029.1174.
Shaikh, A., Gummaluri, S., Dhar, J., Carter, H., Kwag, D., Ponce, J., Mason, E. & Peters, H. (2024). Application of the principles of anti-oppression to address marginalized students and facultys experiences in counselor education.
Teaching and Supervision in Counseling,
6(3).
https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc06laio.
Grant, K., Mason, E., Ernst, S. & Shaikh, A. (2023). Application of principles of anti-oppression to the teaching of group counseling.
The Journal for Specialists in Group Work,
48(2), 109–127.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01933922.2023.2197162.
Shaikh, A., Westcott, J., Franck Love, S., Flynn, L., Chang, C. & Mize, M. (2023). Examining help-seeking intentions among Gen Z college students.
Journal of College Student Mental Health,
38(3), 500–518.
https://doi.org/10.1080/87568225.2023.2198155.
Zyromski, B., Shrewsbury-Braxton, S., Johnson, K., Henry, S., Lee, S., Clemons, K., Saunders, R. & Shaikh, A. (2023). Conducting ethical, anti-racist school-based research.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling,
9(2), 101–121.
https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2023.2225781.
Johnson, K., Clemons, K., Robins, L., Gantt-Howrey, A., Shaikh, A. & Jones, H. (2023). Experiences of school counseling trainees in a primary care integrated behavioral health care practicum.
Teaching and Supervision in Counseling,
5(2), 13–27.
https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc05LqLx.
Student Fellow in Injury Prevention, Society for Public Health Education/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2024)
Outstanding Research Award, Association for Adult Development and Aging (2024)
Access and Media Fellow, Adultspan Journal (2023 - 2024)
Outstanding Addictions/Offender Graduate Student Award, International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (2023)
Emerging Leader, Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (2022 - 2024)
Minority Fellow, National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation (2022 - 2023)
Leadership Fellow, Chi Sigma Iota (2022 - 2023)
