Meet the Counseling Services Staff
Sharon
Biegen, Ph.D., Director
Sharon is a licensed clinical/counseling psychologist
with particular interests in women's issues, recovery
from sexual abuse, family of origin issues, mindfulness
meditation, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
She is past chairperson of the Missouri Psychological
Association's Women's Issues Committee, and a winner
of the UMSL Women Trailblazers Award. "My approach
to counseling is to focus on strengths and encourage
personal empowerment. I try to help clients develop
a clearer and more positive sense of self in the context
of relationships."
Nicole Jackson, Counseling Intern
Nicole is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, where she received her Bachelors degree in Human Resource Management in 2003. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Counseling form Webster University. Nicole's clinical interests include marriage and family issues, career counseling, and adjusting to new life transitions.
Jamie
Linsin, Psy.D, Counseling Psychologist/Coordinator of
Outreach
Jamie received his Psy.D. from the Wright State University
School of Professional Psychology in 1997. A licensed
psychologist and native St. Louisan, Jamie wears several hats at
Counseling Services, providing therapy and supervision
in addition to coordinating both the office’s outreach
work for the campus and the UM-St. Louis Safe Zone program. His professional interests include depression, crisis
intervention, rape education/prevention, LGBT issues, and theatre for education and social justice.
Karen Munkel, Counseling Intern
Karen received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design/Technical Theatre/Stage Management in 2000 from Syracuse University. She worked as a Stage Manager in New York City for 8 years before returning to her hometown to pursue a Masters in Social Work (Mental Health emphasis) at Washington University in St. Louis. Karen has diverse clinical interests including family of origin issues, body image and identity concerns, LGBT issues, couples and relationship concerns, sexuality, and trauma.
Chris Sullivan, Ph.D., Counseling Psychologist
Chris completed his Ph.D. in Counseling and Family Therapy from UM-St. Louis in 2010. His areas of professional interest include the impact of culture on individual and family therapy, with a special focus on cultural transitions, accommodations, and adaptations.
Erin Vasconcelles, Ph.D., Counseling Psychologist/Training Coordinator
Erin received her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from Bowling Green State University in 2008. Erin is a licensed psychologist in Missouri and has a number of clinical interests, including anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, sport psychology, concerns with performance, women’s issues, crisis intervention, and identity concerns. In addition to providing therapy and supervision, Erin also coordinates the training program for advanced graduate students at Counseling Services and serves as a liaison between Counseling Services and Disability Access Services.
Crystal Yang, Counseling Intern
Crystal is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work (Mental Health concentration) from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2010. Her clinical interests include depression, suicide prevention, anxiety, and chronic mental illness.