Feature Story
Discovering and Combining Counseling, Spirituality, and Teaching into a Career
After graduating from Southern Virginia University with a degree in business, Kenson Hiatt (‘12) started his career as an insurance agent. Soon realizing he had little passion for it, Hiatt prayed for direction and received an answer to switch to marriage and family therapy when he saw a family walking into a temple.
“I realized that I was looking at what mattered most in life to me,” said Hiatt. “I was looking at people, this family in particular, and I knew I wanted to help people to have greater chances at healthy and happy marriages and relationships, as well as healthy relationships with themselves. So I decided to go back to school and apply to a master’s program in marriage and family therapy.”
That answer also led him back to Southern Virginia University. There he completed an internship and residency in the Wellness Center under Professor of Psychology Michael Gibbons and Chad Kelland, the director of the center, while completing his master’s at Liberty University. During that time, the university’s psychology major was created and Hiatt was invited to teach courses on counseling.
“I loved it,” Hiatt said. “I realized that it is exciting to teach students and to see the light bulbs turn on, to see them start to get it and to see them understand that they could become counselors. That was exciting to me.”
“I applied to doctoral programs while I was at Southern Virginia near the end of my residency,” continued Hiatt. “I decided, ‘I want to do more of this. I wanted to teach. I wanted to train counselors. I’m probably even interested in research.’”
With letters of recommendation from Gibbons, Kellend, and Professor of Psychology Jeff Batis, Hiatt applied and was accepted to William and Mary in 2019. After finishing his doctorate in 2022, Hiatt now pursues his passion for teaching as an assistant professor in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at James Madison University.
Intrigued about addressing spirituality and religion in counseling, Hiatt has researched and completed several studies that present a new way of addressing religion in counseling in which counselors strive to understand a client’s beliefs and the role it plays in their identity, as well as the counselor’s identity.
“All have a relationship with spirituality, and it’s important to understand it and how that will interact with our client’s relationship,” Hiatt explained. “I like to teach about that and help students become aware of it as both a clinical concern and a relational concern. It’s going to affect your relationship with yourself and the client.”
“I was influenced by a faith-based environment like the one at Southern Virginia, as well as my own appreciation of faith and the role it’s played in my life,” Hiatt continued. “I believe in my faith, but I also recognize that others believe in theirs and that it is something that helps a lot of people lead better lives.”
While a student at Southern Virginia University, Hiatt studied business management and leadership, participated in Chamber Choir, and met his wife, Ashley (‘10). They currently live in Virginia and have three daughters.