Contact Info

Email: wsterner [at] rider.edu

Department: Graduate Education, Leadership and Counseling

Academic Background

  • Ph.D., Counselor Education and Supervision, Penn State University, May 2007
  • M.Ed., Counselor Education (Rehabilitation Counseling), Penn State University, August 1994
  • B.S., Economics, Penn State University, May 1984

Current Courses Taught at Rider

  • Introduction to Research (EDUC 500)
  • Psychopathology (CNPY 514)
  • Advanced Psychopathology (CNPY 516)

Professional Background

My professional experience and accomplishments span decades in both academia and clinical practice. I have over 20 years of experience as a counselor educator and over 30 years of experience as a professional counselor and approved clinical supervisor. After graduating in 1994 with my M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn State University, my professional work focused on developing competencies in clinical mental health, substance use counseling, and supervision across various milieus, including community agencies, government, and private practice.

In 2002, I became a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (North Carolina) and a National Certified Counselor (I have also held licenses in Pennsylvania and Maryland). Much of my work entailed treating a diverse clientele, many of whom presented with complex co-occurring diagnostic issues and intensive psychological, emotional, and interpersonal impairments. In 2003, I pursued a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Penn State University, which would allow me to work toward career goals focusing on conducting formal research, providing clinical supervision, and teaching at the graduate level. After graduating in 2007, I gained experience as a counselor educator working as an adjunct faculty member at Argosy University (Washington, D.C.) and as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Youngstown State University. In 2009, I was hired as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling at Marymount University, where I earned tenure and was promoted to the rank of Professor. I remained at Marymount until 2023, when I accepted a tenure-track position at Rider University. When I left Marymount, I achieved the rank of Professor Emeritus.

I have a strong counselor identity, as evidenced by continual involvement in counseling associations, trainings, supervision, certifications, licensure, and service to the profession. My work as a clinical mental health counselor is rooted in Rogers’ Person-Centered Therapy, a humanistic approach to psychotherapy. The foundation for my work as an approved clinical supervisor is based on Bernard’s Discrimination Model.  

Selected Publications, Presentations, & Grants (See CV for a complete list)

Publications

Jackson-Cherry, L. R., & Sterner, W. R. (2022). Practicum and internship: A handbook for competent counseling practices (1st ed.). Pearson.

Sterner, W. R., Hall, S. F., & Burkholder, D. (2021). An examination of confirmatory factor analytic models of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale with master’s level counseling students. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 14(2). Retrieved from https://repository.wcsu.edu/jcps/vol14/iss2/3

Sterner, W. R. (2018). Understanding and treating substance use disorders with clients in crisis. In L. R. Jackson-Cherry & B. Erford (Eds.), Crisis Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention (3rd. ed., pp. 199-234). New York, NY: Pearson.

Zapf, L. S., & Sterner, W. R. (2017). Service Women’s Assessment of Wellness and Reintegration (SWAWR): Measuring service women’s wellness. Journal of Military and Government Counseling, 5(3), 232-253. ISSN: 2165-7726

Sterner, W. R., & Jackson-Cherry, L. R. (2015). The influence of spiritual and religious involvement on coping for combat-deployed military personnel, Counseling and Values, 60, 48-66. doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007x.2015.00060.x

Sterner, W. R., Jackson-Cherry, L. R., & Doll, J. F. (2015). Faculty and student perceptions of incivility behaviors in the counselor education classroom. Journal of Counselor Practice, 6(2), 94-114. doi.org/10.22229/fsp824385

Sterner, W. R. (2011). What is missing in counseling research? Reporting missing data. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89, 56-62. doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6678.2011.tb00060.x

Sterner, W. R. (2009). Influence of the supervisory working alliance on counselor work satisfaction and work-related stress. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 31, 249-264. doi.org/10.17744/mehc.31.3.f3544l502401831g


Presentations

Sterner, W. R. (2025, March). The Counselor’s Role in Implementing Clinical Approaches: Competencies, Creativity, and Considerations. Keynote address presented at the 2025 Mediterranean Region- Counseling Association, Poznan, Poland.

Jackson-Cherry, L. R. & Sterner, W. R. (2018, October). The Influence of Spirituality/Religion on Coping for Deployed Military: Examining and Integrating Common Themes into Practice. Paper presented at the 2018 European Branch of the American Counseling Association, Athens, Greece.

Jackson-Cherry, L. R., Sterner, W. R., & Band, M. P. (2016, October). The Influence of Spirituality/Religion on Coping for Deployed Military: Examining and Integrating Common Themes into Practice. Paper presented at the 2016 European Branch of the American Counseling Association, Geneva, Switzerland.

Zapf, L. S., & Sterner, W. R. (2016, March). Service women’s assessment of wellness and reintegration: Instrument development. Paper presented at the 2016 American Counseling Association, Montreal, Canada.

Sterner, W. R., & Jackson-Cherry, L. R. (2013, October). Incivility in the Graduate Counseling Classroom: Analysis of Current Trends and Best Practices for Counselor Educators. Paper presented at the 2013 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.

Hall, S., Burkholder, D., & Sterner, W. R. (2013, October). Examining Spirituality and Sense of Calling in Counseling Students. Paper presented at the 2013 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.

Sterner, W. R., Schmuldt, L., Livingston, T., & van Slyke, J. (2011, March). Suicide and Cross-Cultural Clients: Considerations, Issues, and Counselor Competencies. Paper presented at the 2011 American Counseling Association Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA.

Carney, J. V., & Sterner, W. R. (2008, March). Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Impact of Event Scale: Trauma related to School Bullying. Paper presented at the 2008 American Counseling Association Annual Convention, Honolulu, HI.

Sterner, W. R., & Weber, G. N. (2007, March). An Overview of Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders: A Snapshot of Current Trends. Paper presented at the 2007 American Counseling Association Annual Convention, Detroit, MI.

Carney, J. V., Hazler, R. J., & Sterner, W. R. (2006, April). Creative Integration of Biological Measures into Counseling Research and Practice. Paper presented at the 2006 American Counseling Association Annual Convention, Montreal, Canada.

Grants

Health Resources and Services Administration—Coordinator of Clinical Training (HRSA; 2021)--The HRSA award is a four-year, $1.2 million grant that will provide stipends for counseling students who conduct their internships in urban and rural areas serving underrepresented groups. The grant also supports faculty and staff in strengthening infrastructure for student preparation in areas HRSA sees as important. The Coordinator of Clinical Training oversees the development and implementation of training modules and workshops that students will complete during their placement.

Sterner, W. R. (Principal Investigator), Barner, V., Gatsby, R., & Pasquinelli, C. (September 2006). Pennsylvania HOME Grant-Fairweather Lodge Program. Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development HOME Grant. The grant was awarded for $361,460 to fund the purchase of a single residential unit to establish a Fairweather Lodge in Centre County, Pennsylvania.

Professional Memberships (History)

  • American Mental Health Counseling Association (2018-present)
  • National Career Development Association (2024-2025)
  • American Counseling Association (1993-1997; 2003-2017)
  • Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (2005-2017)
  • Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (2010-2015)
  • Chi Sigma Iota, Rho Alpha Mu Chapter (2005-2010)
  • National Guild of Hypnotists (1996-2002)