It’s our pleasure to introduce Casey Barrio-Minton, Ph.D., our Department Head. When thinking about the department and who we are, Barrio is never far from our mind. It is clear that her passion is to equip those around her to be their best while also giving her all so that CHDFS not only grows, but thrives. This led us to ask about her background and how she came to be with us here at UT:

“I earned my bachelor’s degree in sociology and communication from St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin. During my study, I became deeply interested in understanding how our contexts influence our wellbeing and development. A particularly impactful experience was the opportunity to volunteer as an advocate for a local sexual assault response center. Those experiences confirmed my interest in a career in professional counseling. I earned my MS in Counseling with an emphasis on Community Counseling (now known as Clinical Mental Health Counseling), my PhD in Counseling and Counselor Education, and a graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies at The University of North Carolina, Greensboro. During that time, I had the opportunity to provide counseling services across the continuum of care for youth with emotional and behavioral concerns. I also worked within a community counseling clinic and developed specialized skills in suicide and crisis intervention.

My first faculty appointment was at the University of North Texas, where I served as an Assistant and Associate Professor of Counseling and came to direct our community clinic and graduate programs. I came to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2015 where I’ve served as an associate professor and professor of counselor education, coordinating our counseling master’s program and serving in departmental leadership in Educational Psychology and Counseling. The counseling profession has always had strong commitments to supporting optimal human development and wellness through relationships. I am honored to have the opportunity to bring together strong programs in HDFS and counselor education in CHDFS.

I am now Professor of Counselor Education and Head of the newly formed Department of Counseling, Human Development, and Family Science. I am passionate about helping professionals develop the skills they need to provide services that build on strengths and promote optimal development and wellbeing in their communities. I am originally from Western New York, and my family (partner, middle school daughter, and two sweet pups) has lived in Knoxville for nearly 10 years. On evenings and weekends you’ll find us at Girl Scouts, competing in Winter Guard, and taking advantage of the amazing food and outdoor activities East Tennessee has to offer.

I am teaching less now and focusing more on the overall development of our department. Typically, I teach master’s level courses in counseling including ethics and professional orientation, diagnosis and treatment planning, crisis and trauma counseling, and social and cultural diversity. Doctoral teaching responsibilities include seminar in counselor education and teaching in counselor education. I serve our local community as a member of the Board of Directors of Contact Careline, our local Suicide and Crisis Lifeline affiliate. I am currently serving my profession as editor of the Counselor Education and Supervision journal and as a member of the Governing Council of the American Counseling Association.

In particular, I am excited to launch two new undergraduate distance education programs: HDFS major (Fall 2025) and Addiction Counseling certificate (anticipated Fall 2026). In general, I am excited to continue growing CHDFS as a whole. We have a rich opportunity to extend our impact not only on our campus, but on our local communities.“