Counseling Faculty

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Biography

Dr. Molly Ansari is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Board Certified Registered Art Therapist whose career as a professor and an educator draws from a rich background of work as a mental health counselor.

Dr. Ansari’s work as a clinical counselor began in 2012, after receiving her master’s in Art Therapy and Counseling at Adler University, and continued over the years at numerous counseling centers in varying environments such as a correctional facility and a child trauma center. She eventually founded her own practice, Art of Healing, in 2017 which offers counseling and art therapy services in addition to individual, couples, children, and family counseling. She is experienced in both in-patient and out-patient settings and her areas of focus as a counselor include trauma-focused therapy, depression, anxiety, relational issues, and self-esteem. In addition, she utilizes a variety of therapy modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed techniques, depending on the unique needs of different clients. One of her specialties is using art therapy to help clients explore introspection, emotional expression, and creative problem solving.

Dr. Ansari’s career as an educator began as an adjunct faculty member at Adler University in 2016 while enrolled in the doctoral program Counselor Education and Supervision there. During this same period she also taught at the College of DuPage. After finishing her doctorate in 2018, she began teaching as an adjunct instructor at the Adler Graduate School. She joined the Bradley University faculty as Assistant Professor in the Counseling Department in 2019, where she draws from her extensive experience in counseling to inform her teaching. She greatly enjoys the process of working with and supervising students who will themselves go on to become the next generation of counselors.

Dr. Ansari’s current research interests include trauma-informed art therapy treatment methods for children, clinical supervision, support and retention of online students, and effective leadership in higher education. She has presented locally and internationally on these topics.