Stephen Flynn

Stephen Flynn

Professor
Program Coordinator, Marriage & Family Therapy
Office: Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Hyde Hall Rm 227, MSC 23, Plymouth, NH 03264

Stephen Flynn is a Professor and Core Counselor Education Faculty Member. He serves Plymouth State University in the role of Research Fellow. He is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in New Hampshire and Colorado, and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado. He has been a faculty member at Plymouth since 2012, having previously worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Dakota.

Dr. Flynn teaches core coursework in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology programs. He has diverse experience in applied mental health settings including a marriage and family training institute, university counseling center, private practice, mental health agencies, inpatient psychiatric hospital, emergency room assessment team, as the director of two counselor training labs, and as the coordinator of clinical experiences for a CACREP accredited counseling program.

Dr. Flynn served as the President and Conference Planning Chair of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) for the 2018-2019 academic year.  Dr. Flynn has led multiple empirical investigations in the counseling profession. His work has been published in a broad range of counseling journals, including The Journal of Counseling and Development, Counselor Education and Supervision, Career Development Quarterly, The Family Journal, Counseling Outcomes Research and Evaluation, and The Professional Counselor.

Degrees and Education

  • PhD, Counselor Education and Supervision, University of Northern Colorado
  • MA, Mental Health Counseling and Applied Psychology, Rowan University
  • BA, Psychology, University of Northern Colorado

Research Interest

  • Social justice, multiculturalism, diversity
  • Counselor development
  • Crisis, disaster, and trauma
  • Research methodology
  • Contemporary issues in couple, marriage, and family counseling

Recent Publications

  • Flynn, S.V. (2023). The Couple, Marriage, and Family Practitioner: Contemporary Issues, Interventions, and Skills. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
  • Waalkes, P., Decino, D., & Flynn, S.V. (2021). A content analysis of qualitative dissertations in counselor education. Counselor Education and Supervision, 60(3), 209-223, doi: 10.1002/ceas.12212
  • Flynn, S.V. (Ed.). (2022). Research design for the behavioral sciences: An applied approach. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
  • Flynn, S.V., Laflamme, E., & Hays, D. G. (2020). A mixed-methods analysis of supports and barriers for rural college students. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 27(2), 1-32.
  • Black, L. L., & Flynn, S.V. (2021). Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster: A Clinician’s Guide. New York, NY: SAGE.
  • Flynn, S. V., Korcuska, J. S., Brady, N. V., & Hays, D. G. (2019). A 15-Year content analysis of three qualitative research traditions. Counselor Education and Supervision, 58 (1), 49-63, doi:  10.1002/ceas.12123
  • Flynn, S. V., & Korcuska, J. S. (2018). Credible phenomenological research: A mixed-methods study. Counselor Education & Supervision, 57 (1), 34-50. doi: 10.1002/ceas.12092
  • Flynn, S. V., & Korcuska, J. S. (2018). Grounded theory research design: An investigation into practices and procedures. Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation, 9(2), 102-116. doi:10.1080/21501378.2017.1403849

Selected Presentations

  • Flynn, S.V. (2021, October). Research design in the counseling profession: A theoretical and applied approach. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Inform Conference, Atlanta, GA.
  • Flynn, S.V., Korcuska, J. S., & Brady, N. (2018, September). A 15-Year Content Analysis of Three Qualitative Research Traditions. The North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) Conference, Burlington, VT.
  • Flynn, S.V. & Korcuska, J. (2017, October). Practices to Enhance Phenomenological Research: Grounding Empirical Findings in Strong Pedagogy. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Inform Conference, Chicago, IL.
  • Flynn, S.V., Mariska, M. A., & Escobar, S. (2016, October). Integrating an Empirically Validated Skill-Based Assessment into a Graduate Program Curriculum. The North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) Conference, Syracuse, NY.

Awards and Distinctions

  • Finalist: Distinguished Scholarship Award, Plymouth State University, 2017
  • Recipient: Honorary Faculty Inductee into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Plymouth State University, 2015
  • Nominee: Locke-Paisley Outstanding Mentor Award, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, 2015
  • Nominee: Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of South Dakota, 2012
  • Dean Exemplary Performance in Teaching, University of South Dakota, 2010
  • Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2009
  • Dean’s Citation for Excellence in Graduate School, University of Northern Colorado, 2009

Courses Taught

  • Writing a Literature Review (co-taught, flipped classroom)
  • Working with Youth and Systems
  • Counselor Education & Supervision (internship)
  • Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning
  • Psychopathology: Disorders of Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood
  • Counseling Children and Adolescents
  • Crisis Intervention in Professional Counseling
  • Group Counseling Theories
  • Working with Children and Families
  • Legal and Ethical Aspects in Counseling
  • Research in Counselor Education
  • Theories of Counseling
  • Counseling Skills
  • Appraisal
  • Foundational Methods in Couple and Family Therapy
  • Clinical Mental Health & School Counseling (internship)
  • Marriage and Family Therapy (internship)
  • Practicum

Leadership and Innovation 

  • Founding Director, Youth Development and Marriage and Family Therapy 3 + 2 Option
  • Research Fellow, Plymouth State University
  • 2018-2019 NARACES President and Conference Coordinator
  • 2015-2018 Chair, Plymouth State University Institutional Review Board
  • Creator, Plymouth State University’s Counselor Training Laboratory
  • Founding Director, Plymouth State University’s Marriage and Family Therapy Major and Certificate
  • Founding Advisor, Plymouth State University’s Graduate Research Society and Symposium
  • Committee Chair, Creation of Plymouth State University IRB procedures, guidelines, forms, and application