Meet the Faculty

Biography

Dr. Christmas Thomas serves as the Dean of the Townsend Institute. She joined Concordia University Irvine over a decade ago, and was a leader in starting the Townsend Institute. She has been instrumental in program design and launching of the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.

Prior to Concordia she led National Counseling/Academic services for the world’s largest human services provider and consulted internationally in the areas of counseling, education and special education services. She has helped host several national conferences for counselors and educators, provided coaching consulting and presented on these topics across the United States and the United Kingdom.

Degrees Earned

• Ph.D., Education and Leadership, Barry University

• M.A., Counselor Education, University of Central Florida

• B.A., Psychology, University of North Florida

Biography

Dr. Washburn is a 1998 graduate of Evangel University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She went on to receive her master’s degree in Social Work from Missouri State University in 1999 and her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University in 2015. Her professional experience includes working with the adolescent population in areas such as school social work and as a therapist for teens in residential treatment, providing clinical supervision and consultation for social workers and counselors. Her areas of interest and past research include issues of abuse and neglect with children, negative behavioral functioning of adolescents, clinical supervision and social advocacy in the mental health field. Dr. Washburn has worked in Christian Higher Education for 20 years and has enjoyed many roles including teaching, administration, research and supervision. She is passionate about leading the CUI Townsend Institute Counseling Program and assisting the next generation of counselors in reaching the hurting world with excellence in clinical practice.

Degrees Earned 

• Ph.D., Counselor Education and Supervision: Regent University

• M.S.W. - Master's of Social Work: Missouri State University

• B.S.W. - Bachelor's of Social Work: Evangel University

• LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker- Missouri

Biography

Matthew John Paylo, Ph.D./LPCC-S (OH), LPC (GA), is the Director of Counseling at Concordia University Irvine. He has over 12 years of experience in counselor education and 20 years of clinical experience in various settings including community mental health centers, prisons, hospitals, adolescent residential treatment facilities, and college counseling centers. Matthew is passionate about implementing evidence-based interventions within therapeutic relationships that highlight empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness. He has presented and published extensively in the areas of diagnosing and treating mental and emotional disorders. Matthew co-authored two books on assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental and emotional disorders. In addition, he has published numerous journal articles and book chapters on trauma, evidence-based treatments, offender treatments, adolescent counseling, social justice counseling, and the implementation of the DSM. Matthew has received a number of teaching and research awards including the Distinguished Professor of Teaching at Youngstown State University and the Research and Writing Award from the Ohio Counseling Association (OCA). In addition, Matthew completed two terms as a governor-appointed member of the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board.

Degrees Earned

• Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

• MA in Community Counseling, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA

• BS in Communication/Business, Grove City College, Grove City, PA

Biography

Dr. Christine Arnzen is a licensed professional counselor and approved supervisor in Missouri. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education at Regent University in 2016. Prior to joining CUI, Townsend Institute, Dr. Arnzen served as the Director of Counselor Education at Evangel University, Director of Clinical Services at Focus Marriage Institute (formerly National Institute of Marriage) and Director of Counseling Services at Evangel University. Over the past 30 years, these various positions and experiences became the backdrop for her work with graduate counseling students.

Dr. Arnzen is passionate about providing students with a quality educational experience that facilitates professional growth and personal insight. To this end, she enjoys teaching counseling foundations, counseling skills, counseling ethics, couple/family, career counseling, and field courses (practicum/internship).

Dr. Arnzen and her husband Jim have three daughters and son-in-laws. The family is growing with the addition of grandchildren. Simple pleasures bring the most joy such as sharing a meal, family game night, and worshiping together at their local church.

Degrees Earned 

• PhD Counselor Education and Supervision, Regent University (CACREP accredited)

• MA Clinical Psychology, Forest Institute of Professional Psychology

• BS in Psychology, Evangel University

Biography

Christi Myers, Ph.D., LPC, LCDC, has worked in community mental health and education for over twenty years in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. Prior to Concordia, Dr. Myers directed multiple community mental health care initiatives dedicated to providing accessible bilingual counseling services to people of all ages and backgrounds. Dr. Myers also specializes in providing co-occurring psychological and substance use disorder (COPSD) treatment to individuals, couples, and families. Her research interests include cross-cultural counseling, resiliency, and post traumatic growth.

Dr. Myers and her husband, a Sergeant Major in the US Army, reside in Texas. She has a passion for trail ultrarunning and rescue dogs.

Degrees Earned 

• PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas

• MA Counseling Psychology, Alliant International University, Mexico City, Mexico

• BA Humanities, University of Greenwich, London, England

Biography

Dr. Newmeyer is a licensed professional clinical counselor and supervisor in Ohio and Virginia with over twenty years of clinical and consulting experience in mental health services, addictions, and trauma. He is a professional member of the American Counseling Association, which recognized his achievements by honoring him in 2004 as an Emerging Leader. Dr. Newmeyer is an active member of ASGW and also serves on the Editorial Board for Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development. He enjoys running, including several marathons and recently a 50K.

Degrees Earned 

• Ed.D. Counselor Ed and Supervision, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

• M.Ed., Community Counseling, Kent State University, Kent, OH

• B.A., History, Malone College/University

Biography

I am a native of Southern California, specifically Orange County California. I am the daughter of two Vietnamese immigrants, my father arriving here after the fall of Saigon in 1975, while my mother is a Vietnamese boat person. I consider myself bicultural, being fluent in both English and Vietnamese and balancing my Vietnamese heritage with growing up in the United States. As an example of the bicultural influence, I grew up eating my spaghetti with chopsticks.

I graduated from CSU Fullerton with a B.S. in Human Services and a minor in Criminal Justice with Magna Cum Laude honors. I followed my undergraduate studies with an M.S. in Counseling at CSU Fullerton and earned my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Pennsylvania State University.

My clinical experiences ranged from working with children and their families in school and community mental health clinics to a variety of individual needs of college students and adults, including depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, eating disorders, and substance abuse/dependence. I completed clinical work in different settings, including the Orange County (OC) HeadStart preschool program, Western Youth Services community mental health clinic, CEDAR clinic at Penn State University, OC HealthCare Agency Adult Mental Health services, and ChildNet Youth and family services. All included individual, family, and group counseling.

Degrees Earned 

• Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision - (CACREP- Accredited) - The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 

• M.S. in Counseling - (CACREP- Accredited) - California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA. 

• B.S. in Human Services, Minor in Criminal Justice -  California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA. 

• LMFT- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California

Biography

A guiding theme for my life is that of relationship and two statements inform this interest. The first is from Irvin Yalom, who instructs, "It is the relationship that heals." I have experienced the positive aspects of being healed in my own relationships and seen the immense power of how relationship heals others through therapy and counseling. The second is by the educator Jon Kabat-Zinn, in his definition of mindfulness: "Paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally." Being in relationship with oneself and others requires a focused mind and focused awareness in both the realm of the self and the other. The challenge is to be nonjudgmental and authentic in those interactions.

I have worked in the field of counseling and therapy for the past 25 years, working in a myriad of settings. Since 2003, I have been in private practice in Virginia Beach, working as a psychotherapist with adolescents, adults, families, substance abuse, trauma, depression, anxiety and additional clinical symptomology.

My position at the CUI Townsend Institute Counseling Program allows me to seek and expand on the many passions I have with clinical work and counselor supervision. In addition, it affords the chance to pursue research in finding answers to the myriad of questions that my clinical and supervisory work has generated.

Degrees Earned 

• PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA

• MA in Community/Clinical Psychology, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA

• B.A. in Psychology and Sociology, Virginia Wesleyan College, Virginia Beach, VA