PENN STATE HBG
MIDDLETOWN, PA 17057
Office Hours
Biography
Senel Poyrazli received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from University of Houston, M.Sc. in counseling psychology from Northeastern University – Boston, and B.A. in psychological counseling and guidance from Hacettepe University - Turkey. Her clinical background includes working with adolescents, college students, adults, married/unmarried couples, and war veterans, and dealing with issues primarily related to relationships, psychosocial adjustment, decision making, depression, and trauma. Her research primarily involves college students’ and immigrants’ psychosocial and academic adjustment processes; with cross-cultural competency being an additional research interest. Most recently, she explored the reasons that cause international students to fail academically, and the microaggressions Syrian refugee college students face. Dr. Poyrazli teaches counseling skills, interviewing and counseling, group counseling, theories of counseling, family therapy, internship, research methods, and multicultural competency. She was awarded a Teaching Excellence Award, Faculty Diversity Award, and Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity Award by Penn State Harrisburg. She also received the Outstanding International Psychologist Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 52 International Psychology, and the Excellent Contribution Award from the APA Society of Counseling Psychology International Section.
Dr. Poyrazli was given a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award for the 2022-2023 academic year. She was placed at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey.
Dr. Poyrazli is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) in three divisions and is actively involved within the organization. For APA Division 52 (International Psychology), she served a 5-year term as the editor of the division’s official publication International Psychology Bulletin and chaired the division’s Long-Range Planning Committee. She served as president-elect in 2013, president in 2014, and past-president in 2015. For APA Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology), she chaired the International Student Mentoring and Orientation Committee (IMOC) and served for three years as a reviewer for the division's APA conference program. Within Division 1 (General Psychology), Dr. Poyrazli served as an associate editor for the division’s newsletter, The General Psychologist.
Dr. Poyrazli also served as an editor of the Eurasian Journal of Educational Research and served as a consulting editor for Perspectives in International Psychology: Research, Consultation, Practice. Her research has been published in well-known journals such as Journal of College Student Development, Journal of College Counseling, Journal of Humanistic Counseling Education and Development, International Journal of Stress Management, Adolescence, Journal of Counseling and Development, and Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
Dr. Poyrazli is connected well with the immigrant community around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She served as the vice-president of Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Women's Network (PAIRWN) and organized for three years an annual immigrant women's health conference that is sponsored by PAIRWN, American Cancer Society, Highmark, and Harrisburg Area Community College.
Awards and honors
Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, 2022-2023 Academic Year, Turkey. The Fulbright awards are prestigious awards given by the U.S. government to facilitate an academic exchange program and to promote international understanding and cooperation.
Fellow, American Psychological Association (Division 52: International Psychology - 2009; Division 1 General Psychology - 2015; Division 17 Society of Counseling Psychology – 2020). The fellow status is awarded, in part, on the basis of evaluated evidence of distinguished and sustained contribution to the field of psychology.
Fellow, Eastern Psychological Association. Selected to Fellow status in recognition of achievement in psychology. (2010)
Outstanding International Psychologist, American Psychological Association (APA) Division 52 International Psychology, August 2021.
Excellent Contribution Award, APA Society of Counseling Psychology International Section, August 2021.
Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity Award, Penn State Harrisburg, March 2021. The award is given to recognize and encourage excellence in academic research, creative activity, scholarship, and mastery of the subject by faculty.
Fellowship for Visiting Scholars. The Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council. The award was given for the period of June 6-July 6, 2022. The purpose of the award is to encourage scientists who are pioneers in their fields working in a university or research institution abroad to come to Turkey.
Excellence in Teaching Award, Penn State Harrisburg. (2007)
Recognition Award for Extraordinary Service. APA Division 52 International Psychology. (2015)
Outstanding Reviewer, Substance Abuse journal. (2013)
Presidential Citation for outstanding programming work, APA Division 52 International Psychology Program. (2011)
Presidential Recognition, “Outstanding Editor”, for the editorship service provided to APA’s Division 52 from 2005 to 2010. (2010)
Certificate of Appreciation. For outstanding and dedicated service as the Chair for the International Mentoring and Orientation committee (IMOC) of the International Section, APA Division 17 - Society of Counseling Psychology. (2010)
Faculty Diversity Award, Penn State Harrisburg. (2010)
Distinguished Guest of Honor, The 20th Greater New York Conference on Behavioral Research, (2008)
Presidential Citation for Extraordinary Service, APA Division 52 International Psychology. (2007)
Recognition Award for Extraordinary Service; APA Division of International Psychology. (2006)
Nominee, APA Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest (BAPPI). 2020
Recognition with appreciation for service to Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity and dedication to equity and inclusion at Penn State. (2018)
Certificate of Recognition, The 18th Greater New York Conference on Behavioral Research, (2006)
Award of Appreciation for Excellent Service. University of Houston, College of Education, Academic Affairs Office. (2000)
Research Interests
- Psychological and environmental factors that impact immigrant student achievement
- Acculturative Stress
- College Adjustment Process
- International Students
- Multicultural Competency
Publications
Poyrazli, S. (in progress). Syrian refugee college students, microaggressions, and ways of coping.
Poyrazli, S., & Ciftci, A. (in progress). Microaggressions and their effects on counseling and therapy outcome.
Koch, J. M., Ciftci, A., Inman, A. G., Kluck, A. S., Mellott, R. N., Poyrazli, S., Schultheiss, D. E., Schwartz, J. P., & Smith, N. G. (in progress). Counseling psychologists as higher education leaders.
Akef, Z., Poyrazli, S., & Quintero, I. (under review). “We lived it, we survived it, and we can do it again”: An exploration of the lived experiences and psychological states of migrants and refugees. The Qualitative Report. Revision was submitted back to the same journal.
Morales-Ramirez, I., & Poyrazli. S. (under review). Social anxiety among first-generation and non-first-generation college students. European Journal of Psychology of Education.
Karabacak, N., Ustundag Kocakusak, N., Vural Akar, R., & Poyrazli, S. (under review). Why programming and culture-sensitive teaching is important in the education of refugee children: Some suggestions from the field. Social Policy and Society.
Calles Guzman, J., & Poyrazli, S. (2023). Bad hombres: Perceived discrimination, acculturation and the mental health of Latinxs in a growing anti-immigrant climate. A systematic literature review. The New School Psychology Bulletin, 20(1), 3-21.
Consoli, A., Ciftci, A., Poyrazli, S., Iwasaki, M., Wang, C., Ovrebo, E., Canetto, S., & Forrest, L. (2022). International students who became U.S. counseling psychology faculty: An autoethnography. The Counseling Psychologist.
Dugyala, M., & Poyrazli, S. (2021). Social anxiety, depression, coping self-efficacy, and coping strategies among college students. Psychoeducational Research Reviews, 10(3), 411-425.
Poyrazli, S. (2021). How immigrant and refugee parents’ experiences related to their child’s school system different in Canada. Psychoeducational Research Reviews, 10(3), 57-66.
Aguilera-Hermida, A. P., Avci, D., & Poyrazli, S. (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic, university students in Turkey, and emergency online learning. International Journal of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, 11(2), 219-236.
Can, A., & Poyrazli, S., & Pillay, Y. (2021). Eleven types of adjustment problems and psychological well-being among international students. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 91, 1-20.
Ezzedine, L., & Poyrazli, S. (2020). Perceived ethnic discrimination, race-related stress, and coping styles. International Journal of Educational Research Open (Elsevier). Volume 1, Article number 100017.
Thompson, A. J., Poyrazli, S., & Miller, E. (2020). Body image dissatisfaction, western media in developing nations, and young women. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 90, 45-66.
Avci, D., Poyrazli, S., & Gencoglu, C. (2020). An assessment of the graduate education in psychological counseling and guidance programs in Turkey: Views of graduate students [Türkiye'de psikolojik danışma ve rehberlik lisansüstü eğitimine ilişkin bir değerlendirme, PDR lisansüstü öğrencilerinin görüşleri]]. Milli Eğitim Dergisi, 49 (228), 175-213.
Poyrazli, S., & Banks Devonish, O. (2020). Cultural value orientation, social networking sites, and homesickness in international students. International Social Science Review, 96 (3), Article 2.
Poyrazli, S., & Can, A. (2020). Online counseling: Ethical guidelines, the COVID-19 process, suggestions. [Çevrimiçi psikolojik danışma: Etik kuralları, COVID-19 süreci, öneriler]. The Journal of School Counseling, 3(1), 59-83.
Eskin, M., Tran, U. S., Carta, M. G., Poyrazli, S., Flood, C., Mechri, A., Shaheen, A., Janghorbani, M., Khader, Y. S., Yoshimasu, K., Sun, J.-M., Kujan, O., Abuidhail, J., Aidoudi, K., Bakhshi, S., Parlak, H., Moro, M., Phillips, L., Hamdan, M., Abuderman, A., Tsuno, K., & Voracek, M. (2020). Is individualism suicidogenic? Findings from a multi-national study with young adults from 12 countries. Frontiers in Psychiatry. Online first publication.
Poyrazli, S., & Mitchell, M. (2020). Mental health problems of U.S. students studying abroad. Journal of International Students. 10 (1), 1225-1235.
Eskin, M., Poyrazli, S., Janghorbani, M., Bakhshi, S., Carta, M. G., Moro, M. F., Tran, U. S., Voracek, M., Mechri, A., Aidoudi, K., Hamdan, M., Nawafleh, H., Sun, J-M., Flood, C., Phillips, L., Yoshimasu, K., Tsuno, K., Kujan, O., Harlak, H., Khader, Y., Shaheen, A., & Taifour, S., (2019). The role of religion on suicidal behavior, attitudes, and psychological distress among university students: A multinational study. Transcultural Psychiatry, 56 (5), 853-877.
Poyrazli, S., & Isaiah, J. (2018). International students' journeys from academic probation to academic success. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 7, 62-75.
Eskin, M., Sun, J.-M., Abuidhail, J., Yoshimasu, K., Kujan, O., Janghorbani, M, Flood, C., Carta M. G., Tran, U. T., Mechri, A., Hamdan, M., Poyrazli, S, Aidoudi, K.., Bakhshi, S., Harlak, H., Moro, M. F., Nawafleh, H., Phillips, L., Shaheen, AM., Taifour, S., Tsuno K., & Voracek M. (2016). Suicidal behavior and psychological distress in university students: A 12-nation study. Archives of Suicide Research. 20, 369-388.
Mitchell, M. A., Poyrazli, S., & Broyles, L. M. (2016). Alcohol misuse and cultural adjustment among U.S. college students abroad in Italy. Substance Abuse, 37, 215-221.
Eskin, M. Kujan, O., Voracek, M., Shaheen, A., Carta, M. G., Sun, J-M, Flood, C., Poyrazli, S., Janghorbani, M., Yoshimasu, K., Mechri, A., Khader, Y., Aidoudi, K., Bakhshi, S., Harlak, H., Ahmead, M., Moro, M.F., Nawafleh, H., Phillips, L., Abuderman, A., Tran, U.S., & Tsuno, K. (2016). Cross-national comparisons of attitudes towards suicide and suicidal persons in university students from 12 counties. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 57, 554-563.
Poyrazli, S. (2015). Psychological symptoms and concerns experienced by international students: Outreach implications for counseling centers. Journal of International Students, 5, 306-312.
Seitz, C. A., Poyrazli, S., Harrison, M. A., Flickinger, T., & Turkson, M. (2014). Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for military veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review. The New School Psychology Bulletin, 11 (1), 14-29.
Var, S., Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. (2013). Personal well-being and overall satisfaction of life of Asian immigrant and refugee women. Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling, 3, 77-90.
Shigemoto, Y., & Poyrazli, S. (2013). Factors related to posttraumatic growth in U.S. and Japanese college students. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 5, 128-134.
Poyrazli, S., Milliogullari, A., & Yesilyaprak, B. (2012). Predictors of life satisfaction among guidance counselors and administrators employed by the Turkish Ministry of Education. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 12(48), 175-192.
Duru, E., & Poyrazli, S. (2011). Perceived discrimination, social connectedness, and other predictors of adjustment difficulties among Turkish international students in the U.S. The International Journal of Psychology, 46, 446-454.
Poyrazli, S., & Hand, D. B. (2011). Using drawings as a pedagogical method to facilitate multicultural competency development. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 38, 93-104.
Poyrazli, S., Thukral, R. K., & Duru, E. (2010) International students’ race-ethnicity, personality, and acculturative stress. International Journal of Psychology and Counseling, 2(2), 25-32.
Poyrazli, S., & Sahin, A. E. (2009). Suggestions regarding the process of writing and publishing manuscripts in English for international journals. Education & Science, 34, 117-131.
Grahame, K. M., Grahame, P. R., Ferrer-Wreder, L., Coatsworth, D., Meister, D., Poyrazli, S., & Forthun, L. (2008). Left behind? Charter schooling in a low-income community. Education and Society, 26, 25-45.
Gomleksiz, M., Poyrazli, S., & Vural, R. A. (2008). Discriminatory attitudes: A scale development in Turkish. Psychological Reports, 103, 921-930.
Poyrazli, S., Ferrer-Wreder, L., Meister, D. G., Forthun, L., Coatsworth, J.D., & Grahame, K. M. (2008). Academic achievement, employment, age, and gender and students’ experience of alternative school. Adolescence, 43, 547-556.
Sumer, S., Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. (2008). Predictors of depression and anxiety among international students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 86, 429 - 437.
Ferrer-Wreder, L., Palchuk, A., Poyrazli, S., Small, M. L., & Domitrovich, C. E. (2008). Identity and adolescent adjustment. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 8 (2), 95-105.
Poyrazli, S., & Lopez, M. D. (2007). An exploratory study on perceived discrimination and homesickness: A comparison of international students to the U.S. students. The Journal of Psychology, 141, 263-280.
Ferrer-Wreder, L., Poyrazli, S., Bedard, B., Coatsworth, J. D., Meister, D., Forthun, L., & Grahame, K. M. (2007). Alternative school students' normative beliefs about aggression. Journal of Educational Alternatives, 3 (2), 66-87.
Poyrazli, S., & Grahame, K. (2007). Barriers to adjustment: Needs of international students within a semi-urban campus community. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34, 28-45.
Duru, E., & Poyrazli, S. (2007). Personality dimensions, psychosocial-demographic variables, and English language competency in predicting level of acculturative stress among Turkish international students in the USA. International Journal of Stress Management, 14, 99-110.
Poyrazli, S., & Kavanaugh, P. (2006). Marital Status, Ethnicity, Academic Achievement, and Adjustment Strains: The Case of Graduate International Students. College Student Journal, 40, 767-780.
Connor, J., Poyrazli, S., Ferrer-Wreder, L., Grahame, K. (2004). The relation of age, gender, ethnicity, and risk behaviors to self-esteem among students in nonmainstream schools. Adolescence, 39, 457-473.
Poyrazli, S., Kavanaugh, P., Baker, A., & Al-Timimi, N. (2004). Social support and demographic correlates of acculturative stress in international students, Journal of College Counseling, 7, 73-82.
Poyrazli, S. (2003). Ethnic identity and psychosocial adjustment among international students. Psychological Reports, 92, 512-514.
Poyrazli, S. (2003). Validity of Rogerian therapy in Turkish culture: A cross- cultural perspective. Journal of Humanistic Counseling Education and Development, 42, 107-115.
Poyrazli, S., Arbona, C., Nora, A., McPherson, B., & Pisecco, S. (2002). Relation between assertiveness, academic self-efficacy, and psychosocial adjustment among international graduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 43, 632-642.
Poyrazli, S., Arbona, C., Bullington, R., & Pisecco, S. (2001). Adjustment issues of Turkish college students in the United States. College Student Journal, 35(1), 52-62.
Books
Poyrazli, S., & Ciftci, A. (Eds). (in progress). Multicultural competency in counseling and therapy.
Nayir, F., & Poyrazli, S. (Eds) (2022). Current research in educational sciences [Egitim Bilimlerinde Guncel Arastirmalar]. (157 pp)., Ani Publishing. ISBN/ISSN: e-ISBN: 978-605-170-774-7
Poyrazli, S. (Editor) (2022). Current educational research related to cultural groups [Egitimde Kulturel Gruplara Iliskin Guncel Arastirmalar]. (134 pp). Ani Publishing. ISBN/ISSN: e-ISBN: 978-605-170-764-8
Poyrazli, S., & Thompson, C. E. (Eds). (2013). International case studies in mental health. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. [Korean translation (2014) published by Hakjisa Publisher, Seoul, Korea].
Sommers-Flanagan, R., Elander, C., Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Poyrazli, S. (2009). Bizi bosamayin: Bosanma surecini yasayan cocuklarin anne-babalara onerileri [Don’t divorce us: Kids’ advice to divorcing parents]. Ani Publishing (A prominent academic publisher in Turkey).
Contributions to Books – Book Chapters
Poyrazli, S., & Balkis, M. (2015). Counseling and psychotherapy in Turkey: Ceren’s Story. In R. Moodley, M. Sookoor, U. Gielen, & R. Wu (Eds). International counseling: Case studies handbook (pp. 267-276). Washington, D.C.: American Counseling Association.
Ferrer-Wreder, L., *Sugimura, K., *Trost, K., *Poyrazli, S., Klingstedt, M. L., & Thomas, S. (2014/2016). The intersection of culture, health, and risk behaviors in emerging and young adults. L. A. Jensen (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Human Development and Culture: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. (pp. 502-518). New York, NY: Oxford Publishers. Doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199948550.013.31 *These co-authors share second authorship and appear in random order in this citation.
Poyrazli, S., Dogan, S., & Eskin, M. (2013). Counseling and psychotherapy in Turkey: Influence of western theories, unique challenges, and the need to develop culturally-inclusive methods. In R. Moodley, U. Gielen, & R. Wu (Eds), Handbook of counseling and psychotherapy in an international context (pp.404-414). New York, NY: Routledge.
Poyrazli, S., & Eskin, M. (2013). Bisexual identity in a traditional culture: A case study from Turkey. In S. Poyrazli & C. E. Thompson (Eds.), International case studies in mental health (pp. 69-83). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Poyrazli, S., & Thompson, C. E. (2013). Towards an inclusive international psychology. In S. Poyrazli & C. E. Thompson (Eds.), International case studies in mental health (pp. 1-11). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Thompson, C. E., & Poyrazli, S. (2013). What can we learn from mental health practitioners around the world? In S. Poyrazli & C. E. Thompson (Eds.), International case studies in mental health (pp. 225-232). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Poyrazli, S. (2010). Only Rogers, everywhere and all the time? No. In: Trotter-Mathison, M., Koch, J. M., Sanger, S. & Skovholt, T. M. (Eds.), Voices from the field: Defining moments in counselor and therapist development (pp. 77-81). New York, NY: Routledge.
Poyrazli, S. (2009). Considerations when interviewing immigrants. In John Sommers-Flanagan & Rita Sommers-Flanagan (Eds.), Clinical Interviewing (4th edition, pp. 418-419). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Editor-Reviewed Articles
Kalpaxis, G., & Poyrazli, S. (2012). Interview with Ramadan Ahmed, Ph. D.: A prominent leader in Arab psychology. International Psychology Bulletin, 16 (3), 39-40.
Stevens, M. J., Poyrazli, S., & Takooshian, H. (2009). Are you an international psychologist? Would you like to become one? The General Psychologist, 44 (2), 9-11.
Poyrazli, S., & Stevens, M. J. (2009). Bridging the research divide between counseling and related fields. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 9(36), 1-7.
Poyrazli, S. (2005). International students at US universities. Eye on Psi Chi, 9 (2), 18-19.
Other Publications
Erskine, J., & Poyrazli, S. (2011). Family influences on the career choices of international undergraduate college students. International Psychology Bulletin, 15(2), 42-45.
Poyrazli, S. (2011). Yeni süreli yayınlar: Nasıl oluşturulur ve nasıl başarılı hale getirilir? [New academic journals: How to establish them and make sure of their success], TSE Standard: Ekonomik ve Teknik Dergi, 50, 80-81.
Poyrazli, S. (2006). Shake hands with the devil: The journey of Romeo Dellaire. International Psychology Reporter, 10(1), 23-24.
Poyrazli, S. (2004). International psychology division of APA (Amerikan Psikoloji Dernegi, Uluslararasi Psikoloji Bolumu). Turkish Psychology Bulletin, 32, 210-211.
Poyrazli, S. (September, 2004). Immigrants: Mental health and resources. Our Voice, 2(2), 3.
Poyrazli, S. (June, 2004). Turkish culture and suggestions for immigrants. Our Voice, 2(3), 3.
Education
Ph.D., Counseling Psychology (Houston)
M.Sc., Counseling Psychology (Boston)
B.A., Psychological Counseling and Guidance (Turkey)