Past experience:
Carol Humphreys is no stranger to Sofia University and, since 2021, has served as Provost, Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Sofia University. During that time, she developed and implemented the 2023-2025 Academic Master Plan, led a successful WSCUC reaffirmation of accreditation and site visit, collaborated with Global College on multiple international initiatives, led the Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, and Accessibility Task Force, and created two institutes (the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and the Institute of Applied and Professional Studies). Humphreys also submitted and received approval from WSCUC for five new programs and prioritized the in-person population of Sofia’s Costa Mesa campus post-COVID. In her spare time, she has enjoyed teaching sand-tray therapy to Sofia University’s MA in Counseling Psychology students.
Prior to her tenure at Sofia, Humphreys served as an education consultant with clients such as Marin County Health and Human Services and Behavioral Health Recovery Services where she reviewed clinical training programs and led successful APA and CE accreditation processes. From 2011-2018, Humphreys also served as Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs, ALO, Acting Dean, Executive Faculty, and Faculty Senate Co-Chair at Saybrook University. In addition to leading a successful WSCUC reaffirmation of accreditation, she initiated summer sessions for the first time, instituted a new writing center, and facilitated the development of 11 new degree programs. As Executive Faculty, Humphreys’ courses included humanistic psychology and therapy, therapeutic interventions, ethics, and dissertation research. She has also taught as an adjunct faculty member (Miami University, Chapman University, Brandman University, The Wright Institute) and her courses included developmental psychology, counseling psychology, abnormal psychology, death and dying, cognitive psychology, substance abuse, marriage and family therapy, and psychopathology.
Early career:
Prior to moving to education full-time, Humphreys served a psychologist at a forensic state hospital and provided individual and group therapy, forensic assessment, and psychoeducation to patients diagnosed with severe mental illness and found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. She also provided treatment planning, crisis intervention, court testimony, and supervision of student interns on a co-ed inpatient, psychiatric unit. Through the implementation of humanistic practices, she was honored for leading a significant reduction in staff and patient assaults on her unit.
In her early career, Humphreys was a social worker and child therapist with a focus on working with those who experienced trauma and abuse. In Ohio, she consulted Head Start teachers, offered family therapy in community mental health, was an onsite school counselor, and worked with at-risk teens in court and at a juvenile detention center.
Humphreys’ research in the human change process resulted in publications and presentations focused on humanistic psychotherapy, the accreditation process, PTSD, dissociative experiences, dreams, sand tray therapy, the Assimilation of Problematic Experiences, and human sexuality in forensic settings.
As a young single mother of two, Humphreys began her academic journey at Cypress Community College taking classes part-time at night while working during the day. After transferring to California State University Dominguez Hills, she completed dual B.A.s in English and Psychology and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology. She then moved to Ohio to complete a second M.A. and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Miami University.
Volunteerism:
Humphreys is a volunteer at heart. She currently serves on two WSCUC accreditation committees and ascribes to the importance of peer review and the goal of continuous improvement. Humphreys has also developed and chaired various regional and national conferences that provided opportunities for faculty and student research and presentations. Earlier in her career, she served two six- month volunteer stints in Turkey and collaborated with a local NGO, the Fishek Institute. While there, she provided assessment and short-term therapy to women and children working in factories. A long-time Girl Scout Leader, PTO member, school board member, and sports mom, she has been honored as an active volunteer in multiple youth, school, and community organizations.
Whether serving in academia, the field of mental health, or as a community member,Humphreys is interested in being an active agent of positive change and a collaborative, responsive leader. In multiple ways, Humphreys believes her education, work, and community experiences afforded her the opportunity to find her best self and then pay it forward. As a result, her personal mission has consistently been to support faculty, staff, and students as they transform lives, whether their own or others. While at Sofia, she has seen the potential for positive change and supported the university’s renaissance.
Carol Humphreys, maintains a heartfelt commitment to the Sofia mission and a way of being that values authenticity, equity, transparency, and community service. She is further honored to continue to serve Sofia University’s valued community members.
