Susan Baker, PhD, LPC/MHSP/S, is an Assistant Professor in the Professional Counseling Program at Lincoln Memorial University and serves as Program Director of the Master of Education in Professional Counseling. She is also a licensed professional counselor, licensure supervisor, and private practice owner, as well as the founder of Cognitive Connections TN, where she provides trauma-informed therapy and supervision.
Dr. Baker earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Tusculum University, her master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Lincoln Memorial University, and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of the Cumberlands. She began her career in community mental health as an individual and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) therapist, specializing in work with children experiencing PTSD, foster care, and adoption.
Dr. Baker began teaching in higher education in 2017 and has remained actively engaged in counselor education alongside her clinical and supervisory work. Her doctoral research examined mental health professionals’ experiences in private practice, including burnout and sustainability, which informs both her teaching and supervision. Today, she balances her role as a full-time Assistant Professor and Program Director with supervising pre-licensed clinicians and maintaining a limited clinical practice.
She is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and EMDR and practices from a humanistic, trauma-informed framework that emphasizes nervous system regulation, ethical practice, and counselor wellness.
Dr. Carletta Smelcer, Ed.D, LPC-MHSP (S) is an Assistant Professor of Education at Lincoln Memorial University, where she teaches graduate-level courses in the Mental Health Counseling program. Dr. Smelcer began teaching at LMU as an adjunct faculty member in 2013 and joined the university as a full-time faculty member in 2023. She brings more than 20 years of experience in counseling, behavioral health, clinical supervision, and higher education to her work with counseling students.
Dr. Smelcer earned her Doctor of Education in Counseling Education and Supervision and her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Argosy University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Tennessee. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Mental Health Services Provider designation in Tennessee and an Approved Clinical Supervisor.
In addition to her role at LMU, Dr. Smelcer is the owner of Lyons View Counseling in Knoxville, where she provides individual, family, and couples counseling. Her clinical experience includes working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families, including individuals and families impacted by trauma.
Dr. Smelcer's professional and clinical interests include crisis intervention, trauma-informed counseling, behavioral modification, self-care and compassion, clinical supervision, and counselor development. She has presented at professional conferences on topics including student engagement, behavioral modification, compassion and self-care, and counseling practice.
Dr. Smelcer is passionate about preparing the next generation of counselors and brings her extensive clinical experience into the classroom to help students connect counseling theory with practical clinical skills.
