Abdelaziz Elmadani, Ph.D.

Dr. Elmadani is an assistant professor at NLU, Tampa, Florida campus. He earned a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. He also earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling with a school counselor certification and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New Jersey City University.  He is a Certified Professional School Counselor in New Jersey and is eligible for Clinical Mental Health Counselor Licensure. He has been in the counseling profession for over seven years. He has experience as a supervisor in working with groups and individuals with severe mental health disorders. He also has experience working in school counseling and higher education settings as a school counselor and college advisor. He worked as a counselor educator and program director for mental health counseling at Alvernia University.

As a Qualitative and quantitative researcher, Dr. Elmadani’s research interests include multicultural and social justice advocacy. His interests also include play therapy; seeking ways to support play therapists to better advocate and better serve children. Another interest is related to how poverty impacts individuals, especially children’s development, treatment, and prevention. Dr. Elmadani focus also includes groups and family relations like parent-child functions and dysfunction, community mental health, and school-related issues.

• Doctorate of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision CACREP Accredited University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC
• Masters of Art Degree, Counseling CACREP Accredited Concentrations: mental health and School Counseling- New Jersey University, Jersey City, NJ
• Bachelor of Arts Degree, Psychology- New Jersey University, Jersey City, NJ
• Bachelor of Arts Degree, Psychology- Sidi Med Ben Abdelah University, Fez, Morocco

• Fundamentals of Counseling
• Family Therapy
• Internship I
• Counseling Theories
• Research Methods
• Advanced Counseling Theories &Techniques with Individuals
• Introduction to counseling  
• Advanced Group Counseling 

• Multicultural 
• Social justice 
• Play therapy 
• School counseling 
• Groups 

Elmadan, A. (2020). Examining the relationship between race, attitudes toward poverty, color-blind attitudes, continuing multicultural education, and social justice advocacy among play therapists. (Doctoral Dissertation). The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, North Carolina.

Elmadani, A., Opiola, K., & Grybush, A. L. (2021). Understanding the cultural awareness of teachers participated in the child teach relationship training. International Journal of Play Therapy.

Elmadani A. (In progress, expected completion December, 2021). Understand learning social skills` development through groups in a mental health setting.

Post, P. B., Grybush, A. L., Elmadani, A., & Lockhart, C. E. (2019). Fostering resilience in classrooms through child–teacher relationship training. International Journal of Play Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000107

Post, P. B., Grybush, A. L., Flowers. C, &, Elmadani, A. (2020). Child Teacher Relationship Training: Promoting Resilience in the Classroom. International Journal of Play Therapy, 29(3), 119–130. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000118

Post, P., & Elmadani, A. (2019). Exploring and Enhancing Play Therapists’ Multicultural Awareness and Social Justice Advocacy.  Barret Multicultural Counseling Conference, Charlotte, NC.

Post, P., Grybush, A. L., & Elmadani, A. (2019). Fostering Resiliency in Trauma-Informed School Counseling through Child Teacher Relationship Training. Program presented at the North Carolina Counseling Association, Durham, NC.

Elmadani, A. & Post, P. (2018). Fostering Resiliency in At-Risk Elementary School through Child Teacher Relationship Training. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Grybush, A. L., & Elmadani, A. (2018). The Impact of Harsh Discipline on Students of Color: A call for Social Justice Advocacy. Program presented at The Multicultural Issues in Counseling Conference, Charlotte, NC.

Post, P., Grybush, A. L., & Elmadani, A. (2018). Impact of Child Teacher Relationship Training at Low Performing Elementary. Program presented at the North Carolina School Counselor Association, Greensboro, NC.

Post, P., Grybush, A. L., Elmadani, A., & Blanchard, R. (2018). Helping Children Increase Self-Control: Redefining Discipline. Program presented at the North Carolina School Counselor Association, Greensboro, NC.

Post, P., Grybush, A. L., & Elmadani, A. (2018). Fostering Resiliency in an At-Risk Elementary School through Child Teacher Relationship Training. Program presented at the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Myrtle Beach, SC.     

 Elmadani, A. (2012). I’m trying so hard to understand you: Communication failure among a sample suffering from schizophrenia. New Jersey City University, NJ.   

Email: Aelmadani@nl.edu