I am a Professor of Counselor Education at Central Michigan University where my primary teaching responsibilities are Multicultural Counseling, Sexuality Counseling and Therapy, Practicum, and Internship. Prior to entering the Ph.D. program at The University of Iowa, I completed one year of course work in Counselor Education at Washington State University. At Iowa, I completed the Ph.D. in Counselor Education, specializing in Couple and Family Counseling and a minor in Family Studies. Additional course work at Iowa, and subsequent educational experiences involved training in human sexuality and sex therapy. At Chicago State University the necessary hours were completed in order to earn a teaching certificate in Elementary Education. Prior to teaching at CMU, I taught Counselor Education at The Ohio State University. I have also taught at Washington State University, The City Colleges of Chicago, and The Chicago Public Schools. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Limited Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, I work in private practice, counseling individuals, couples and families, with a special interest in clients who have sexual issues. My research addresses work, sexuality issues, and marriage and family relationships with a special focus on African American families. The research on these topics is based on the premise that in order to have a quality of life, individuals must be understood within the context of holistic wellness. Please view my website.

Recent publications include:

Parmer, T., Gordon, J., (2007). Cultural influences on African American sexuality: The role of multiple   identities on kinship, power, and ideology. In M. Tepper & A. Owens,(Eds.). Sexual health-Moral and  cultural foundations vol. 3, (pp.173-201). Westport, CN: Praeger.

Parmer, T., Arnold, M., & Natt, T., Janson, C. (2004). Physical attractiveness as a process of i  internalized oppression and multigenerational transmission for African American families. The Family  Journal Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families. 12, 230-243.

Parmer, T., & Rush, L. C. (2003). The next decade in career counseling: Cocoon maintenance or   metamorphosis. The Career Development Quarterly, 52, 30-38.

Parmer, T. (in progress). A holistic wellness cultural model: Implications for a life of well-being.

Parmer, T., Pimpleton, A., Gordon, J., Sepanski, J. (in progress). Hope, locus of control, and beliefs about HIV/AIDS prevention among African American high school students.