Samantha Airhart-Larraga

Photo of Ms. Samantha Airhart-Larraga

Samantha Airhart-Larraga, Ph.D., LPC-S, LCDC, NCC

  • Associate Professor
  • Program Coordinator: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Department of Counseling and Psychology
  • College of Education and Human Development
  • Email: s.airhart-larraga@tamuct.edu
  • Office/Room: WH-318D
  • Phone: 254.519.5453

Curriculum Vitae
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Dr. Samantha Airhart-Larraga is an associate professor in the Counseling and Psychology Department at Texas A&M University – Central Texas and the program coordinator for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. She is core faculty in the clinical mental health counseling program and has taught the following classes: Foundations of Counseling, Ethics in Counseling, Crisis Counseling, Theories of Counseling, Counseling Perspectives on Psychopathology, Methods and Practices, Career Counseling, Multicultural Counseling, Addiction Counseling, Group Counseling, and Practicum.

Dr. Airhart-Larraga has a Ph.D. (2018) in counselor education and supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio, an M.A. (2002) in counseling from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX, and a B.A. (1997) in psychology from the University of Texas at Brownsville (now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley).

Dr. Airhart-Larraga is a National Certified Counselor since 2005, a Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas) since 2005, and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (Texas) since 2000. She has over 20 years of experience as a counselor and has worked in the addictions field for over 23 years. Dr. Airhart-Larraga is fluent in Spanish and has focused on providing culturally relevant counseling services using cognitive behavioral therapy and person-centered therapy as well as LPC supervision to novice counselors.

Dr. Airhart-Larraga has a passion for advocacy and service to the profession and served on the NBCCF MFP-AC Advisory Council from 2018 to 2022; as the chair in 2022. Most recently, Dr. Airhart-Larraga was selected to serve as a board member for the Center for Credentialing and Education; as secretary in 2024.


Selected Publications:

Purgason, L., Johnson, G., Vallecillo, O., Honer, R., Covington, C., & Airhart-Larraga, S. (2023). English as a second language teachers’ perspectives on interprofessional collaboration with school counselors: Supporting emergent bilingual students. The Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 34(2), 168-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2023.2240304

Lloyd-Hazlett, J., Knight, C., Horton, E., & Airhart-Larraga, S. (2022). Impact of service-learning on student counselors’ self-reported measures of program evaluation, counselor advocacy, and interprofessional education. Teaching and Supervision in Counseling 4(1), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc048uc8

Airhart-Larraga, S., Lloyd-Hazlett, J., & Purgason, L. (2021). Resilience narratives of Hispanic counselors in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. Journal of Professional Counseling: Practice, Theory, & Research 48(1), 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/15566382.2020.1871260

Lloyd-Hazlett, J., Airhart-Larraga, S., & Purgason, L. (2020). Critical knowledge, points of confusion, and training recommendations for client referrals. Teaching and Supervision in Counseling 2(1), 60-72. https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc020106


Selected Presentations:

Airhart-Larraga, S., Ortiz, L., & Lopez, D. (2024, March 15-16). Latinx females and the intersection of sizeism and fertility: Implications for counselors. [Conference presentation]. 2024 NBCC Foundation Bridging the Gap Symposium, Washington, D.C.

Airhart-Larraga, S., Romero, D., & Reyes, E. (2023, June 2-4). Providing culturally responsive counseling to our Latinx population: A dialogue about a relationship building approach. [Conference presentation]. 2023 NBCC Foundation Bridging the Gap Symposium, Atlanta, Georgia.

Airhart-Larraga, S., Holloway, F., & Lovejoy, K. (2023, April 20-23). A feminist perspective of tenure and promotion for faculty that identify as female and mothers: Implications for women in the academy. [Conference presentation]. 11th Annual Faculty Women of Color in the Academy National Conference, Arlington, Virginia.

Airhart-Larraga, S. & Stalnaker-Shofner, D. (2022, September 15-16). “Te has puesto gorda!”: Accounts of sizeism among Latinx females and implications for mental health professionals. [Conference presentation]. 2022 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robertson, D., & Airhart-Larraga, S. (2021, November 3-5). The TCA Ethics Committee presents: Becoming aware of our blind spots in the ethical decision-making process [Conference presentation]. 2021 Texas Counseling Association Professional Growth Conference, Galveston, Texas.

Airhart-Larraga, S. (2020, June 16-19). “No estoy loco!”: Navigating mental health stigma and negative perceptions when working with the Latino population [Conference presentation]. 2020 NBCC Foundation Bridging the Gap Symposium.