Samantha Airhart-Larraga

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.

Curriculum Vitae
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Selected Publications

Airhart-Larraga, S. (2025). ‘Imposter Phenomenon – Recognizing, Managing, and Preventing.’ in Stalnaker-Shofner, D., Sapp, T.N. (eds) A Comprehensive Guide for Counselor Education. Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68358-9_25

Airhart-Larraga, S., Stalnaker-Shofner, D., Hollaway, F., & Moser, D. (2024). “I don’t fit society’s definition of beauty”: Experiences of sizeism among Latinx females. Women & Therapy, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2024.2370738

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. DOI: 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. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7290/tsc020106

Selected Presentations

Airhart-Larraga, S. & Quintero, M. A. (2025, September 25-26). Cultural Restoration as Resistance: Supporting Latinx Immigrants through Ancestral Knowledge and Tradition. [Conference presentation]. 2025 Latinx Mental Health and Social Justice Symposium, Latinx Mental Health and Social Justice Institute, Antioch University.

Airhart-Larraga, S., & Holloway, F. (2024, August 23-24). The Intersections of Sizeism and Fertility for Latinx Female-Identifying Individuals: Implications for Mental Health Professionals. [Conference presentation]. 2024 National Latino Behavioral Health Conference, San Antonio, Texas.

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.

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.