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Bio
Mari Alschuler is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory Qualification and an Associate Professor of Social Work at YSU since 2013. Dr. Alschuler earned her Ph.D. in Leadership and Education at Barry University in 2012 after a 30+ year career as a clinical social worker in New York City and South Florida. She is a credentialed poetry therapist, poet, and fiction writer.
Research Interests
Dr. Alschuler has conducted institutional research on the academic success of YSU's student veterans; the effectiveness of honors court for veterans in Mahoning County; the effects of teaching mindfulness meditation to MSW students in field practice; and the effects on social work students of taking a master's level course in social work practice with members of the LGBTQ+ community. A current research interest involves Buddhist approaches to social work education and practice.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Alschuler teaches advanced clinical practice with individuals, psychiatric diagnosing, field practice, supervision theory and practice, and MSW capstone courses. She created and teaches master's-level electives in social work practice with LGBTQ+ people, military social work, and creative arts therapies. Other teaching interests include group practice, community and organizational practice, cultural diversity and humility, and program development and evaluation.
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2012
Ph D, Leadership and Education
Barry University
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1990
Other, Social Work
Fordham University
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1987
MEd, Counseling Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University
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1986
MA, Organizational Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University
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1982
MFA, Creative Writing/Poetry
School of the Arts, Columbia University
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1980
BA, Semiotics
Brown University
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2023
NASW-OH Region 4
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to social workers who are members of NASW for years of service to the social work profession in general. This includes public service, community engagement, scholarship, etc.
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2023
International Federation for Biblio-Poetry Therapy/National Association for Poetry Therapy
Public Service Award
The Public Service Award for 2023 has been granted to Dr. Mari Alschuler, a poetry therapist and certified mentor, who has developed a course in the creative arts therapies in the MSW Program at YSU, teaches and mentors people in the uses of bibiotherapy, poetry therapy, and journal therapy, and publishes in the discipline.
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2015
YSU
Campus Leadership Diversity Award
Received Campus Leadership Award for Diversity.
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2022 -
Insight Clinical Counseling and Wellness, LLC
Psychotherapist
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2017 -
Youngstown State University
Associate Professor, Social Work
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2017 - 2022
Pathways Counseling Services of Ohio
Psychotherapist
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2013 - 2017
Youngstown State University
Assistant Professor, Social Work
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2012 - 2013
VIRGINIA INTERMONT COLLEGE, Bristol, VA
BSW Department Chair
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2002 - 2011
Broward Community College (FL) and Miami-Dade Community College (FL)
Adjunct Professor, English
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2015 - 2017
Coordinator
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2025
"Hicks, H., & Egan, R. (2024). International students’ experience of supervision during social work field placement: Troubling or transformative? Social Work Education, 43(8), 2185–2200. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2023.2248991"
M. Alschuler
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2025
"Rhoden-Neita, M.-A., Huang, H., Wilson, C., Jolly, K., Kim, J., & Parmenter, S. (2025). A pilot study on external group supervision for child welfare supervisors: A mixed-methods design. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2025.2470135"
M. Alschuler
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2023
"Shifting to remote learning: An American 'Rust Belt' university challenged by the pandemi0"
M. Alschuler
Journal of Practice Teaching, volume 19, issue 3, p. 67-78
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2022
"Poetry Therapy, Journaling, and Mindfulness: An Integrative Approach to Treating Anxiety Disorders"
M. Alschuler
LIRIC (Lapidus International), volume 2, issue 2, p. 101-122
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2022
"Ch. 23: Group Supervision"
M. Alschuler
Routledge, p. 284-293 -
2018
"Specialized Practice Curricular Guide for Military Social Work"
M. Alschuler
Council on Social Work Education -
2017
"Learning From and With Humility"
M. Alschuler
Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, volume 20, issue 1, p. 42-46
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2016
"Use of a reflective journaling rubric in diversity-themed social work courses: Faculty inter-rater reliability"
M. Alschuler
Kentucky Journal of Excellence in College Teaching & Learning, volume 14, p. 9-20
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2016
"Assessing Cultural Competence in a BSW Student Population"
A. Block, A. Rossi, C. Allen, M. Alschuler, V. Wilson
Social Work Education: The International Journal
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2016
"Preventing Student Veteran Attrition: What More Can We Do?"
M. Alschuler, J. Yarab
Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, & Practice, volume Web, p. 20
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2015
"Strengths-based group supervision with social work students"
M. Alschuler, T. Silver, L. McArdle
Groupwork, volume 25, issue 1, p. 34-57
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2021 - 2024
Committee Member
Council for Social Work Education -
2021 - 2023
Board of Directors of a Company
National Association for Social Workers-Ohio Chapter -
2021 - present
Other
International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy (IFBPT) -
2019 - 2019
Other
Purdue University-Fort Wayne -
2018 - present
Editorial Review Board Member
Textbook Reviewer -
2014 - present
Editorial Review Board Member
Journal Peer Reviewer
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2020 - present
Board Member
Cultural Arts Committee -
2018 - 2020
Board Member
Jewish Community Center -
2016 - 2019
Chair
Social Justice Action Committee, Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom -
2015 - present
Guest Speaker
Lit Youngstown