Dr. Lori Nixon Bethea,
PhD, LPC (NJ), LMHC (NY), NCC, ACS
Lori M. Nixon- Bethea, PhD, LPC, LMHC, NCC, ACS is the owner of Intentional Hearts Counseling Services, LLC, a Monmouth County based counseling practice providing counseling services to adults. Dr. Nixon-Bethea has been working in the field of counseling for over 18 years. She has experience working with numerous populations including the chronically mentally ill, youth in the foster care system, individuals in crisis, and providing individual and group counseling to children, adults, couples, and families in both New Jersey and Florida. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Monmouth University, and advanced her education by receiving a Master’s degree in Psychological counseling and a Post Master’s certificate in Professional Counseling also at Monmouth University. She received her PhD in counseling, with a specialization in Marital and Family counseling, from Barry University in Miami, Florida. Her research interests include: Marital/relationship success, the impact of impostor syndrome in higher education, issues impacting Black Indigenous People of Color, and mental health advocacy for dancers.
Dr. Nixon-Bethea is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of NJ, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of NY, and is a Nationally Board Certified Counselor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor through the Center for Credentialing and Education. Dr. Nixon- Bethea teaches as a tenure- track, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Georgian Court University, in Lakewood, NJ. In 2019, Dr. Nixon Bethea released her first children’s book, Riley’s Worry Away: A children’s book about worrying.
Dr. Nixon- Bethea’s expertise has been quoted in Cosmopolitan magazine, Very Well Health, and Shape magazine.
Dr. Nixon Bethea is a former Miss New Jersey USA state delegate and has graduated from Olphelia DeVore School of Charm in New York City. Dr. Nixon Bethea is a former ballerina and continues to enjoy the art of dance and strives to make an impact in the dance community through advocacy and research. She resides in Monmouth County with her husband and dog.
Licenses/Certifications:
LPC- Licensed Professional Counselor, New Jersey
LMHC- Licensed Mental Health Counselor, New York
ACS- Approved Clinical Supervisor
NCC- National Certified Counselor
Advanced Trainings:
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing- EMDR
Solution Focused and Narrative therapy
Consulting
Counselor Supervision
Specializations:
Providing treatment to dancers
Women’s issues
Relationships
Organization membership:
American Counseling Association (ACA)
Chi Sigma Iota- Counseling Honor Society
Research publications:
Nixon Bethea, L. (2025). Exploring African American marital strengths during COVID-19. Journal of Marriage and Family, 1–16.
Pulliam, N. & Nixon Bethea, L.(2025). No Soy Un Impostor: A Counter-Narrative to Impostor Syndrome for Hispanic College Students. In A. Villarreal (Ed.), Hispanic Scholar Perspectives on Education and Wellbeing (pp. 101-124). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
drlorinixon.com 