Dr. Cynthia Osborn

Cynthia J. Osborn is Professor of Counselor Education and Supervision at Kent State University in Ohio, where she is coordinator of the addictions counseling certificate program. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Ohio University in 1996 after serving in pastoral ministry for several years. She practiced counseling part-time and then full-time at an addictions treatment facility in Southeast Ohio, serving persons with co-occurring disorders (mental health and substance use disorders). A distinguished teacher, Cynthia is licensed in Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor, with supervisory endorsement (LPCC-S), and as a Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC). Cynthia is PI/PD of two federal awards focused on addictions counseling education: Project EnhAnCE-IT funded by SAMHSA (Prac-Ed, 2020-22) and the ACCEPT Program funded by HRSA (BHWET Paraprofessionals, 2021-25). She is co-editor of one book and co-author of three other books, including the 5th edition of Introduction to Addictive Behaviors (2019, Guilford Press in 2019), and the 7th edition of Interviewing and Change Strategies for Helpers (2017, Cengage Learning). She has published over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles and 15 book chapters and has co-produced five series of training videos for Cengage Learning (all filmed and edited at KSU TeleProductions). Areas of research and teaching include addictive behaviors (views and models of addiction, counseling practices), case conceptualization and treatment planning, motivational interviewing, and counselor supervision. Cynthia has been a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) since 2002, and founded and co-facilitates an MI Learning Community at KSU. She and has served in a variety of leadership capacities in the counseling profession, including president of the Ohio Counseling Association and president of Chi Sigma Iota, the international academic and professional counseling honor society. Cynthia received the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2022.