Faculty/Staff Directory
Dr. Courtney Stavely - Nationally certified School Psychologist
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology and Criminal Justice
Phone: 478.471.2447
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| Office Hours: | Available anytime for facetime or microsoft team meeting. Arrange for meetings via email. Office hours vary. Monday and Wednesdays from 10-2 are most common office hours. |
| Biography: | Dr. Stavely grew up in Macon and returned to the area after completing graduate school. She holds a master’s degree in clinical counseling and a specialist degree in school psychology. For nearly a decade, she worked as a school psychologist in public school systems, also engaging in consulting and contract work along the way. Her experience includes working closely with families, conducting home and school visits, making behavioral observations, and leading numerous community-based positive parenting workshops. Dr. Stavely has a deep understanding of childhood development, sensory integration and regulation, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She began teaching at ÃûæÂÖ±²¥ in 2013 and shifted to part-time consulting and contract work with children and families. From 2018 to 2022, she contributed to several community-based research projects, primarily focused on grant assessment. Around that time, she began to question conventional frameworks for understanding mental illness, diagnosis, and the effectiveness of traditional therapy. This curiosity led her to explore alternative perspectives in psychology, including the nature of consciousness, the mind-body connection, spirituality, and the potential—as well as the limitations—of psychedelics in promoting healing and well-being. Dr. Stavely is deeply passionate about teaching, learning, and supporting others on their journeys toward growth and understanding. |
| Courses: | Personality Theory Child Psychopathology Intro to Psychology Psychology of Adjustment Psychological Testing Applied Learning Theories of Learning Child and Adolescent Psychology Human Growth and Development |
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| Education: | Master's degree in Clinical/Counseling psychology Ed.S. in School Psychology from Valdosta State University Ph.D. in Psychology- Consciousness and Society from University of West Georgia |
| CV: | EducationBACHELOR’S OF SPANISH AND MARKETING | 2002 | GEORGIA COLLEGE AND STATE UNIVERSITY· Major: Spanish· Major: Marketing· Related coursework: Market research involving influences between economy and literature MASTER’S OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY | 2006 | VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY· Major: Clinical/Counseling · Related coursework: Research in behavior disorders in adolescents SPECIALIST DEGREE IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY | 2008 | VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY· Major: School Psychology· Related coursework: Continued research in behavior disorders in adolescents Experience SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST | JONES COUNTY SCHOOLS | 2008-2013· Evaluation, Diagnosis and treatment plans for children ages 3-21 with varying degrees of ability/disabilityADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR | MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY | 2012-2013· Worked in evenings teaching Introduction to Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychology with excellent student evaluations. FULL-TIME LECTURER | MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY | 2013-2016· Teaching face-to-face, hybrid and online courses with anywhere from 8-90 students. I have taught the following courses· Applied Behavior· Theories of Learning· Psychology of Adjustment· Theories of Personality· Psychological Testing· Intro to Psychology· Child and Adolescent Psychology· Child Psychopathology I have created a new course (Child Psychopathology). I have modified two courses to meet the criteria for Experiential Learning. I have recorded audio/visual of courses through technology department to enhance online learning experience. During this time I taught anywhere from a 5-8 class teaching load. I have always had student evaluations reporting standards above campus and area averages. I have gotten strong positive feedback from administration during annual evaluations. ASSISTANT CHAIR | MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY | 2015-2018· Significant outreach efforts to students considered to be ‘at-risk’ to strengthen retention efforts· Team work with Chair to clean up and contact students who have out-dated advising folders· Created and implemented procedures for formal classroom observations of faculty in our department· Created and implemented procedures for online course evaluations of faculty in our department· Advise and register students and use appropriate software for this task (Banner, Degree works)· Created and implemented procedures for selection, use and assessment of Teaching Assistants in our department. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR 2025- Present |
| Professional Experience: | I worked for the public school system as a School psychologist for 7 years. During this time I was able to work with parents, teachers and children to best meet the needs and foster the strengths of children with and without disabilities in the public schools. This time in the public schools allowed me the opportunity to work with children from ages 3-21, from varying backgrounds and with various strengths and weaknesses. I began teaching at ÃûæÂÖ±²¥ Georgia College full time and earned the title of Assistant Chair within a few years. I served as the Assistant Chair for 2 years. In the summer of 2018 I assumed the role of program coordinator for the Psychology department. Throughout the years at MGA I have worked with Dr. Michael Gibbons on the research endeavors of the Center for Applied Learning in Research (CARE) where I am the Director. The CARE center has done many projects in cooperation with community partners. |
| Professional Affiliations: | National Association of School Psychologists National Organization of Research Development Professionals |
| Publications: | Stavely, C. D. (2025). Exploring Ibogaine/5-MeO-DMT as Treatment for the Relief of PTSD Symptoms in Veterans (Doctoral dissertation, University of West Georgia). |
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