Counselor Educator ~ Scholar
Educational Consultant ~ Counselor
Sarah N. Brant-Rajahn
PhD, NCC, LAPC
Dr. Brant-Rajahn (she/her/hers) is an educator, counselor, scholar, and consultant. She is an Assistant Professor of Graduate Counseling at Messiah University where she also serves as the School Counseling Track Coordinator and is a member of the Community of Educators Senate. She is also a Resident-in-Counseling at Thriveworks where she specializes in working with culturally diverse children, adolescents, and young adults.
Dr. Brant-Rajahn's research examines P-16 Black student and career identity development; school and workplace racial climate; culturally affirming and trauma-informed counseling practices; culturally responsive andragogy; and racial trauma.
In addition, Dr. Brant-Rajahn is a proud wife and mother to four children. She is also an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, and is a founder and the President of Ubuntu Empowerment and Liberation Center, Inc. 501(c)(3).
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES
National Certified Counselor, NBCC
School Counseling (P-12): Georgia & New Jersey
Licensed Associate Professional Counselor: Georgia
Licensed International Institute for Restorative Practices Trainer, IIRP
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Education
Doctorate of Philosophy, Counseling and Student
Personnel Services P-16/Counselor Education and
Supervision (CACREP Accredited)
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
Master of Arts, Counseling (CACREP Accredited)
Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey
Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Virginia State University, Petersburg, Virginia
Publications
Books
Brant-Rajahn, S.N., Gibson, E.M., Cook Sandifer, M.I.. (Ed.) (2022, May). Developing, delivering, and sustaining school counseling practices through a culturally affirming lens. IGI Global.
Articles in Refereed Journals and Professional Publications
Gibson, E.M., Thompson, J.M., Cook Sandifer, M.I., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2022, November). A culturally affirming shared leadership framework. Professional School Counseling.
Cook Sandifer, M. I., Gibson, E. M., & Brant-Rajahn, S. N. (2022, September). Anti-racist andragogy in school counselor education and training. Dialogues in Social Justice: An Adult Education Journal.
Edermanasinghe, N., Attia, M., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., Staton, R. (2022, July).Working with Immigrant children in schools: Applying a multi-tiered approach. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling.
Haskins, N., Johnson, L., Finan, R., Edermanasinghe, N., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2022, February). Latinx and Asian trainees counseling White clients: An interpretative phenomenology. Counselor Education and Supervision
Sandifer, M. C., Gibson, E. M., & Brant-Rajahn, S. N. (2021). WOKE: Advocacy for African
American students. In Rausch, M. A., & Gallo, L. L. (Ed.), Strengthening School Counselor Advocacy and Practice for Important Populations and Difficult Topics (pp. 19-40). IGI Global. http://doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-7319-8.ch002
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2018, October). College and career readiness in the digital age. ASCA
School Counselor, pp.10-16.
Non-Refereed Articles
Gibson, E. M., Cook Sandifer, M. I., & Brant-Rajahn, S. N. (2021, March). Cultivating social
change and wellness for Black students. Psychology in Motion, https://www.psychologyinmotionmagazine.com/magazine.
Encyclopedia Entries
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2017). Trauma and children In Carlson, J & Dermer, S.B. (2017). The
SAGE Encyclopedia of Marriage, Family, and Couples Counseling.
Professional Presentations
Giovanetti, M., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., & Burden, A. (2023, October 11-15). Lessons Learned:
Effective Teaching Strategies in Racially Homogeneous Classrooms. [Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Denver, CO, United States.
Sandifer, M., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., & Gibson, E.M. (2023, October 11-15). A Collaborative
Training Model for School Counselors as Culturally Affirming Leaders: Implications for Counselor Educators. [Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Denver, CO, United States.
Gibson, E.M., Sandifer, M., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., & Thompson, J. (2023, July 14-18). Culturally Affirming Shared Leadership. [Conference Session]. American School Counselors Association Conference, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Johnson, L., Jones, K., Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2022, March 14-15). Needs uncovered: Black
student voices and experiences of mentorship. [Conference Session]. American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, Virtual Conference, United States.
Clarke, L. & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, October 5-11). Understanding and enhancing students peer and faculty relationships in an online counseling program. [Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Cook Sandifer, M.I., Gibson, E.M., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, October 5-11). Building antiracist andragogy and supervision into school counselor training. [Poster Conference Session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, September 23-24). Implications for Practice: Exploring Discriminatory Experiences of K-12 Black Students on Black Identity Development. [Conference Ted-Talk Style session]. NBCC Foundation Bridging the Gap Symposium, Washington, DC, United States.
Gibson, E.M., Cook Sandifer, M. I., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, July 11-14). Move beyond awareness to action. [Conference session]. American School Counselor Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV, United States.
Gibson, E.M., Cook Sandifer, M. I., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, July 11-14). Train school counselors to advocate for Black students. [Conference session]. American School Counselor Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV, United States.
Brant-Rajahn, S.N., Gibson, E.M., & Cook Sandifer, M. I. (2021, April 5-30). Advocacy in action: Social justice for Black students. [Virtual conference session]. American Counseling Association Conference, Virtual, United States.
Editmanasinghe, N., Attina, M., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, March). Collaborating with Immigrant families. [Virtual conference session]. Virginia School Counselor Association Conference, Virtual, United States.
Edirmanasinghe, N. & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2021, March). Using cultural representation in stories to motivate Black male middle school students toward reading and social-emotional exploration. [Virtual roundtable session]. National Evidence-Based School Counseling Conference (EBSCC), Virtual, United States.
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2018, October). Black students’ experiences at school and academic and social identity influences. [Roundtable session]. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES). Myrtle Beach, SC.
Edirmanasinghe, N., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., Humphrey, E., & Quintana, T.S. (2018, July). How to recruit and keep graduate students of color: A discussion session. [Panel Discussion] at American School Counselors Association (ASCA). Los Angeles, CA.
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2018, February). A narrative exploration of national religious curriculum and practice in Ghana: Implications for new models in school counseling. Ghana Study Abroad in Education! Research Colloquium. Athens, GA.
Hugulet, A., Edirmanasinghe, N., & Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2017, July). Creating social justice allies in our schools. American School Counselors Association (ASCA). Denver, CO.
Haskins, N., Finan, R., McKie-Voerste, T., Brant-Rajahn, S.N., Edirmanasinghe, N., Hugulet, A. (2016, October). Using the multicultural and social justice counseling competencies in the application of theory. [Roundtable session]. Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES). New Orleans, LA.
Brant-Rajahn, S.N. (2015, November). The integration of art: Building a healthier you. Georgia School Counselors Association (GSCA). Savannah, GA.
