Demetrius Cofield

Dr. Demetrius Cofield is an Assistant Professor in Counselor Education at The Ohio State University. He earned his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2022. He has over 10 years of experience in mental health and addictions counseling working with marginalized populations. He is a licensed counselor and supervisor in North Carolina, Texas and soon to be licensed in Ohio. He works in private practice specializing in men's issues, mood disorders and anger management. He takes a humanistic approach to counseling and prides himself on being an authentic, culturally conscious, critical thinking counselor and counselor educator. He also stresses the importance of having these characteristics as a counselor to his students. He is passionate about mental health advocacy in the Black community and Black representation in counseling and counselor education. He is committed to anti-racist pedagogy in counselor education and enjoys teaching multicultural counseling. Dr. Cofield joined The Ohio State University in August 2024.  

• PhD, Counselor Education and Supervision, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2022
• M.Ed, Counseling and Development (Clinical Mental Health Counseling), Winthrop University, 2013
• B.A, Experimental Psychology (Minor: African American Studies), University of South Carolina, 2011

• Access and Equity
• Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
  • Black Mental Health
  • Mental Health
• Cultural Studies
  • African American Studies
  • Cultural Competency
• Equity
• Multicultural Education
• Social Justice
  • Anti-Black Racism
  • Anti-Blackness

Dr. Cofield’s research interests are rooted in his dedication to being a scholar-activist. His research agenda revolves around critical social justice advocacy and education in counseling with a specific focus on the mental health of Black men, the impact of social and racial injustices on the mental health of Black people, anti-Black racism, Black masculinity and the application of critical theories in counseling. His current research is on Black men and their lack of counseling engagement, the experiences of Black men in Counselor Education programs and using critical theories in counselor education. 

• Cofield, D. (2024). Examining the experienced barriers to seeking mental health treatment among metropolitan millennial Black men. Metropolitan Universities, 35(3), 129-149. https://doi.org/10.18060/27329
• Cofield, D. (2023). Is it okay not to be okay? A critical literature review of barriers to mental health treatment for Black men. Journal of Black Studies, 54(8), 681-700. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219347231200885
• Mingo, T. & Cofield, D. (2023). Developmental and social considerations when conducting research with children and adolescents. In B. Zyromski & C. Dimmitt (Eds.). Research in the Schools: Advancing the Evidence-base for the School Counseling Profession (pp. 97-116). Oxford Press.

• Cofield, D. & Spinks, T. (2024, March). “You good, bruh?” Social barriers to millennial Black men seeking counseling. Presentation at National Board of Certified Counselors Bridging the Gap Symposium. Washington D.C., MD. 
• Cofield, D. & Spinks, T. (2023, September). “You good, bruh?” Why millennial Black men don’t seek counseling. Presentation at Black Mental Health Symposium. Jacksonville, Fl. 
• Cofield, D. (2022, April). Multicultural concerns with eating disorders and treatment. Presentation at Bob Barrett Lecture Series, Multicultural Issues in Counseling. University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, NC.  
• Cofield, D. (2022, April). Examining the perceived barriers to seeking mental health treatment among millennial Black men: A pilot study. Poster presentation at Cato College of Education Research Symposium. University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, NC.