Marsha Akoto

Marsha Akoto is a fourth-year PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program at Lehigh University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Ohio State University and a Master of Arts in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from William Paterson University. Marsha is a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH) and a National Board-Certified Counselor (NBCC). She has experience working in inpatient settings, community-based clinics, outpatient settings, residential facilities, school-based settings, and college counseling centers. Currently, she is pursuing the Adult Health Psychology track at MedStar.

Marsha’s research and clinical interests focus on decreasing ethnic mental health disparities in the BIPOC community, immigrant and refugee communities, and the Black community. She is interested in culturally sensitive mental health treatment and the dissemination of culturally appropriate research methodologies. Marsha has experience working with youth, young adults, and adults who have experienced trauma, oppression, human trafficking, severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), and psychological and environmental violence. Overall, she is passionate about providing culturally competent care and interventions to underserved populations. In her free time, she enjoys brunch, traveling, listening to church sermons, reading, and spending time with friends and family.