Dr. Donna Hurst is a licensed professional counselor, an adjunct professor/dissertation committee member, and pastoral wellness researcher at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dr. Hurst began working with those in crisis in the 1990’s when she co-founded a non-profit for intimate-partner violence and stalking survivors in California. As executive director of the agency, Dr. Hurst provided training, education, and assistance to crime victims, criminal offenders, and justice system professionals on a local and national level through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Victims of Crime. Dr. Hurst later became a lay counselor at her church, at which time she discovered she had a passion for helping others and moved from a 30-year career in corporate leadership serving military families to begin her journey to become a licensed counselor.

Dr. Hurst earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology; Master’s in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling; and Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychological Studies majoring in Trauma and Crisis Counseling from Regent University. Dr. Hurst has additional training in spiritually integrated therapies, EMDR, critical incident debriefing, trauma treatment, disaster and crisis response, and leadership/career development. Dr. Hurst approaches counseling through a biological, psychological, social, and spiritual lens focusing on her client’s needs and goals.

Dr. Hurst is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. She enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, and spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren during her free time.