Dr. Leah Mouw

Dr. Leah Mouw serves as assistant professor of social work as well as the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program director at Dordt University. Her social work experience spans hospice, hospitals, schools, adoption, foster care, crisis intervention, and private practice.

Licensed in California and Iowa, Dr. Mouw is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Narrative Therapy, and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD). Her research interests focus on the mental health crisis in adolescents and young adults, particularly stress and anxiety, as well as access to psychiatric care for children and adolescents.

At Dordt, Dr. Mouw teaches BSW program classes including:

• Introduction to Social Work
• Family System and Practice
• Human Behavior and the Social Environment I and II
• Practice Methods with Communities and Organizations

In the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs, Dr. Mouw teaches classes such as:

• Crisis Intervention
• Foundations of Social Work
• Marriage and Family Therapy

“I am deeply honored to have been called to the profession of social work,” says Dr. Mouw. “It is humbling to walk alongside individuals through their hurt, sorrow, and brokenness, offering support and guidance. I am passionate about the variety of opportunities within social work to serve others and embody the hands and feet of Jesus.”

She adds that she understands the resilience within each person and is committed to providing “unwavering support and guidance as clients navigate their paths toward healing and transformation.”

Education

• DSW, University of St. Thomas, 2024.
• MSW, University of California, Los Angeles, 1994.
• BSW from Dordt University, 1991.

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