Meet our Counseling Staff

Nicole Walter, LPC-MSHP, ACS
Director of Counseling Services

Nicole has worked in the mental health field for 15 years with many varied experiences including private practice, inpatient/outpatient hospital settings, and community mental health. She is a graduate of Covenant College and Richmont Graduate University. She has a heart for college students and believes counseling can make a meaningful impact on people and has life changing potential. She has a trauma informed perspective and utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy approaches in her sessions. A couple of books that have had a significant impact on Nicole include Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend, and How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk by John Van Epp.

Contact Nicole: nicole.walter@covenant.edu

Mallory Dean, MA
Campus Counselor

Mallory has over 15 years in the mental health field, specializing in crisis counseling for youth and adolescents. He graduated with a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Reformed Theological Seminary and a BA in Psychology from Covenant College. Mallory desires to create a safe environment in the counseling office to help students reach their mental health and personal goals. He brings an eclectic approach to counseling with influences from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy. Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning and Boundaries by Henry Cloud and John Townsend are books that have had a shaping influence on him.

mallory.dean@covenant.edu

Graduate Intern Counseling Team

Laura Clark
Intern

Laura brings a wealth of life experience to counseling through her work with women, children, and adolescents in various group settings. She is passionate about working with college students struggling with numerous issues across the spectrum of life. Her goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental space where students can be honest in their struggles and feel seen, heard, and cared for in a way that supports them in meeting their goals. Her approach is person-centered, collaborative, and holistic. She believes thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected and utilizes mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills to support students in their daily lives. A yoga enthusiast, Laura sees the integration of mind, body, and spirit as essential for achieving mental wellness. She considers it a great honor to help students discover strengths they already possess to navigate life’s storms. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University. Some of Laura’s favorite recent reads she recommends to students include The Defining Decade by Meg Jay, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown, and Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning.

Contact Laura: laura.clark@covenant.edu

Eliot Gardner
Intern

Eliot is a practicum student at Tennessee Tech, pursuing a graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health. He earned his BA in Psychology from Covenant in 2017. Eliot firmly believes humans have a strong desire to overcome challenges and engage in positive growth. He seeks to create a safe environment where life’s challenges can be explored and healing can be fostered. Through this healing process, Eliot works to help clients find their strengths and develop strategies to engage in healthy living. Eliot brings an integrated approach to therapy pulling from Cognitive Behavioral, Strengths-based, and Adlerian theories. Books that have inspired Eliot are Try Softer by Aundi Kobler and Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl.

Contact Eliot: eliot.gardner@covenant.edu

Ross Lloyd
Intern

Ross is a graduate-level intern who specializes in helping individuals navigate the complexities of attachment, emotional healing, and personal growth. Drawing from principles of attachment theory, Ross believes that our early relationships greatly influence our sense of self and our capacity to connect with others. Through a safe, supportive environment, Ross helps clients explore these foundational bonds and fosters the healing power of authentic interpersonal relationships. With a heart for integrating Christian faith into the therapeutic process, Ross emphasizes the transformative role of God’s love and grace in restoring emotional well-being. Whether addressing past wounds or current struggles, Ross offers a holistic approach that honors the mind, body, and spirit, helping individuals find hope, healing, and wholeness in Christ. Two books that have been meaningful to Ross include A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis and The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen.

Contact Ross: ross.lloyd@covenant.edu

Graham Lovelady
Intern

Graham is a graduate of Covenant College, and since 2022, Graham has been working with individuals in various ministry-related and therapeutic contexts. As a current master's level intern at Richmont Graduate University, Graham's approach to counseling is a collaborative process where clients can understand how past experiences and relationships shape who they are today and establish hope and healing for the future. His therapeutic approach flows out of the belief that we are all made to live fully in relationships with others and ourselves. Through the counseling process Graham believes we can begin to reconnect to our deepest desires, needs, and longings so that we can begin to live more fully as we are and be fully engaged with the world around us. His counseling is informed by attachment and emotionally focused theories. Two books that have profoundly shaped Graham are Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson and Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing by Jay Stringer.

Contact Graham: graham.lovelady@covenant.edu