The staff at the Counseling Center are here to support students in managing their lives at college and exploring barriers to being successful both here and in their lives in general. The team provide a variety of avenues for students to achieve their personal goals while they are here including individual, group, workshops, screenings, consultations, and crisis support.
Claudia Werner
Director of Counseling
- Phone: 865-981-8035
- Email: claudia.werner@maryvillecollege.edu
- Education: LPC/MHSP
Claudia leads staff in providing counseling services and other related activities at the Center and strives to help students in any way she can. She uses her prior experience in different therapeutic environments to ensure that the needs of students are met in a positive way. Claudia enjoys being a resource for faculty and staff in their roles with students. She works with several nearby colleges to maintain master level interns who support the Counseling Center’s goal of helping students. She loves working with students in one-to-one sessions to explore their needs and provide the tools they need to be successful. Claudia believes that therapy is a valuable experience for many reasons and promotes a variety of avenues for students to improve their lives.
Abby Cornelison
Counseling Intern
Abby is a Master’s-level student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Carson-Newman University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Tennessee in 2023 and has experience working in an intensive outpatient setting, utilizing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to support clients with a variety of concerns. Abby takes an integrative approach to counseling, meeting clients where they are and tailoring her work to each individual’s needs. She values a holistic perspective, attending to both body and mind in the therapeutic process. Abby aims to support clients in understanding their internal experiences and navigating challenging seasons of life through a trauma-informed, collaborative approach. She is passionate about working with college students and is LGBTQIA+ affirming, striving to create an inclusive, nonjudgmental space for all.