Sang Min Shin, PhD, NCC, LPC, RPT is an Associate Professor in the Mental Health Counseling Program of the Department of Counseling, Special Education and Educational Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Shin earned her Ph.D. in Counseling & Counselor Education from the University of Florida in 2015. She is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas, and Registered Play Therapist (RPT). She has more than ten years of clinical experience providing mental health services in school-based, community-based, and private practice settings; and teaching and supervising students in higher education. Dr. Shin is also an active researcher. Her research interests include play therapy, nature-based play therapy, child-parent relationship, counselor education, and multiculturalism in counseling. She has published articles in the Journal of Counseling and Development, the International Journal of Play Therapy, the Professional School Counseling Journal, the Family Journal, and the Journal for Specialists in Group Work. One of her co-authored articles was selected and won the Charles A. Lewis Excellence in Research Award 2017 from American Horticultural Therapy Association Conference (AHTA).

• 2025 TACES Outstanding Counselor Educator Award. - Texas Association Counselor Education and Supervision (TACES) (02/28/2025)
• Charles A. Lewis Excellence in Research Award 2017 - American Horticultural Therapy Association (09/08/2017)
• SACES Emerging Leaders Fellow - Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (01/01/2014-12/31/2014)
• Glenda Ward Caro Fellowship Recipient - College of Education, University of Florida (01/01/2013-12/31/2013)
• Distinguished Alumni Scholarship Recipient - Sookmyung Women's University, Republic of Korea (01/01/2012-12/31/2012)
• Outstanding Doctoral Student Award Recipient - Chi Sigma Iota, Beta Chapter, University of Florida (01/01/2012-12/31/2012)
• Outstanding Stuent Award Recipient - College of Education & International Center, University of Florida (01/01/2012-12/31/2012)
• Robert O. Stripling Scholarship Recipient - College of Education, University of Florida (01/01/2012-12/31/2012)
• National Conference Travel Grant - Chi Sigma Iota, Beta Chapter, University of Florida (01/01/2011-12/31/2011)
• Outstanding Achievement Recipeint - International Center, University of Florida (01/01/2011-12/31/2011)
• Graduate School Alumni Fellowship Recipient - College of Education, University of Florida (08/01/2010-08/31/2010)
• Honor Alumni Scholarship Recipeint - Sookmyung Women's University, Republic of Korea (01/01/2006-12/31/2006)
• Honorable Graduation Recipient - Sookmyung Women's University, Republic of Korea (01/01/2005-12/31/2005)

• Ph D in Counseling and Counselor Education, University of Florida (2015)
• MS in Clinical Community Counseling, Johns Hopkins University (2009)
• BA in Child Welfare & Studies, Sookmyung Women's University (2005)

• Nature-Based Child Centered Play Therapy: Taking the Playroom Outside Routledge (2022), Jacqueline Swank, Sang Min Shin.
• Play Therapy Courses in School Counselor Training: A Content Analysis of Syllabi From CACREP-Accredited School Counseling Programs Professional School Counseling 23 1 (2021), Sang Min Shin, GoEun Na.
• Recommendations for School Counselors: Applying the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) in Assisting Korean Adolescent Students in the United States Professional School Counseling 23 1 (2020), Carleton H. Brown, Sang Min Shin.
• Indoor Nature-Based Play Therapy: Taking the Natural World Inside the Playroom International Journal of Play Therapy/International Journal of Play Therapy/American Psychological Association (APA) 29 2 (2020), Jacqueline Swank, Kimberly Walker, Sang Min Shin.
• Play Therapy in South Korea: History, Current Practices, Research, and Future Directions International Journal of Play Therapy/American Psychological Association (APA) 29 1 (2020), Sang Min Shin, Subin Choi, Soyoun Park.

• Empowering Future Counselors: Educator and Learners' Perspectives on Enhancing Assessment Skills Using ChatGPT (2025), Volume Philadelphia, PA, Eunae Han, Sang Min Shin, Crystal Ramirez, Judith Olivas, Kenneth Chavez, Brenda Chavez.
• Effective Faculty Mentoring in Counselor Education (2025), Volume Austin, Texas, Paul Carrola, Sang Min Shin, Daniel Dosal-Terminel.
• Becoming a Pioneer in the Era of Backlash: Feminist Supervisors in South Korea (2024), Volume Dallas, TX., Eunae Han, Sang Min Shin, Anaysa V. Arce, Estefania Guzman.
• Using Nature as a therapeutic Partner in Counseling (2024), Volume Virtual, Sang Min Shin, Jacqueline Swank.
• Getting a State Professional Counselor Licensure in the US as an International Counselor-in-Training (CIT) and Counselor Educator (2024), Volume New Orleans, LA., Sang Min Shin, Jiyoung Moon.

• Cross-Border Collaboration in Play Therapy: Preparing Future Play Therapists in the Paso del Norte Region (05/01/2025 - 04/30/2026) The University of Texas at El Paso.