Karla L. Sapp is currently Licensed by the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapist as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC#006883) and the Florida Department of Health as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH #16784). She also holds the following certifications: National Certified Counselor, Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Master Addiction Counselor, Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor.

Dr. Sapp is currently a member of the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCA-GA) and the former Coastal District Representative which consist of 21 counties. Dr. Sapp is also a member for the Florida Counseling Association and currently the Public Awareness and Legislative/Public Policy Committee Chair as well as the formee Member-At-Large for the Florida Association of Counseling Education and Supervision which included the responsibilities of Chairing the Professional Development and Awards Committees.

Dr. Sapp is a NAADAC Critical Issues in the Black Community Committee member as well as a member of the National Board of Certified Counselor Minority Fellowship Program Addiction Counselor Advisory Council. Dr. Sapp is also an Interdisciplinary Training Advisory Committee member with the American Psychological Association Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program.

A graduate of Armstrong Atlantic State University (BS Criminal Justice), South University-Savannah (Master of Arts in Professional Counseling) and Argosy University (Doctorate of Education in Counseling Psychology), Dr. Sapp has been practicing for 14 years, specializing in general mental health and addictions counseling, among the adult and criminal offender populations. Dr. Sapp also works with Adolescent Student-Athletes and Athletic Professionals, in her part-time private practice.

Dr. Sapp has experience working in the following settings, In-Patient Acute Hospitalization, Outpatient, Correctional setting, and currently the Founder of Project H.O.P.E of Coastal Georgia, Inc, located in South East Georgia.

Dr. Sapp is a FIERCE Social Justice and Legislative/Public Policy Advocate and was awarded the 2020 Mental Health Advocate Award from the Black Mental Health Symposium. Dr. Sapp virtually attended and successfully completed the Congressional Black Caucus Institute Advocacy and Campaign Training (ACT) in August 2020.

Dr. Sapp was previously an Adjunct Faculty at South University-Savannah Campus in the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, where she taught the following courses: Counseling Theories, Psychopathology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Addictive Disorders, Professional Ethics and Orientation, and Group Psychotherapy.

Dr. Sapp was also a previous Adjunct Psychology Professor at Georgia Southern University- Armstrong/Liberty Campus, where she has taught and/or currently teaching the following courses: Introduction to Psychology, Fundamentals of Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Personality Theories, Child Development and Research In Psychology which includes conducting research.

Dr. Sapp is a Disaster Mental Health volunteer with the American Red Cross and was actively involved in both the Lousiana Floods and Hurricane Matthew disaster relief efforts, providing mental health services to those affected in 2016.

A scholarly practitioner, Dr. Sapp, has a research interest in lifestyle choices and wellness, offender treatment and rehabilitation, developmental counseling, trauma, and disaster mental health. She has presented at the following conferences: National Board of Certified Counselors 2018 and 2019 Bridging The Gap Symposium, 2017 AASP Regional Conference -Morehouse College, Argosy University Fall Virtual Psychology Research Conference, South Carolina Counseling Association Annual Conference, Licensed Professional Counseling Association of Georgia Annual Convention and Conference, Cross-Cultural Research and Education Counseling Conference, National Youth At-Risk Conference, Chatham Emergency Management Agency Annual Hurricane Conference, Marne Behavioral Health Summit, and several other local, state, regional, national, and global events.

Dr. Sapp is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Publications:

Dissertation Study – BEHIND THE WALLS: Lifestyle Choices and Wellness Among Federal Correctional Staff

View Dissertation Abstract at Behind The Walls: Lifestyle Choices and Wellness Among Federal Staff