LaVerne Bell-Tolliver has been a clinical social worker for over 35 years. She holds a masters degree in social work from the school of social work at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and in Biblical counseling from Dallas Theological Seminary, in Dallas Texas. Her Ph.D. is in family therapy from Texas Woman’s University, in Denton. She is currently a Licensed Certified Social Worker in the State of Arkansas and a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. In addition, she is a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Throughout the years, Dr. Bell-Tolliver has worked in the fields of mental health, child protective services, and in private practice primarily in the Dallas, Texas area. Upon graduation with her Ph.D. in Family Therapy in 2004, Dr. Bell-Tolliver moved from Dallas to the Counseling Services of Eastern Arkansas, She served there as a school-based therapist in the rural area of Elaine, Arkansas before accepting a position of Assistant Professor in the UALR School of Social Work in 2006. Dr. Bell-Tolliver self-published My Very Own Parents’ Training Manual, and My Very Own Parent’s Training Manual Trainer’s Guide. In addition, she was a contributing author to the Thomas Nelson’s Woman’s Study Bible.
Dr. Bell-Tolliver’s research interests include exploring how traditional strengths of African American families can be utilized within the context of the clinical setting to bring about successful therapy outcomes. Her article concerning African American therapists’ perspectives of working with African American families from a strengths perspective was published July, 2009, with the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. She is also interested in exploring how parental contacts between incarcerated inmates and their children may decrease negative behavior within the home and classroom setting. Dr. Bell-Tolliver continues to provide clinical services to families located in eastern Arkansas.
