Deborah Rubel

Much of who I am is shaped by my parents, their history and the beautiful state I was born into.  My dad was raised in the Depression-era Midwest, while my mother was raised in Northern Japan in the 30's and 40's.  I was raised in the small town of Salcha, Alaska some 36 miles south of Fairbanks and 17 miles south of Eielson, AFB where my dad worked in the power plant. Salcha is over 20 degrees of latitude north of Corvallis, Oregon. I spent my childhood skiing, skating, running, riding my horse and playing ping pong in the basement when it was too cold to go out. I was convinced I was going to be an artist or a veterinarian when I grew up.  

College and a scholarship lead me to Logan, Utah. There I enjoyed the Utah culture, immersed myself in the burgeoning Utah punk scene of the 80's, and wore my hair many different ways. I was always on the verge of switching majors and took all kinds of non-required courses. The best of those was a poetry writng class with late Utah Poet Laureate Ken Brewer. Somehow, I stuck with my major of Food Science and graduated in 1986.

My food science degree led me to work in the R & D department of a major food company in southeastern Idaho.  There, I got to play with food all day doing things like formulating to match competitors' flavors, creating prototypes, and conducting taste and shelf-life testing. The job lasted 10 years and allowed me to live in an area I love - southeastern Idaho and its close neighbors Utah, Wyoming and Montana.  My memories are of mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, running, backpacking, and playing rugby with the Pocatello Goddesses RFC.  Strangely, one of my rugby team mates told me I should get a master's degree in counseling, and at the same time a career counselor told me the same thing. 

The master’s degree at Idaho State University resulted in lifelong friends and life-changing work as a mental health counselor for children, adolescents and adults.  It instilled in me a passion for group work, multicultural counseling and qualitative research.  These passions led me to begin my doctoral studies in Counselor Education and Supervision at Idaho State in 1999.  I consider myself fortunate to have studied at an esteemed CACREP doctoral program and to work with pioneers and leaders in the field of counselor education like Arthur Lloyd, Steve Feit, David Kleist, and my mentor, Bill Kline. It was Bill who encouraged me to take this job at Oregon State University over several others because of the history, accreditation and opportunity to work with doctoral students. 

I’ve been at Oregon State University for 13 years now! I’m proud to work with a highly functional team of professionals who are able to adapt, grow and prosper in the rapidly changing world of higher education.  One of the best things about this job is that something new happens every day. That’s almost as fun as working with the students.  Outside of work you’ll find me biking and running with my 9-year old son, Kai and trying out new vegan recipes. I am contemplating the addition of another star to my three star Marathon Maniac status.  

Selected Publications:

*Cook, J., Bergquist, T., & Rubel, D. (2012). Measuring emotional regulation in pre-practicum and internship counselor-in-training: Using the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale.  Professional Issues in Counseling.

 Champe, J. & Rubel, D. (2012).  Application of focal conflict theory to psychoeducational groups:  Implications for process, content, and leadership.  The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 37, 71-90.

*Pepperell, J., Rubel, D., & Maki, L. (2012). Conceptualizing gifted adolescent girls using the bicultural skills model: Implications for school counselors. Journal of School Counseling, 10.

*Schulz, L. & Rubel, D. (2011).  A phenomenology of alienation in high school: The experiences of five male non-completers.  Professional School Counseling, 14, 286-298.

Rubel, D. & Villalba, J. (2009).  How to publish qualitative research in JSGW: A couple more voices in the conversation.  Guest editorial.  Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 34, 1-12.

Rubel, D. & Okech, J. (2009). The expert group work supervision process: Apperception, actions, and interactions.  The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 34, 227-250. 

Okech, J. & Rubel, D. (2009).  The experiences of expert group work supervisors: An exploratory study.  The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 34, 68-89.

*Pepperell, J. & Rubel, D. (2009). The experience of gifted girls transitioning from elementary school to sixth and seventh grade: A grounded theory. The Qualitative Report, 14. pp. 341-360.

Rubel, D. & Kline, W. (2008).  An exploratory study of expert group leadership. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 33, 138-160.

Okech, J. & Rubel, D. (2007).  Diversity competent group work supervision: An application of the supervision of group work model (SGW). Journal for Specialists in Group Work,32, 245-266.

Rubel, D. & Okech, J.  (2006).  Supervision of group work: An application of the discrimination model to supervision of group workers.  Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 31, 113-134.

Okech, J., Astramovich, R., Hoskins, W., Johnson, M., & Rubel, D. (2006).  Doctoral research training of counselor education faculty.  Counselor Education and Supervision, 46, 131-145.

Book Chapters:

Rubel, D. & Okech, J. (2011).  Qualitative Research and Group Counseling.  In R. Conyne (ed).  Oxford Handbook of Group Counseling.  (pp. 260-286). New York: Oxford.

Rubel, D. & Ratts, M. (2010).  Diversity and Social Justice Issues in Counseling and Psychotherapy.  In D. Cappuzzi & D. Gross, eds.  Counseling and Psychotherapy:  Theories and Interventions, 5^th ed. Alexandria, VA:  ACA.

Rubel, D. & Pepperell. J. (2010).  Applying the ACA Advocacy Competencies to Group Work.  In M. J. Ratts, J. A. Lewis, & R. L. Toporek (Eds.) The ACA Advocacy Competencies: An Advocacy Framework for Counselors. (pp. 195-207). Alexandria, VA:  ACA.

Rubel, D. & Okech, J. E. A. (2010). Diversity Issues in Group Work.  In D. Capuzzi, D. Gross, & M. Stauffer (Eds.), Introduction to Group Work. (5th ed.). (pp. 219-247). Denver Co:  Love Publishing.

Rubel, D. & Ratts, M.  (2007).  Diversity and Social Justice Issues in Counseling and Psychotherapy.  In D. Cappuzzi & D. Gross, eds.  Counseling and Psychotherapy:  Theories and Interventions, 4^th ed.  (pp. 47-67).

Rubel, D. (2006). Diversity Issues in Group Work.  In D. Capuzzi, D. Gross, & M. Stauffer (Eds.), Introduction to Group Work. (4th ed.). (pp. 213-238). Denver Co:  Love Publishing.

Upcoming National Presentations:

Champe, J. & Rubel, D. (2014). Making psychoeducation groups come alive: Using FCT to engage group members in process and content.  Invited presentation – American Counseling Association National Conference, Honolulu, HI.

Champe, J., Okech, J., & Rubel, D. (2013, October). Promoting Emotion Regulation in Counseling Supervisees. Accepted as 50 minute presentation - Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors National Conference, Denver, CO.

*Rubel, D. & Clark, A. (2013, October).  Making Case Study Research Methods Work: Exploring Common Design, Implementation, and Analysis Issues. Accepted as a 50 minute ACES Inform session - Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors National Conference, Denver, CO.

*Rubel, D., Dejesus, N., & Nelson, M. (2013, October).  Grounded Theory Analysis: Working with Data to Produce Theory.  Accepted as an ACES INFORM Advance Research Track 110-minute session. Association for Counselor Educators and Supervisors National Conference, Denver, CO.

*student collaborations

Faculty Type: 

Faculty

Research/Career Interests: 

Counseling and supervision processes are highly personal, culturally-dependent and complex. Within these fields, group work presents yet another level of complexity along with its time and research proven efficacy as an agent of learning and personal change. My main research interest remains understanding the psychosocial processes of group membership and leadership in their many forms. My inquiry is conducted largely through the use of qualitative methods. I am very lucky, also, to be able to experience my doctoral students’ research interests up close and personal, and I’m always fascinated by their development into professional leaders, educators, researchers and writers.