Kelsey Austin

Kelsey Austin, a Georgia native, is now a proud Texan with a passion for helping individuals integrate recovery and pursuit of their dreams through higher education. With a bachelor of science degree in Psychology from Kennesaw State University and a master of science degree in Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University, Kelsey uses her systemic lens and experience with leading collegiate recovery communities to cultivate a safe space and campus culture that supports holistic recovery within academic life. 

Kelsey comes to Baylor after spending time working as a counselor in both residential and intensive outpatient programs treating substance use disorders in Austin, Texas. Kelsey is a licensed marriage and family therapist associate as well as a licensed chemical dependency counselor intern. Kelsey's clinical experience informs her approach to working with students in recovery and facilitates strong relationships with clinical resources on and off campus for Baylor Bears in need. 

Prior to receiving her clinical licensure, Kelsey served Texas Tech University as an Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Specialist with the Risk Intervention and Safety Education office. She provided outreach and education to the Red Raider community as well as individual coaching and groups on alcohol and other drugs for students. In her undergraduate career, Kelsey served as a peer educator and undergraduate research assistant for Kennesaw State University's Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery. She is the proud co-author of Developing the Spirituality in Recovery Framework: The Function of Spirituality in 12-Step Substance Use Disorder Recovery published in Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 

Kelsey is a loving wife and "fur mom" of four dogs and three cats. She enjoys hiking, running, and spending time outdoors. Kelsey treasures daily devotionals, watching the sun rise and set, and taking leisurely walks.