Biography

Mercedes E. Ebanks, Ph.D., is a graduate of Georgetown University (B.A. '94) with a major in Psychology and minor in Spanish. She then pursued graduate studies at Howard University (M.Ed '95, Ph.D. '05) with degrees in Counseling Psychology. Ebanks completed a clinical internship with Kennedy Krieger Institute of John Hopkins University and their partnership with Marcus Institute and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She conducted research in applied behavior analysis to treat severe behavior disorders such as feeding, self-injurious, and noncompliance in the pediatric treatment center. Ebanks has an extensive background in education and mental health services and has served as a crisis counselor and administrator. Dr. Ebanks has worked with public, private, and alternative schools in addition to serving several years with social service organizations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. She served on boards and committees of nonprofit organizations and local/national professional organizations. 

Ebanks joined the faculty in the Human Development and Psychoeducational Department in the School of Education at Howard University in 2008. She served as the Program Coordinator of Counseling Services graduate program and is currently an Associate Professor in the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology. She prepares students to provide services in school and community settings with awareness of cultural diversity factors and ethical practice. Ebanks has published articles on the effects of corrective feedback to treat destructive behavior, the impact of race and school environment that influence teacher’s attitudes and behavior and evaluating test preparation program for minority students. Her research interests include co-parenting and identifying the problems and solution for parental conflict with separated and divorce parents, overrepresentation of minority children in special education, counselor education preparation, and multicultural treatments to behavior disorders.

Ebanks is the co-founder of The MECCA Group (Mental health Education Careers Consulting Assessments). Ebanks is a Certified Parent Coordinator and serves as a Parent Education Trainer. She is bilingual and provides behavior therapy, evaluations, and trainings in Spanish. Her practical experiences are in in applied behavior analysis to treat severe behavior disorders, clinical evaluations and implementation of treatment strategies to address childhood psychopathology, administration of psychoeducational evaluations for learning disabilities, and presentation of parent training and professional development workshops to teach behavior modification techniques to address emotional disturbances and noncompliance. Ebanks provides interventions, assessments, and strategies to improve child well-being and strengthen parental relationships and communication.

Ebanks resides in Maryland with her two daughters.