David Cecil, PhD, LICSW is professor of social work in Samford University's Master of Social Work program. Cecil previously served as an associate professor at Asbury University from 2009-2016 where he taught in the Master of Social Work program and chaired the Behavioral Sciences Department (2013-2016). He was also on faculty with East Tennessee State University’s Master of Social Work program from 2004-2009; he was the MSW program director during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Cecil is currently researching the global refugee crisis, which includes data collection in both Germany and Lebanon. He has also published on topics of cognitive-behavioral modalities, motivational interviewing, program and practice evaluation, teaching practice models, and technology use. He is a visiting professor of abnormal psychology at LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania.

Cecil is internationally certified with the EMDR-International Association (EMDRIA) for the treatment of trauma and stressor related disorders and maintains a private practice (Optimize Counseling and Therapy) where he specializes in anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive, and panic disorders. He also does family counseling that includes areas of depression, substance dependence, and relational difficulty.

Degrees and Certifications

• PhD, social work, University of South Carolina
• MSW, University of Kentucky
• BA, psychology, University of Kentucky

Expertise

Clinical counseling and therapy practices, mental health, program evaluation, research, policy analysis, international education and research

Recent Publications

• Cecil, D., Hagues, R., Mansour, R., Ghanem, A., & Robbins, D. (2020). Refugee care in Lebanon: Understanding the lived experiences of social workers. Submitted, under review with Journal of Social Work, August 2020.
• Hagues, R., Cecil, D., Ghanem, A., Mansour, R., & Robbins, D. (2020). Refugee social work in Lebanon: Does faith provide support? Submitted to Journal of Religion & Spirituality, Sept 2020
• Cecil, D. & Hagues, R. (2020). An ecological conceptual framework for preparing social work students for refugee practice. Accepted for publication with Journal of Social Work Education, June 2020
• Hagues, R., Cecil, D., & Stoltzfus, K. (2019). The experiences of German social workers working with refugees. Journal of Social Work, 0(0) 1-23. Cecil, D., & Hagues, R. (2019). “Helping the people that are in front of me”: an analysis of the lived experiences of German social workers responding to the refugee crisis. In FHWS Edited Book- International Social Work Practice with Refugees (University of Applied Sciences- Wurzburg/Schweinfurt), Copyright agreement signed, February 2019.
• Cecil, D., Stoltzfus, K., & Hagues, R. (2018). The role of faith and faith based organizations in the German response to the refugee crisis. Social Work & Christianity, 45 (3), 93-
• Cecil, D., & Stoltzfus, K. (2013). Relational Social Work Practice with Evangelical Christian Clients. In Tosone & Rosenberger (Eds.) Essential Clinical Social Work Series. New York: Springer Books.
• Stoltzfus, K., & Cecil, D. (2013). “A different atmosphere of love”: a qualitative study of the experiences of participants in faith-based addiction rehabilitation programs in the Russian Federation. Substance Use and Misuse, 48(12).

Recent Presentations

• Cecil, D. (2019). DSM 5: Updates and Implications for Clinical Social Work. Alabama Society for Clinical Social Work Fall Conference. All day CEU.
• Cecil, D. & Hagues, R. (2018). An ecological conceptual framework for preparing social work students for refugee practice. Council on Social Work Education 64^th Annual Program >Meeting, November 8-11, 2018.
• Copeland, R. & Cecil, D. (2018). Attachment theory and CBT for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorders. Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) 34^th Annual Meeting, New York, NY, May 31-June 2.
• Cecil, D. (2018). Intersecting Horney’s Psychoanalytic and Faith Integration Psychotherapy. 67th Conference of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work. Called to Serve Faithfully in a Rapidly Changing World, October 25-28, 2018.
• Hagues, R. & Cecil, D. (2017). Helping the people in front of me: an analysis of the lived experiences of German social workers responding to the refugee crisis. University of Applied Sciences- Wurzburg, Germany International Social Work Week, November 13-17, 2017.
• Cecil, D. & Hagues, R. (2017). Evidence based faith integrated teaching. University of Applied Sciences- Wurzburg, Germany International Social Work Week, November 13-17, 2017,
• Hagues, R. & Cecil, D. (2017). Evidence of faith in the German social work approach to refugees. 67th Conference of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work. Advocating for Peace, Justice, & Reconciliation in Communities.
• Cecil, D. (2017). Multi-national perspectives on mental health treatment: examining the disconnect between treatment best practices and human flourishing. 6th Annual Academic Conference of LCC International University. Health and Human Flourishing: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Klaipeda, Lithuania.
• Cecil, D., Bolton, K., & Schmidt, G. (2015). DSM-5: Beyond skepticism and into practicality. 65th Conference of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work. Pursuing Shalom: Serving Our Neighbors Locally and Globally.
• Cecil, D. (2013). Competency based social work education. 1st Annual Russian Orthodox University Social Work Education Conference. Moscow. Russia.
• Cecil, D. (2013). Competency based social work education. 1st Annual Russian Orthodox University Social Work Practitioner Round-Table. Moscow. Russia.
• Cecil, D. (2013). Defining issues of social justice: a model for efficiency and precision. 6th Annual Academic Conference of the Lithuanian Christian College-International University. Whose Justice? Global Perspectives in Dialogue.

Research Areas

Refugee practice, clinical mental health practice, international social and health care policy

Involvement

• Alabama Society for Clinical Social Work
• Alabama Interfaith Refugee Partnership
• Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work, president, 2014-2016
• North American Association of Christians in Social Work, president, 2009-2011