Dr. Fellner earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1973.  After initially teaching for Texas A&I University, he relocated to South Dakota where he worked for 29 years at the V.A. Black Hills Health Care System. Following his retirement from civil service, Dr. Fellner was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the VA Black Hills Health Care System Research Foundation. He has taught for the West River Graduate Center for the past ten years and in 2003 went to work for the center full time. He has taught many course for the center but usually teaches Research and Evaluation, Ethical Issues in Counseling, and Capstone as well as various elective courses including Counseling Men and Boys, Sex and Intimacy, Strategic Therapy, Counseling and the Arts, Management of Violence, and Addiction. He has been selected twice as the teacher of the year. In 2003 he received a three-year grant to train doctoral level interns in rural mental health care on two reservations and a nursing home care unit. Research interests include resiliency, management of violence, and access to health care in rural communities. In his leisure time he takes work groups to Russia, plays the organ, piano and cello, and supports the development of art, theater, and music in the Black Hills area.

fellner@rapidnet.com

Phone (605) 347-7068 work

(605) 347-3092 home