Her scholarly interests include studying the emotional response of emergency care responders. Her other research/practice interests include serious mental illness counselor supervision. She is a Certified Disaster Mental Health Counselor with the American Red Cross, and is also the Family Counseling Clinic director at the innovative Clinical Education Complex, an innovative partnership between the community and Western Kentucky University. The CEC houses 5 clinics, and strives to become known for their service and research agenda. Dr. Shaffer is on the editorial board of the Kentucky Counseling Association Journal, winner of the ACA awards for state journals 5 of the past 6 years. Dr. Shaffer is a transplanted Texan, having moved to Kentucky to join WKU. She obtained her Ed.D. in Counselor Education at Texas southern University.