Thelma H. Duffey

Dr. Thelma H. Duffey, age 68, passed away on Friday, December 30, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas. She was born in Brownsville, Texas, on October 3, 1954, to her parents, Richard Hinojosa and Mary Vera Jacobs.

Thelma was a brave, passionate, and empathetic truth-teller who built lasting connections wherever she went. She was a distinguished scholar and a talented counselor and marriage and family therapist. She had a powerful impact on her field, mentoring countless counselors, therapists, and mental health professionals.

Thelma attended Brownsville High School and received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with a minor in French from Trinity University. She received multiple degrees from St. Mary’s University, including a Master of Education, a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling and Substance Abuse, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling. She began her career as a Title I Migrant teacher for the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. A dedicated educator, Thelma taught French, Spanish, and English in Brownsville, Texas, before returning to the Edgewood Independent School District as a Homebound Teacher for students with terminal illnesses.

After taking time to care for her young children, Thelma began her academic career at Texas State University in San Marcos before moving to the University of Texas at San Antonio. She was the Department Chair for the Department of Counseling at UTSA from 2009 until her death. As the 64th president of the American Counseling Association, Thelma traveled to Ireland, Singapore, Canada, and numerous cities throughout the United States to promote the counseling profession. She continued her national service as the Treasurer of the American Counseling Association from 2018-2020 and also led national efforts to develop interstate licensure portability for professional counselors.

A tireless mentor and author, Thelma chaired more than 35 dissertations and co-authored four books, co-authored 35 book chapters, and authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles. She presented at local, regional, national, and international conferences and received numerous recognitions for her work, including the ACA Presidential Award; the ACA Fellow Award; the ACA Lifetime Membership Award; and many more. In recognition of Thelma’s vision, compassion, and innovation, the Association for Creativity established the Thelma Duffey Vision and Innovation Award in 2008 to honor ACC members who exemplify creativity, passion, vision, innovative scholarship and committed mentorship.

All forms of creativity inspired Thelma, but she had a passion for music and included it in her practice and research. She was the founder of the Association for Creativity in Counseling, a division of the American Counseling Association. She founded and served as the Editor of the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health since 2004. Thelma co-developed Developmental Relational Counseling (DRC), a peer-reviewed therapeutic model that emphasizes connection, authenticity, and personal awareness in counseling and human relationships. DRC integrated Thelma’s scholarship and passions for Relational-Cultural Theory and the Enneagram Personality Typology that guided her professional work.

Thelma focused on helping families through grief and loss. She provided direct support for the faculty, staff, and their families from the Sandy Hook Elementary School. She co-founded the Academy for Crisis & Trauma Counseling at UTSA, which partnered with the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas to develop counseling services for the families and victims of the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Thelma was a fierce advocate for the bullied and harassed, partnering with David’s Legacy on cyberbullying education, awareness, and prevention.

In addition to her academic career, Thelma established a thriving private practice in San Antonio that continued until her death. Most importantly to her, Thelma was a loving mother to her two children, an enthusiastically affectionate grandmother, and a devoted sister and daughter. A sustaining member of the Junior League of San Antonio, you could often find Thelma at Junior League events supporting the organization and her daughter, Madelyn.

Thelma is survived by her beloved children Robert M. Duffey (Rachel Goodman) and Madelyn Duffey (Benjamin Blakelock), and their father, Michael Duffey; grandson, Max Duffey; her father, Richard Hinojosa; brothers, Jon Hinojosa (Rick Fagan) and Richard Hinojosa; niece Olivia; and her stepfather, Jim Jacobs. She was preceded in death by her beloved mother Mary Vera Jacobs.

MEMORIAL SERVICESUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 20232:00 P.M.ST. MARK EPISCOPAL CHURCH315 E. PECAN ST., 78205

The Revs. Beth Knowlton and Matthew M. Wise will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas.