Doctor of Philosophy
Psychology
Grand Canyon University
Master of Education
Community Mental Health Counseling
University of Akron
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology
University of Akron
Certificate
Life Span Development and Gerontology
University of Akron
Assistant Professor Anne Bach-Starling is a licensed mental health therapist with over 20 years of experience and specializing in grief counseling, mental health diagnosis, addictions counseling and group therapy. She spent much of her career working in hospice, where she directed grief counseling and social services. Teaching has been her passion since 2009. After years of balancing both clinical practice and part-time teaching, she began teaching full time in 2021 and joined AACC in 2023.
Bach-Starling is fascinated by the connection between mental health and everyday interests like fandoms and hobbies. Her research dives deep into topics like parasocial relationships (those one-sided attachments fans form with celebrities) and how people cope when those connections change. Bach-Starling's enthusiasm for these topics often leads her to speak at conferences, for podcasts and to other media outlets.
Outside of teaching, Bach-Starling is a proud Cleveland native, loyal to her hometown sports teams – despite the emotional highs and lows that come with being a Cleveland Browns fan (she jokes this may have fueled her love for grief counseling!). She and her family, including their dogs, cat and speedy tortoise Ricky Bobby, now live on the East Coast, soaking up all the beauty and charm of Chesapeake life. In her downtime, she’s likely to be cooking on her smoker grills, attending 1980s and early 2000s concerts or celebrating her favorite holiday, Halloween.
Bach-Starling loves AACC’s mission of equity and diversity and finds inspiration in her students' grit and resilience. Whether they're starting their educational journey, balancing work and family, or pursuing a new career later in life, she admires the unique stories they bring to the classroom. Students describe her as passionate about the subjects of psychology and mental health and say she is approachable. She’s eager to share the mission in behavioral healthcare of destigmatizing mental health diagnosis and advocating for those who are suffering from loss and mental health needs.
