Despite her dislike of heights Dr. Christine Bogar went parasailing — even though she had to white-knuckle it all the way, she said laughing.

As a counselor, she realizes that if she is trying to teach others to overcome their fears she must face her own fears, she said.

“If you are afraid of something, and afraid it is limiting your life, the best way to overcome that fear is to go ahead and do it,” Bogar said.

Bogar is the assistant director of student services at the University of South Alabama satellite campus in Baldwin County.

Bogar also teaches one class per semester in the adult degree program.

“It is never too late to go back and get your college degree,” she said. “I went back to school when I was in my forties for my doctorate with two small children at home.”

Bogar offers counseling for a full range of mental health concerns from persons suffering from a trauma to test anxiety.

She helps students with study skills, helps them learn how to prepare for tests and stress management techniques because they have many responsibilities in their lives, she said. She really enjoys helping students decide what is realistic regarding what they take in a semester and how to balance other responsibilities in their lives such as family and work, she said.

In addition to counseling, she also lines up special events, like concert and lecture series, for the Baldwin County campus.

Though she went to college in New England, she lived in New Orleans for 19 years.

“I like it very much,” she said speaking of Spanish Fort. “It’s been exciting for me to see how the city has changed. Everything is so close by and it was a treat to move here and live in a small town again.”

Bogar and her husband, Craig both have careers in higher education. Her husband took a job at the University of Mobile and is now assistant dean for student services at the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne.

They have two daughters: Brooke is 17-years-old and is a senior at Spanish Fort High School and Corinne is 21-years-old and is a junior at USA.

Bogar and her husband will be “empty nesters” in about a year, and they are looking forward to it with mixed feelings, she said.

She said she will enjoy more flexibility in her schedule, but will miss her daughters. With two big dogs and three cats, Bogar has more pets in her house than people, she said.

Her parents kept her life very interesting. Her father was a golf pro who taught celebrities like Bob Hope and Babe Ruth.

On her mother’s side of the family, “A Kentucky Derby winner, named Barbaro, made my maiden name famous,” Bogar said.

Bogar has two brothers and is looking forward to a big family reunion in May.

With her love of the beach, Bogar often heads out to Pensacola and Gulf Shores, where she relaxes with light summertime reading. Her ideal afternoon alone would be to go home, sit by the pool and read.

She helps to stay fit by walking during her lunch break two to three miles a day in the cooler months. Bogar is also a member of the Spanish Fort United Methodist Church.

Though she likes doing needlework and jigsaw puzzles, she most enjoys cooking because she likes to create something people will enjoy and cooking provides a creative outlet, she said.

Her specialties include Italian dishes like lasagna and eggplant parmesan, but she has also mastered Southern dishes like jambalaya and red beans and rice.

The college environment has a very “alive” feeling, she said, and her career as a counselor has been very rewarding and fulfilling.

Overlooking a gully filled with kudzu, lizards and turtles, Bogar enjoys the view from her office in Fairhope. It is a wonderful place to do counseling, she said.

“I like to help others through my work as a counselor. All ages and people with all kinds of goals will typically use counseling very well because they are motivated to make positive changes, so I love working with college students,” Bogar said.