Sean Fournia, a peer recovery specialist for the Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health, is part of a group of recovered addicts helping problem gamblers in Virginia. He shares his personal journey and the strategies he employs to assist those in need, emphasizing the importance of support systems and awareness in overcoming gambling addiction.
Joe Bamisile, a graduate student at the VCU College of Health Professions and VCU basketball player, was featured on Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association's Patients Come First podcast. Listen to him talk about mental wellness and his development of the mental health app, Maunda.
Courtney Holmes, PhD, LPC, LMFT, NCC, CRC, associate professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Health Professions Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, has been awarded a grant from the 2024 VCU Quest Fund.
Joe Bamisile launched a new social media mental health app called Maunda as part of his interdisciplinary studies capstone at VCU.
Bamisile, who graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from University College, is now pursuing a master’s in rehabilitation and mental health counseling in the College of Health Professions.
The Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health (VPGH) has developed a treatment system for problem gambling. “What we’ve seen since 2019 to 2023, an increase of 973% of callers,” said Carolyn Hawley, Director of the Virginia Partnership for Gaming and Health, part of the state’s effort to combat problem gambling.
By Malorie Burkett
May 6, 2024
Fifty years ago, Mary Tucker stepped on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus to study art education. In May, she steps away from a professional role on campus – and an education and career that spanned nearly all those years.
Lauren Fatigate, Jay Fueglein, Ramsha Hamid, Alana Harris, Carley Harrison, Kelsi James, Katori Jones, Serenity Mcmahand, Simran Singh, Alex Taurel, and Karina Vences
We are very pleased to announce that The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling has been officially granted a full 8-year CACREP accreditation for their MS degree with concentrations in Clinical Mental Health and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. This was a tremendous effort by all faculty, students, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders.
Shruti Sampath, an MS student in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, presented at the Virginia Association for Counselor Education and Supervision in Richmond, VA on March 16. Her presentation was entitled, "Parents of Children with Medical Complexity: Personal Perspectives of the Impact of Toxic Stress and Medical Trauma".
In this episode of CHP Conversations, Dr. Jared Schultz from the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling discusses how to maintain wellness and balance as a student in the College of Health Professions.
We would like to share the recent obituary of a long-time supporter, friend, and colleague of the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling. As a testament to her dedication to the department and the work done by rehabilitation and mental health counselors, Anne started the "Anne Chandler Scholarship Fund" to support students working toward their master's degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling. Anne was an incredible person and she touched the lives of countless people.
Project Belong will provide mental health, education and vocational support to 75 youth transitioning out of Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center.
Ariana Samuel and Taylor Davis will be presenting a paper symposium with the VCU AYA research team titled, "Novel Approaches to Understanding Racial Socialization as a Resilience Factor for Black Americans" at the 2023 SCRA Biennial Conference on Community Research and Action. The team will be presenting a total of 4 papers that focus on racial socialization and coping among Black Americans and families. Ariana Samuel's paper is titled, "The Mediating Effect of Racial Socialization on the Relationship between Immigration Status and Black Identity Development." Taylor Davis' paper is titled, "The Impact of Discrimination and Racial Socialization on Black Emerging Adults' Trust in Institutions."
Photos courtesy of VCU’s Office of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness and Success
Congratulations to Ashton Barnes, Cloey Bibbs, Ashley Cherry, Heather Figueiredo, Wilber Galindo, Destiny Geer, Abigail Heller, Annalise Livingston, Naomi Othman, Shruti Sampath, Nicole Sanderson, Finn Smyth, Grace Via, and Bree Young who are all being initiated into Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), the counseling honor society, this month!
Graduate students Shruti Sampath and Jenna Schiferl have been accepted to the 26th Annual Graduate Research Symposium and Exhibit and are presenting a project entitled "Psychometric Validation of the Stress Appraisal Measure in a Sample of Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis".
The VCU College of Health Professions Department of Rehabilitation Counseling recently appointed Courtney Holmes, Ph.D., as the new associate chair for academic affairs. She also serves as associate professor in the Department.
James Rothrock, former commissioner of the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, spent his career advocating for people with disabilities. A sledding accident as a teenager left Rothrock paraplegic, yet anyone who met him most remembered Jim for his booming laughter and indomitable spirit.
Two students, Sonia Meyer and Sophia Hartman, have been accepted into the Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) Summer 2022 Leadership Academy. "The Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) Leadership Academy was designed to provide graduate counseling students with meaningful experiences that support leadership skill and competency development, and diverse opportunities to actively participate in VCA Executive Board meetings, serve on a committee, special committees, and/or engage in projects of interest, receive mentorship, build professional networks, and gain exposure to the responsibilities associated with fulfilling elected leadership positions. Overall, this experience is designed to help facilitate professional identity development as a leader in the counseling profession."
The Rehabilitation Counseling Department is pleased to announce that Khoredia Thiam received the 2022 Graduate Student Scholarship for underrepresented students pursuing a master's degree or students participating in specialized masters initiatives.
Denise Hall, LPC, NCC, CRC, with the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, was featured in a podcast, Continuing Conversations: Counseling and Behavioral Health Program, where she discussed the VCU Counseling and Behavioral Health Continuing Education Program.
Link for registration, and for more information: http://ocpe.vcu.edu/addictionce
Carolyn E. Hawley, Ph.D., C.R.C., offers her insight on addressing problem gambling for Virginians.