Graduate Counseling Program

News & Announcements

Program Newsletter

Learn more about your fellow students, faculty, and alumni in the latest editions of GSC Today

Fall 2022
Fall 2021
Spring 2021
Fall 2020
Spring 2020
Fall 2019
Spring 2019

Faculty Accomplishments

Samuel Sanabria
Dr. Sanabria recently authored and co-authored the following publications:

Sanabria, S., & DeLorenzi, L. (2020) Promoting advocacy in counselor education training programs by integrating social justice practice in clinical experience: Moving from theory to action. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology

Sanabria, S. (2020). College counseling and neuroscience. In Paladino, D. (Ed) College Counseling and Student Development Services: Addressing the Needs of the Contemporary College Student. ACA: Alexandra, VA.

Sanabria, S. & Murray, T. (2018). Infusing human sexuality content and counseling in counselor preparation programs. American Journal of Sexuality Counseling.13, (2), 190-204.
Webber, J.M., Sanabria, S., & Mascari, J.B. (2018). Responding to mass violence and the Pulse Nightclub massacre. In Webber, J.M., & Mascari, J.B. (Eds) Disaster Mental Health Counseling; A Guide to Preparing and Responding. ACAF: Alexandria, VA.
Sanabria, S. (2018). In our own words: Self-care and guilt in the wake of the Orlando shooting. In Webber, J.M., & Mascari, J.B. (Eds) Disaster Mental Health Counseling; A Guide to Preparing and Responding. ACAF: Alexandria, VA.

Ford, D.J., Branch, J., Sanabria, S., & Tirell,M. (2020). Ethical cross-racial supervision. Presented at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology Virtual Conference. Chicago, IL.
Sanabria, S., DeLorenzi, L, Moore, S., & Walsh, C. (2020). “Get over it”: How cultural trauma transmit to future generations through genetic memory. Presented at the Annual National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savannah, GA.
Sanabria, S. & Ford, D.J. (2019). Ethical cross-racial supervision. Presented at the Annual National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change Savannah, GA.
Sanabria, S. & (2018). The right to parent: Addressing social, political, and therapeutic barriers for gender and sexual minorities. Presented at the meeting of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists, Denver, CO.
Sanabria, S., Homrich, A., Sullivan, M. (2018). Social justice advocacy learning in counselor education programs. Presented at the meeting of Southeast Cross-Cultural Issues in Counseling Annual Conference. Savannah, GA.

Kathryn Norsworthy

August 2018. Awarded George D. and Harriet W. Cornell Endowed Chair, Rollins College.
August 2018. Featured International Keynote Speaker. 2018 International Mental Health Conference. Bangkok, Thailand.
March 2018. Featured speaker. 2018 National Psychology and Peace Conference (sponsored by American Psychological Association Peace Psychology Division), Notre Dame, Indiana.
February 2018. Keynote address. National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference. Savannah, Georgia.
2018. Co-editor. Special issue, Women & Therapy, 41(1/2). Theme: Women and Indigenous Therapy.
Fall 2017. Dr. Norsworthy received the American Psychological Association International Humanitarian Award. National Conventional, Washington D.C.

Derrick Paladino
Cornell Distinguished Faculty Member – Rollins College

Paladino, D., A., Gonzalez, L., & Watson, J. (Eds.) (2020). College Counseling and Student Development: Theory, Practice, and Campus Collaboration. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Paladino, D. A. (2020). Suicide prevention and intervention. In T. Duffy & S. Haberstroh (Eds.) Crisis and Trauma Counseling: Strategies for Effective Practice. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Paladino, D. A. & DeLorenzi (In Press). Supervision: The other side. In C. Barrio-Minton and J. Swank (Eds.). Critical Incidents in Counselor Education: Teaching, Supervision, Research, and Leadership and Advocacy.
DeLorenzi, L., & Paladino, D. A. (In Press). Counseling with Older Adolescents (15-18). In S. L. Smith-Adock and C. Tucker (Eds.) Counseling Children and Adolescents: Connecting Theory, Development, and Diversity (2^nd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Paladino, D. A., Burgess, E. J., & Grover, C. R. (2019, September). From high school to university: Supporting international students’ mental health and wellbeing through the transition. Council of International Schools: Latin America Institute, Orlando, FL.
Sweet, T., dos Santos, B., Seago, M., & Paladino, D. A. (2020, February). Understanding and supporting the transition of marginalized students entering college. Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savanah GA.
Paladino, D. A., Hilaire, B., Arredondo, S. & Clode, S. (2019, February). Incorporating ecomaps to understand clients’ interactions with ecological, contextual and systemic environments. Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savanah GA.
Paladino, D. A., Rodriguez, E., & Long, P. (2018, February). Counseling and advocacy with multiracial clients. Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change, Savanah GA.
Paladino, D. A., Kenney, M. W., Kenney, K., John, B., & Jackson, K. F. (2017, February). Competencies for Counseling and Advocating for Multiracial Populations: A Multi-Faceted Helping Approach. Critical Mixed Race Studies Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Caitlyn M. Bennett

McKinzie Bennett, C., Lambie, G. W., Bai, H., & Hundley, G. (2020). A neurofeedback training intervention to address college students’ symptoms of anxiety and stress: A quasi-experimental design. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, (online access).
White, M. E., Cartwright, A. D., Reyes, A. G., Morris, H., Lindo, N. A., Singh, A. A., & McKinzie Bennett, C. (2020). A qualitative inquiry of black transgender men’s experiences. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 14(3), 248-267.
McKinzie Bennett, C., & Taylor, D. D. (2019). ACTing as yourself: Implementing acceptance and commitment therapy for transgender adolescents through a developmental lens. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 5(2), 146-160.

2020-2022, Co-Chair

Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES), Emerging Leaders Program

2019-2020, Secretary Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES)

Valorie Thomas

October 2015 Dr. Thomas was featured in the cover story, Dealing with the Losses of Miscarriage and Infertility, in the October 2015 issue of Counseling Today.

In October 2015 The Outlook Clinic celebrated 5 years of providing a lifesaving Mental Health Clinic for Orange County and awarded Rollins College a certificate of appreciation as a founding partner.

Student Accomplishments

Whit Lake received the student scholarship award from the Central Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Luisairis Soto was named President Elect of the Florida Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (FACAC).

Jorge Valladares was featured in Valencia College’s newsletter The Grove after his transfer to the new Poinciana Campus as Psychology Professor.

Michelle Sullivan is a contributing member of the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD) Newsletter committee and is a Dean's Advisory Board member.

Estifani Rodriguez, Princessa Long, Michelle Sullivan, and Whit Lake were presenters at the 2018 Cross-Cultural Counseling for Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change in Savannah, GA.

Program Updates

Program Outcomes Statement: During the 2023-2024 academic year, there were 30 graduates of Rollins College's Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Approximately 84% of admitted students graduate from the program in the expected time period (3-5 years). In 2023, 85% of alumni taking the Florida licensure exam passed. Of those graduates who actively sought jobs in the counseling field, 100% found in-field employment within 180 days of graduation.