Counseling Staff
Credentials and Clinical Interest Areas
Counseling Services is staffed with New York State licensed mental health professionals, including psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors, all of whom are experienced and knowledgeable about the issues facing college students.
Listed below you will find the professional credentials and other details for our staff members. (For more information on staff degrees and job positions, visit What Do Those Degrees Mean?) All of our counselors are qualified to treat a wide range of presenting problems, including anxiety, depression, interpersonal problems, eating disorders, academic issues, and more. If you wish to contact a staff member, use our secure messaging system at myhealth.geneseo.edu.
Emma Wolford, LCSW-R (she/her/hers)
Director of Counseling Services
Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., University of Iowa
- B.A., Psychology, Johns Hopkins University
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State
Clinical Interests:
- Identity development
- LGBTQ concerns
- Serving transgender and gender nonconforming students, including transition-related support
- DBT for emotional regulation
- Expressive therapy
Professional Organizations:
- Member, Association for University and College Counseling Cetner Directors (AUCCCD) pending
- Member, World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH)
Beth Cholette, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Assistant Director of Counseling Services
Professional Credentials:
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Hahnemann University
- B.A., Psychology, Bucknell University
- Licensed Psychologist in New York State
- RYT-200 (Registered Yoga Teacher) and certified Restorative Yoga Instructor
Clinical Interests:
- Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and mind-body connection
- Grief and bereavement Issues
- Trauma-supported interventions
- Reducing stigma/increasing access to mental health
Professional Organizations:
- Member, Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services (ACCCCS)
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), Yoga Alliance
Sarah Covell, LMHC, NCC (she/her/hers)
Alcohol & Other Drug Program Coordinator
Professional Credentials:
- M.S. Mental Health Counseling, SUNY Brockport
- B.A., Communication, SUNY Geneseo
- National Certified Counselor
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor, State of New York
Clinical Interests:
- Addiction and substance abuse prevention
- Mindfulness-based therapy approaches
- Neuro-counseling
- Trauma and adverse childhood experiences
- Holistic approaches, including therapeutic lifestyle changes
Professional Organizations:
- American Counseling Association
- American College Counseling Association
- National Board for Certified Counselors
- New York Mental Health Counselors Association
Aquella Deskov, LMHC, NCC (she/her/hers)
Triage/Crisis Counselor
Professional Credentials:
- M.A. Mental Health Counseling, University of Rochester
- B.A., Psychology, University of Rochester
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
- National Certified Counselor
Clinical Interests:
- Trauma and Crisis Intervention
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders
- Mindfulness
Professional Organizations:
- Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester
- Chi Sigma lota Counseling and Academic and Professional Honor Society International
- University of Rochester Alumni
Faeeza Masood, LMHC (she/her/hers)
Staff Counselor
Professional Credentials:
- M.S., Mental Health Counseling, University of Rochester
- M.S., Childhood Education/Inclusion, University of Rochester
- B.A., Studio Art, University of Rochester
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Clinical Interests:
- Relationships
- Trauma
- Identity
- Multicultural Issues
- Serving Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
Laura Swanson, LCSW (she/her/hers)
Staff Counselor
Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., New York University
- B.A., Psychology, Cornell University
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State
Clinical Interests:
- Identity Development
- Relationship Concerns
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders
- Mindfulness
- Creative Arts Therapy
Professional Organizations:
- Member, National Association of Social Workers
- Member, American College Counseling Association
Madeline Velazquez, LMSW
Triage/Crisis Counselor
Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., University of Michigan
- B.A.W., College at Brockport
- Licensed Master's-Level Social Worker in New York State
Clinical Interests:
- Personality Disorders
- Therapeutic Art Inventions
- Socio-Cultural Development
- Bipolar Spectrum Disorders
- AD/HD and Sensory Processing Disorders