Counseling Staff
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. (To see our photos, visit our departmental Mission Statement/Meet Our Staff page, and for more information on staff degrees and job positions, visit What Do Those Degrees Mean?) If you wish to schedule an appointment or to send a secure message to a staff member, go to myhealth.geneseo.edu.
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Emma Wolford, LCSW-R (she/her/hers) - Director of Counseling Services
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Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., University of Iowa
- B.A., Psychology, Johns Hopkins University
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State
Professional Organizations:
- Member, Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD)
- Gender Specialist Certification, World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH, in progress)
Clinical Interests:
- Identity development
- LGBTQ concerns
- Serving transgender and gender nonconforming students, including transition-related support
- DBT for emotional regulation
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Beth Cholette, PhD/RYT (she/her/hers) - Assistant Director of Counseling Services
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Professional Credentials:
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Hahnemann University
- B.A., Psychology, Bucknell University
- Licensed Psychologist in New York State
- RYT-200 (Registered Yoga Teacher); certified in Restorative Yoga, Yoga for All, Yin Yoga Anatomy
Professional Organizations:
- Member, Association for the Coordination of Counseling Center Clinical Services (ACCCCS)
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), Yoga Alliance
Clinical Interests:
- Mind-body practices and interventions, including yoga, meditation, and mindfulness
- Grief, loss, and bereavement Issues
- Trauma-supported interventions
- Equity/social justice, particularly reducing stigma/increasing access to mental health and providing agency/empowerment in therapeutic interventions
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Sarah Covell, LMHC, NCC (she/her/hers) - Alcohol & Other Drug Program Coordinator
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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
Professional Organizations:
- American Counseling Association
- American College Counseling Association
- National Board for Certified Counselors
- New York Mental Health Counselors Association
Clinical Interests:
- Addiction and substance abuse prevention
- Mindfulness-based therapy approaches
- Neuro-counseling
- Trauma and adverse childhood experiences
- Holistic approaches, including therapeutic lifestyle changes
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Aquella Deskov, LMHC, NCC (she/her/hers) - Triage/Crisis Counselor
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Professional Credentials:
- M.A. Mental Health Counseling, University of Rochester
- B.A., Psychology, University of Rochester
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor
- National Certified Counselor
Professional Organizations:
- Mental Health Counselors of Greater Rochester
- Chi Sigma lota Counseling and Academic and Professional Honor Society International
- University of Rochester Alumni
Clinical Interests:
- Trauma and Crisis Intervention
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders
- Mindfulness
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Faeeza Masood, LMHC (she/her/hers) - Staff Counselor
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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
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Kevin Murphy, EdD, LCSW-R - Senior Counselor
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Professional Credentials:
- Ed.D., Leadership & Administration, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
- M.S.W., Social Work, Marywood University
- B.S., Psychology, Elmira College
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State
- Licensed Independent Social Worker in Washington State
Professional Organizations:
- Board Certified Diplomat, Social Work
Clinical Interests:
- Trauma
- Relationship issues
- Chronic stress and anxiety
- Couples work
- Family of origin issues
- Identity
- Academic and career planning
- Grief and loss
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Gina Sacino, MS - Counselor for Student Support Services
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Professional Credentials:
- M.S.
- B.A.
- Licensed-Eligible Art Therapist in New York State
Clinical Interests:
- Identity Exploration
- Narrative & Storytelling
- Trauma, Intergenerational Trauma, & Somatic Healing
- Multicultural Issues
- Serving the BIPOC & Mixed Race population through a liberation and healing-centered lens
- Grief, Loss, & Life Changes
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Laura Swanson, LCSW (she/her/hers) - Staff Counselor/Wellbeing Coordinator
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Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., New York University
- B.A., Psychology, Cornell University
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State
Professional Organizations:
- Member, National Association of Social Workers
- Member, American College Counseling Association
Clinical Interests:
- Identity Development
- Relationship Concerns
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders
- Mindfulness
- Creative Arts Therapy
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Madeline Velazquez, LMSW, BSW - Triage/Crisis Counselor
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Professional Credentials:
- M.S.W., University of Michigan
- B.S.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
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John Connors, MD - Consulting Psychiatrist
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Visit our Psychiatric Services page for details.