Meet the 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. (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.

Jaime Castillo, PhD, LMHC (he/him/his) - Director of Counseling Services

Professional Credentials:

  • Ph.D., Counseling and Counselor Education, Syracuse University
  • M.S., School Counseling, University of Scranton
  • B.S., Penn State University, Psychology, Biological Sciences
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor, New York State
  • Trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Professional Organizations:

  • Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors
  • American Group Psychotherapy Association

Clinical Interests:

  • Clinical supervision
  • Infusion of creativity in mental health and wellness
  • Applied Improvisation
  • Individual and group empowerment and advocacy
Beth Cholette, PhD, RYT (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 (Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance); certified in Restorative Yoga, Yoga for All, Yin Yoga Anatomy, Yoga for Healthy Aging

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 in mental health, particularly reducing stigma, increasing access, and providing agency/empowerment in therapeutic interventions
Pamela Kosmowski, LMFT, NCC (she/her/hers) - Alcohol & Other Drug Program Coordinator

Professional Credentials:

  • B.A., Language Arts, University at Buffalo
  • M.S., School Counseling, Capella University
  • National Certified Counselor
  • M.A., Marriage & Family Therapy, Northcentral University
  • Licensed Marital & Family Therapy (LMFT) in New York State
  • CASAC, SUNY Alfred (expected August 2022)

Professional Organizations:

  • American Association for Marital & Family Therapy, Member
  • American School Counseling Association, Member
  • National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Member

Clinical Interests:

  • Addiction
  • Relationships 
  • Trauma

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

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

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/Wellbeing Coordinator

Professional Credentials:

  • M.S.W., New York University
  • B.A., Psychology, Cornell University
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker in New York State

Clinical Interests:

  • Relationships
  • Identity
  • Trauma
  • Individual and Community Wellbeing

Madeline Velazquez, LMSW, BSW - Triage/Crisis Counselor

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
Cailley Wayman, LMHC, CASAC (she/her/hers) - Senior Counselor

Professional Credentials:

  • LMHC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • CASAC, Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor
  • MS, Mental Health Counseling, SUNY Brockport
  • BS, Psychology and Health Science, concentration in substance abuse counseling, SUNY Brockport
  • EMDR Trained

Clinical Interests:

  • Eating disorders
  • Trauma
  • LGBTQIA+
 

John Connors, MD - Consulting Psychiatrist

Visit our Psychiatric Services page for details.