Health and Harmony

Florida Institute of Technology Psy.D. Clinical Psychology - Melbourne, Florida(APA-Accredited)

Florida Institute of Technology M.S. of Science - Melbourne, Florida

Immaculata University M.A. of Arts - Immaculata, Pennsylvania

Lynn University  B.S. of Science - Boca Raton, Florida

 Whole Health Psychological Center        

Outpatient therapist/Post-Doctoral Resident 

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families

Responsibilities: Individual, group, family, and marriage/sex therapy

Life Skills South Florida, Deerfield Beach, Florida       

In-patient Trauma Therapist

Patient Population: Adults

Responsibilities: Individual and group therapy with a focus on trauma

Positive Start Counseling Services, Royal Palm, Florida   

Out-patient Therapist

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, adults, and couples. 

Responsibilities: Biopsychosocials, treatment plans, and individual, family and couples’ therapy.  

Center for Child Counseling, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida  

Childhood Response Trauma Therapist

Patient Population: Toddlers, children and adolescents who have experienced any form of abuse and/or trauma. 

Responsibilities: Administered intakes, biopsychosocials, and assessed for trauma. Individual and family therapy services provided weekly using trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy model, play-therapy and parenting training skills/techniques. 

Pittington Counseling Services, Lake Mary, Florida 

Outpatient Therapist 

Patient Population: Services provided to children, adolescents, adults., families and couples. 

Responsibilities: Coordinating and implementing therapeutic models with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. Responsibilities included creating treatment plan short-term and long-term goals and implementing strategies.

Circles of Care, Melbourne, Florida 

Intake Specialist 

Patient Population: Circles of Care has three different inpatient facility units that focus on crisis stabilization to a variety of mental health disorders to children, adolescents, adults and elderly. 

Responsibilities: Clinical interviews with an intake screening form to assess present well-being and need for services. Reviewed hospital records, screened for Baker Act, and provided psychiatrist with the case conceptualization to receive doctor’s orders. Responsible for completing admission orders and provided paperwork to the ward clerk. Responsible for discharge planning, client and family counseling referrals, case management, and provided recommendations over the phone for individuals not suited for inpatient psychiatric treatment.

The Hope Center Rehabilitation, Boynton Beach, Florida  

Case Manager, Intake Specialist, and Group Facilitator 

Patient Population: Adults with substance abuse and sexual, gambling, videogaming, and internet addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, chronic relapse, codependency, and emotional disturbance.

Responsibilities: Co-facilitated therapy groups for the partial hospitalization program (PHP) and intensive outpatient program (IOP) with a 12-step program, completed biopsychosocials, intakes, assessed and formulated diagnosis’, and ensured clients were placed accordingly for services. 

Holcomb Behavioral Health, Exton, Pennsylvania  

Clinical Support Services Specialist   

Patient Population: Individuals with mental health disorders, struggles with substance abuse, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and co-occurring disorders. Treated children, adolescents, adults and elderly from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. 

Responsibilities: Intakes, maintained records of billable services, provided and submitted records in a timely manner as directed by the program. Maintained files and records on cases in accordance with agency policy and procedures. Participated in involuntary outpatient commitment hearings to testify on behalf of the client’s outpatient clinician.

Holcomb Behavioral Health, Exton, Pennsylvania  

Outpatient Therapist   

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, adults, and elderly with various medical and mental health conditions (i.e., cancer, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia). 

Responsibilities: Diagnostic evaluations and treatment plans for individual and family therapy. Psychotherapy included brief cognitive-behavioral interventions, medication management, and psychoeducation on coping skills and strategies to facilitate positive outcomes. Participated in volunteer meetings to increase the benefits of the organization. Participated in medication management/personal medicine (Common Ground) meetings to recommend improvement in services for clients prior to attending their medication appointment. 

Chester County Intermediate Unit      

Hillside Elementary School, Berwyn, Pennsylvania 

Behavioral Health Personalized Care Assistant 

Patient Population: Children and adolescents with disabilities, intellectual and developmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorders in school districts.

Responsibilities: Provided one-on-one emotional and behavioral interventions to children and adolescents in school-based settings. Prompted interventions for behavior management, conflict resolution, anger management, and peer interaction social skills while consulting with the school psychologist on the individual’s Individualized Education Plan. Followed the treatment plan provided by the Behavior Specialist Consultant. Collected data and documented progress notes daily. Utilized Applied Behavioral Analysis to educate children appropriate hygiene, toilet-training, and mannerisms. 

COMHAR, Behavioral Health, Intellectual Disability and Wellness Service   

New Foundations Charter School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Therapeutic Staff Support 

Patient Population: Culturally diverse individuals with intellectual disabilities and behavioral health problems. 

Responsibilities: Provided behavioral health interventions that supported academic learning. Provided crisis prevention by working one-on-one with clients to help them identify emotions and learn how to use self-control with practiced coping skills and problem-solution focused techniques. Utilized interventions such as role modeling, coaching, redirection, anger management skills, conflict-resolution, and behavior modification techniques.

 Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, West Palm, Florida  

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, families, couples, and individual parenting training and education. 

Responsibilities: Individual, group, family, and couples’ therapy at the outpatient setting and at the residential setting. 

Completing psychological evaluations for referrals. Attending and completing reading material for weekly didactics, journal club, and group supervision. Presenting on topics in the community. Observing and implementing therapeutic techniques during school one day per week at the residential setting. 

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Viera, Florida 

Practicum student 

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, and families faced with foster placement difficulties, struggling with emotional, behavioral, and/or intellectual and developmental challenges. Population consisted of victims of human trafficking and history of sexual abuse. 

Responsibilities: Guided children and adolescents through individual therapy with specific challenges to understand their human potential, increase their self-worth, provide coping resources, and to incorporate families in the treatment process, following a step by step program on working through trauma history. In doing so, psychological and/or intelligence testing is completed to understand a clear, more precise understanding regarding the individual and their internal and external life struggles. Facilitated substance abuse prevention group therapy for adolescent boys and girls to provided psychoeducation and prevention strategies. Co-facilitated social support groups and emotion regulation groups. Met weekly for treatment team.

Couple’s Team Private Practice, Melbourne, Florida    

Outpatient Marriage and Sex Co-facilitator 

Patient Population: Adults with premarital or marital and/or intimacy and relationship adjustment problems. 

Responsibilities: Administration of the 16PF Couples Counseling Report to couples, provided feedback of testing results to increase knowledge on personality similarities and differences, as well as their interpersonal needs. Co-facilitated therapy alongside with Dr. Richard Elmore, licensed psychologist, including pre-marital counseling, marriage counseling, sex therapy, divorce counseling and divorce mediation. 

Eye of a Horse, Saint Cloud, Florida     

Experiential Clinical Facilitator and Co-facilitator  

Patient Population: Children, adolescents, and young adults on the Autistic Spectrum, couples, families, emotionally disturbed youth with history of abuse and/or trauma, Veterans suffering with PTSD or substance abuse, and elderly struggling with grief. 

Responsibilities: Guided individuals with team building experiences focusing on leadership, non-verbal communication, cooperation, and other critical interpersonal skills. The educational activities involve on-the-ground experiences with horses and/or cows. Activities are goal-oriented team efforts focusing on the importance of communication, planning, strategy, role-assignment and flexibility in problem-solving. Each experience includes an educational “on-the-job” tutorial, explaining the purpose and learning objectives of the exercise, as well as debriefings after each experience to maximize learning. Conducted equine-assisted psychotherapy sessions on how to build trust and reward desired behaviors in others. Young adults hone their attention and focusing skills in an animal-assisted nature exposure therapy experience. Facilitated students to use "voluntary" attention skills with their families to evaluate the family dynamics and work through struggles with experiential therapy. 

Lifetime Counseling Center, Melbourne, Florida  

Practicum Clinician 

Patient Population: Child/Adolescent Family track fostering services to children, adolescents, and families. Population consisted of children and adolescents struggling with behavioral problems with a history of abuse and/or trauma and adults struggling with mental illness or need guidance with parenting. 

Responsibilities: Out-patient services to children, adolescents, and family. Completed psychological evaluations for Brevard Family Partnership, affiliated with Department of Child and Family Services and Department of Corrections. 

Family Counseling Center, Cocoa, Florida    

Practicum Clinician 

Patient Population: General track fostering services to children, adolescents and adults. 

Responsibilities: Out-patient services to children, adolescents, families, and adults, and completed comprehensive psychological evaluations for treatment recommendations. Completed psychological evaluations for Brevard Family Partnership, affiliated with Department of Child and Family Services and Department of Corrections. 

Community Psychological Services, Melbourne, Florida 

Practicum Clinician     

Patient Population: Services and assessments (personality, intellectual, educational, ASD, probation, and vocational) provided to the community serving children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families to a wide range of ages.   

Responsibilities: Therapeutic services to individuals of all ages. Completed intakes, facilitated therapy sessions for children, adolescents, adults, and families following an organized, and collaborated constructed treatment plan. Completed case conceptualizations, administered assessments, and provided psychological testing feedback when report was complete. 

Holcomb Behavioral Health, Immaculata, Pennsylvania  

Practicum Clinician 

Patient Population: Provided services and supports for people with mental health, substance abuse, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and co-occurring disorders. Provided an array of prevention and educational programs for youth, parents, and adults to encourage healthy choices and lifestyles. Client population was all ages from various socioeconomic backgrounds, and various ethnic backgrounds. 

Responsibilities: Diagnostic evaluations, individual, child, couples, and family therapy. 

Center for Group Counseling, Boca Raton, Florida   

Internship Counselor 

Patient Population: Co-facilitated support and educational groups in elementary and middle school settings, worked with 6-18 years old, and provided group therapy for children at the Center for Group Counseling.

Responsibilities: Co-facilitated group therapy with a supervised doctoral student for children and adolescents in an elementary and a middle school. Provided emotional and social support, followed with anger management techniques, de-escalating skills, coping skills, and relaxation techniques. Supported and facilitated assignments and activities for the group members. Psycho-educated students on skill building, social skills, effective ways to communicate, and ways to identify positive, healthy relationships. Attended clinical trainings as scheduled. Attended weekly individual supervision and weekly group supervision. Supported the clinical director with sponsorship and outreach events.

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida  

Dissertation (Defended) 

16PF Couple’s Counseling Report: Predictors of Marital Satisfaction, Personality Similarity, and Relationship Adjustment of Males in Marital Therapy

Study examined: Variables of overall Marital Satisfaction, Personality Similarity, and Relationship Adjustment of Males in Marital Therapy by utilizing the 16 Personality Factor Couple’s Counseling Report (16PF CCR). The study sample included 80 males participating in couple’s counseling. Study presented at Florida Institute of Technology. 

Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida  

Research Intern 

Responsibilities: Researched empirically based scholarly articles for the Psychology Department Research Committee; Debra L. Ainbinder, Ph.D. and Robert Riedel, Ph.D. for “Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education (NOPE).” Read and summarized scholarly articles and presented completed work to both psychologists weekly. Assisted Dr. Ainbinder and Dr. Riedel with NOPE’s research project. Specific responsibilities included; summarizing articles related to the research project and formulated futuristic ideas to provide prevention measures. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 

Teacher Assistant Substitute 

Patient Population: Taught an Introduction to Psychology course to undergraduate psychology students enrolled at 

Florida Institute of Technology. 

Responsibilities: Reinforced Introduction to Psychology course lessons constituted by the supervisor by reviewing material with students, answering questions, providing examples, and facilitated class room discussions in a class room setting. Enforced university and class rules to help teach students proper behavior and responsibilities. Responsible for record keeping such as tracking attendance and calculating grades.

Brevard County Jail, Cocoa, Florida    

Shadowing 

Responsibilities: Observed the psychologist’s role in a correction facility. Learned the psychologist’s protocol and responsibilities when working in a correctional setting including learning about specific processes and how it can be different from an outpatient clinical setting. 

Counseling and Psychological Services   

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida  

Shadowing   

Responsibilities: Shadowed individual and group supervision at a university counseling center, clinical setting. Participated in outreach events; such as depression awareness and self-help. Learned how the clinical setting operates and the student clinicians’ responsibilities and roles.  

 Florida Institute of Technology     

American Psychological Association (APA) Student Member Affiliate 

The Florida Society of Clinical Hypnosis     

Member

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida    

Graduate Tuition Scholarship 

Responsibilities: Engaged in Combat Veteran research associated with Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome and scheduled meetings with the University’s organization committee to foster improvement on Veteran organizations for students on campus.

Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pennsylvania    

Beta Mu-Chi Sigma IOTA Member 

Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pennsylvania    

American Psychological Association (APA) Student Member Affiliate 

Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida     

PSI CHI Member 

Carpenter, D. (2020) Teen Council Presentation on COVID-19, Youth Services Department, West Palm Beach, Florida               

Carpenter, D. (2020) Partner Communication Do’s and Don’ts, Youth Services Department, West Palm Beach, Florida            

Carpenter, D. (2020) Couple’s Therapy, Youth Services Department, West Palm Beach, Florida      

Carpenter, D., & Sosu, R. (2019) Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Invited presenter at Area Agency on Aging, West Palm Beach, Florida        

Carpenter, D., & Sosu, R. (2019) Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Invited presenter at Children’s Services Council, Boynton Beach, Florida       

 National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)  

National Certified Counselor  

Certificate Number 310738

Circles of Care, Melbourne, Florida    

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certified 

Hilton Rialto Place, Melbourne, Florida   

Florida Society of Clinical Hypnosis Workshop 

Eye of a Horse, Saint Cloud, Florida   

Responsibilities: Effectively used operant conditioning with horses while practicing assertiveness skills and identifying body language. Experienced meditation exposure in the pasture with cows, understanding the animals body language, cues, and learned how to identify their fears and ability to provide them comfort. Practiced patience trying to build rapport and trust with the animals in the pasture. Incorporated equine therapy situations with life situations when treating individuals and families. Educated on grief and dying and existential perspectives by engaging in mindfulness at the bone yard. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Seminar 

Responsibilities: Became aware of how to administer EMDR techniques with videos, case presentations and demonstrations. Learned ways this approach can serve as a powerful, clinical tool in the treatment of numerous Axis I disorders, abuse, assault, and in the various problems confronting children and combat veterans. Learned the eight-phase treatment model and the eight procedural steps of EMDR. 

Holcomb Behavioral Health, Exton, Pennsylvania   

Clinical and Educational Trainings 

Responsibilities: Continued educational trainings included Common Ground (Medication Management Screening), Ethics review, COD Competency, CPR and First Aid, Personality Disorders, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Personal Medicine (coping strategies separated from medication management). 

Chester County Intermediate Unit, Exton, Pennsylvania  

Clinical and Educational Trainings 

Responsibilities: Function Sign Language I, CPR and First Aid, and a variety of mental health disorder educational trainings.

Center for Group Counseling, Boca Raton, Florida 

Clinical and Educational Trainings   

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida 

Teacher Assistant for Clinical Skills I 

Responsibilities: Assisted in teaching first year doctoral students basic clinical skills to practice in therapeutic settings such as modeling behavior, role-playing, and providing therapeutic suggestions. Met one time per week to educate clinical skills and intervene when needed during small group sessions. Video-taped a session, acting as the client to provide students with an opportunity to practice personalizing skills and observe areas where improvement is needed by giving feedback while watching the video at the end. Provided presentations on the cognitive behavior model, experiential and humanistic model, psychodynamic model, and family models of psychotherapy. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida   

Mentor for First-Year Doctoral Student   

Responsibilities: Provided support, information, and direction to a first-year doctoral student in the program answering questions as needed and providing support and direction. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida   

Mentor for First-Year Doctoral Student   

Responsibilities: Provided support, information, and direction to a first-year doctoral student in the program answering questions as needed and providing support and direction. 

Community of Psychology Services, Melbourne, Florida 

Autism Conference and Resource Fair Volunteer 

Responsibilities: Provided information and resources to members in the community about services offered at The Scott Center for Autism. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida   

Mentor for First-Year Doctoral Student   

Responsibilities: Provided support, information, and direction to a first-year doctoral student for their first year in the program answering questions as needed and providing support and direction. 

Space Coast Foundation, Melbourne, Florida   

Space Coast Honor Flight Volunteer Escort 

Responsibilities: Accompanied a veteran in Washington D.C., ensuring a memorable and safe experience by escorting to the memorial sites and museums in the veteran’s honor at our nation’s capital.

Forever Florida, Eye of a Horse, Saint Cloud, Florida 

Equine-Assisted Experiential Psychotherapy Volunteer 

Patient Population: Treated clients with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, history of trauma, anger problems, bereavement, social and interpersonal relationship problems, individuals with developmental disorders, such as autism, at-risk youth, and veterans suffering with posttraumatic stress disorder and/or substance abuse problems.

Responsibilities: Volunteered with the guidance of a licensed psychologist and a horse specialist assisting in treating individuals and groups using experiential equine-assisted psychotherapy. Used a therapeutic approach guiding clients to find answers for questions they have about everyday life challenges. Educated client’s on how to learn patience, build problem-solving skills, and improve self-confidence. With the recreated real experiences, clients were able to allow emotions, attitudes, and beliefs that are considered subconscious to merge into awareness. Group psychotherapy focused on conflict-resolution, team building and leadership. Applied operant conditioning with horses to guide clients towards self-awareness through activities.

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida    

Veterans Team Research Coordinator 

Responsibilities: Attended weekly meetings and discussed third year students’ dissertations. Provided ideas and relayed empirical scholarly research articles for the students completing their dissertation. Co-facilitated work on starting a new chapter at Florida Institute of Technology, adding an additional veteran’s organization.

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida    

First Year Senate Practicum Committee    

Responsibilities: Attended monthly meetings and discussed present issues and goals in the program. Generated ideas on how to approach and solve problems. Researched locations for practicum sites by calling hospitals, outpatient settings, and other mental health facilities, reaching out to supervisors. 

Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida  

Active Minds Membership Chair     

Responsibilities: Attended weekly membership meetings to discuss future events to spread mental health awareness. Attended bi-weekly Executive Board meetings to discuss necessary materials needed for events and assigned jobs to ensure the event is organized properly. Held events on campus; distress with pets, suicide awareness, organization fair, fundraisers, and helping hands for veterans. 

United Methodist Church, Toms River, New Jersey   

Volunteer and Member 

Responsibilities: Volunteer work such as cooking for the homeless, baking and selling goods for the bake sale, created crafts to sell at the Christmas bizarre. Participated in US Circle, women’s group, and attended retreats. Member of youth group and the church choir. 

Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida  

(Thailand and Cambodia)    

Research Undergraduate Student Assistant 

Responsibilities: Raised $6,000 for families residing on a landfill in Thailand with Lynn University’s psychology department to provide children an opportunity to attend school. Traveled to Cambodia to study the effects of the Cambodian genocide, Khmer Rouge. Visited mental health institutions, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, Phnom Penh University, and Monasteries where we slept, learned, and practiced a variety of different types of meditation and facilitated discussions with Buddhists on Buddhism. Visited Khmer Rouge prison, camps, and the killing fields. Interviewed Cambodian psychology students and professors at Phnom Penh University regarding post-traumatic stress disorder following the Khmer Rouge genocide. 

Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida   

(American College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland)

Research Undergraduate Student Assistant 

Responsibilities: Acquired knowledge that effectively changed my thoughts and commenced my understanding on circumstances occurring in another Country. Developed personal growth that expanded my self-awareness. Traveled to Scotland, England, Netherlands, Italy, and Spain; learned about the diverse cultures.