The Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium, sponsored by the Psychological and Counseling Services (PCS) program, aims to:
- Maintain the sense of excellence and leadership in the Psychological and Counseling Services Program that typified the work of Harold F. Cottingham
- Help current students understand the ways in which their graduate education relates to diverse options for professional employment
- Build a stronger sense of community among current and former students, as well as current and former faculty
Kendra Thorne
Dr. Kendra Thorne earned her Ph.D. from the Combined Counseling and School Psychology program at Florida State University in 2019. After completion of her pre-doctoral internship at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in Tennessee, she accepted a position within the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Program at the same facility. Dr. Thorne returned to Florida in 2022 and has been the staff psychologist for the PTSD Clinical Team at the Sergeant Ernest I. “Boots” Thomas VA Clinic in Tallahassee, FL since that time.
During her 5 years with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Dr. Thorne has worked with U.S. military veterans with PTSD and other comorbid physical and mental health conditions. She is a certified-provider of Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and her clinical interests involve utilization of these evidenced-based practices for PTSD, particularly among the rural veteran population. Dr. Thorne is an active member of the Psychology Training Committees within the Mountain Home VA Healthcare System and the North FL/South GA VA Healthcare system, where she supervises advanced doctoral practicum students and leads didactic trainings on topics such as rural suicidality. Dr. Thorne has published research on PTSD among Appalachian Veterans, rural help-seeking, trauma, and suicidality. She has also been a committee member for the editorial search board for the APA’s Journal of Rural Mental Health and is a former reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Dr. Thorne was born and raised in West Virginia, in a county with two stoplights and more livestock than human beings, which shaped her passion for rural mental health. She earned a B.S. in psychology in 2013 and M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2015, both from West Virginia University. Outside of work, you can find Dr. Thorne failing at TikTok recipes, watching college football, or completing a random DIY for her upcoming wedding.
Taryn Wade
Taryn Wade is a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor in Educational Psychology and Learning Systems. She is a nationally certified school psychologist (NCSP), a licensed school psychologist in the state of Florida, and a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Taryn earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of South Carolina. She earned her M.S./Ed.S in school psychology and Ph.D. in special education from Florida State University. She has experience working as a school psychologist in New Jersey, North Carolina, and Florida. Her research interests include teaching math vocabulary in the context of a shared reading routine to preschool children at risk for and with identified language delays.
Lauren Sakowitz
Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science, followed by a master’s and educational specialist degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Florida State University. While a student at FSU, her research focus was primarily on individuals with disabilities and mental health. She is currently a licensed mental health counselor working as a psychotherapist at a private practice in Boston, Massachusetts. Lauren's expertise and passion lie in supporting individuals with disabilities, a commitment that continues to shape her career and growth as a counselor.
In 1958, Dr. Harold F. Cottingham became the founder and chair of the Department of Guidance and Counseling at Florida State University. As one of the “Forty-Niners,” those young faculty who shaped the development of our current graduate research university out of the Florida State College for Women, Harold’s bold leadership laid the foundation for an academic unit that remains vibrant and strong today. Harold retired from FSU in 1980 and died in 1981 at the age of 67.
Dr. C was known for his work with groups, and he viewed such encounters as a primary vehicle in counselor training. The social interactions in classes and professional meetings were something that he enjoyed and valued. The idea of a meeting, a professional exchange in a face-to-face situation, or an informal professional colloquium would have appealed to Harold. Moreover, it is something that comes easily to counselors and counseling psychologists.
An interview with Harold F. Cottingham
Giddan, N. S. (1979). An interview with Harold F. Cottingham. Professional School Counseling, 27, 214-221. Reprinted with permission, American School Counseling Association.
2022 Cottingham Colloquium video
2022 Cottingham Colloquium photos
2019 Cottingham Colloquium video
2019 Cottingham Colloquium photos
2018 Cottingham Colloquium video
2018 Cottingham Colloquium photos
2017 Cottingham Colloquium videos
2017 Cottingham Colloquium Agenda
2016 Cottingham Colloquium videos
2016 Cottingham Colloquium Agenda
2015 Cottingham Colloquium videos
2015 Cottingham Colloquium photo
2015 Cottingham Colloquium Agenda
2014 Cottingham Colloquium photos
2014 Cottingham Colloquium videos
2014 Cottingham Colloquium Agenda
2013 Cottingham Colloquium photos
For years, faculty and alumni have sought to establish a new program and tradition that would honor the memory and legacy of “Dr. C” as the wellspring of training for more than a thousand professional counselors and psychologists. Such recognition is long overdue. To honor this legacy, Dr. Peter Scanlon helped establish the Harold F. Cottingham Memorial Fund to provide support for colloquia focused on professional development for professional counselors, psychologists and graduate students.
Fall 2011 marked the first Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium for Professional Counselors and Psychologists, hosted by the Program in Psychological Services and the Career Center at Florida State. Distinguished speakers included College of Education alumni, Dr. Peter Scanlon and Dr. Joel Gecht of Impact Solutions, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. The colloquium was recorded and is available here.
In Fall 2012, the distinguished speakers included Dr. Jan Greenwood of Greenwood/Asher & Associates in Miramar Beach, FL. A recording of her presentation is available here. In addition, the colloquium provided a panel of distinguished private practice practitioners, including Dr. Greenwood, Dr. Peter Scanlon, executive director of South Bay Mental Health in Boston, and Dr. Joe Garmon, a licensed psychologist in Thomasville, GA. Click here to view the panel discussion.
In 2013, we honored the class of 1973 and friends and focused on the topic of creating a professional identity. Speakers included Dr. Linda Miles, Dr. Carole Minor, and Dr. Joe Padronaggio. Click here to view the presentations. Consulting from an international perspective was the topic for 2014, and included Dr. Denise Saunders and Dr. Donghyuk Lee as presenters and faculty discussants. The presentation and panel discussions can be accessed here.
Harold was a licensed psychologist and a founder of the Eastwood Counseling Center in Tallahassee. This program is viewed as an opportunity to bridge “town and gown” relations in the counseling profession, and is open to counseling professionals in the larger community, as well as alumni, friends, faculty and students. This mix of individuals provides an opportunity for collaboration on training, practice, and research.
In addition to showcasing topics pertaining to innovative practice or research in psychological services, this Colloquium is also a social event, featuring food and a day and evening program. Harold once characterized a group meeting that was fun and productive as having a “high level of conviviality,” and thus, a goal of the event is to make this an enjoyable professional experience for all attending. The Colloquium will be held at a time of the year when important features of the University and the Tallahassee area can be incorporated into the festivities. Accomplishments of current faculty and students, as well as alumni, will be highlighted.
Our grads go on to do great things! Check out a few of our alumni below who have started their own businesses:
Mary-Catherine Riner, PhD
Greenville/Anderson Riner Counseling, LLC, Greenville, SC
https://rinercounseling.com/
Nolan Katz, PhD; Sheba Katz, PhD
Katz Counseling & Educational Psychology, Inc., Fort Myers, FL
http://www.katzpsychology.com/
Abigail Levrini, PhD
Psych Ed Coaches, PLLC, Jacksonville, FL
https://www.linkedin.com/in/psychedcoaches/
Stefanie J. Coppes, PhD
Coastal Neuropsychology, Clearwater, FL
http://www.coastalneuropsychology.com/about/
Marissa Petralia, PhD
Premier Psychology, Naples, FL
http://www.premierpsychnaples.com/
Julia Kronholz, PhD
Utah Psychological Evaluation & Consultation, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT
https://www.utahpec.com/
Cassandra Smisson Hayes, PhD
Smisson Psychology Services, PA, Houston, TX
https://www.smissonpsychology.com/
Katie Merricks, PhD
Katie Merricks Counseling, LLC, Clearwater, FL
https://www.drkatiemerricks.com/
Elyssa Barbash, PhD
Tampa Therapy, LLC, Tampa, FL
http://tampatherapy.com/
Alicia Mahler, PhD
Freedom First Psychological Services, PLLC, Latham, NY
https://www.freedomfirstpsych.com/alicia-mahler
Theodora P. Coffman, PhD
Shoreline Psychological Services, LLC, St. Petersburg, FL
https://shorelinepsychology.com/about-us
Angela Canto, PhD
Southeastern Behavioral Health, Tallahassee, FL
https://counselingschoolpsych.com
