Director Training

Bret Menassa, PhD, LPC

**** ******* ***** ****

Corinth, Texas 76210

********@*******.***

214-***-**** cell

PERSONAL PROFILE

Clinical mental health counselor licensed as a professional counselor in Texas since 2006. Since 2009, most of my practice’s referrals are from Denton County Adult Probation. Many of my clients are returning veterans experiencing serious legal issues, including controlled substance possession, DWI, and domestic violence. Contributing factors in their offenses and difficulty finding work are often post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), serious mental illness, and severe anxiety, and depression. I am trained in both experiential and cognitive-behavioral interventions. I have specialized training and experience in addictions, trauma, and marriage and family counseling. I supervise master’s-level counselors-in-training, and teach both undergraduate and graduate counseling courses at the University of North Texas, Denton.

CORE COMPETENCIES

* Experiential psychotherapy

* Depression / Bipolar disorders

* Alcohol and drug counseling

* Post-traumatic stress disorder

* Personality disorders

* Child & family therapy

* Cognitive/Behavioral counseling

* Anxiety disorders

* Group therapy

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2009 - present Terrell Counseling - Denton, Texas

Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice

Counsel adults and adolescents, specializing in substance abuse and substance-related criminal offenses, Specializing in dual diagnoses. Counsel children and families impacted by caretakers involved in the criminal justice system. Facilitate client growth through individual therapy and psycho-educational process/training groups, including PTSD, substance abuse and recovery, theft diversion, couples and family counseling, life skills.

2007 –2009 University of North Texas Child & Family Resource Clinic - Denton, Texas

Doctoral level counselor intern

Counsel adults, adolescents, couples, and children exhibiting emotional and behavioral disorders of psycho-social etiology. Devise and implement treatment plans for clients from varied referral sources, including Denton County MHMR, community referrals, and UNT student population with diverse problems including substance dependence, unplanned pregnancy, rape, childhood trauma.

2006 –2007 Santé Center for Healing - Argyle, Texas

Master's level counselor intern, residential poly-addictions treatment center.

Psycho-social intake counselor, process group co-facilitator, psycho-educational lecturer. Teach clients the addictive cycle, the stages of change, and help clients process the impact of the underlying psychosocial stressors that contributed to their compulsive behaviors.

2004 –2005 University of North Texas Counseling & Human Development Center - Denton, Texas

Master's level counselor under the supervision of UNT faculty

Counsel adults, adolescents, couples, and children exhibiting emotional and behavioral disorders of psycho-social etiology.

2008-present University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Adjunct Professor, Teaching Fellow

Facilitate student growth on both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy.

2005-present University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Adjunct Instructor

Facilitate undergraduate student growth in the theory, techniques, and application of audio production for radio, television, film, and multimedia applications.

2003-2007 Jones Media Networks - Englewood, Colorado

Freelance radio and commercial voice talent and on-air announcer.

2000-2003 CBS Radio - Dallas, Texas

KOAI -FM Assistant Program Director, Morning and Afternoon Drive On-Air Personality

1998 -2000 Clear Channel Communications - Miami, Florida

WLVE-FM Program Director

1996-1998 Heritage Media - Kansas City, Missouri

KCIY-FM Program Director

1991-1996 The Gannett Company - Dallas, Texas

KOAI-FM Interim Program Director, Music Director, Production Director, On-Air Host

EDUCATION

2011 University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Doctor of Philosophy, Counseling

2006 University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Master of Education, Counseling

1990 University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

Bachelor of Music cum Laude, Jazz Studies

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

In-press Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention

Professional Sexual Boundary Violation and Sex Addiction: Exploring Correlation and Change Over Time.

Fall 2011 Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH) Convention, San Diego, CA

Can We Really Make A Difference?: Boundary Violating Professionals Before and After Treatment, Presenter.

Spring 2009 Journal of Professional Counseling

Theoretical Orientation and Play Therapy: Examining Therapist Role, Session Structure,

and Therapeutic Objectives.

Fall, 2008 Texas Counseling Association Convention, Houston, Texas

The Importance of the Core Conditions in the Counseling Relationship, Presenter.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Fall 2011 The Corley Research Award

Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (SASH)

Nationally-competitive prize awarded for The Relationship between Professional Sexual Boundary Violation and Sex Addiction: An Exploratory Study of Post-treatment and Retrospective Pre-treatment Dispositions, dissertation prepared for degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Counseling.

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