Danyel Cousins
Quincy,MA
Summary
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with over 10 years experience working with adolescents, young adults, and their families, utilizing an eclectic approach for individual, group, and family therapy. Have experience being apart of administrative teams, directly supervising clinical and non-clinical staff. Thrive in a fast-pace environment, with the skills to take the lead, collaborate and support multi-disciplinary teams. Have excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience in writing clinical assessments, treatment plans, notes, behavior support plans and maintain all required documentation.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Mental Health Director
Conservatory Lab Charter School
06.2022 - Current
- Clinically supervised two school-based clinicians as well as developed, implemented and supervised a school counseling internship program
- Maintained a caseload of students with acute mental/behavioral health presentations
- Maintain all relevant clinical documentation, and reviewed/supported the writing of the counseling team’s clinical writing
- In collaboration with the administrative team, created the School's Yearly Work Plan, goals, and objectives of the planned outcomes for the school year across all domains, academics, music, culture, and social-emotional
- Attend weekly Administrative team meetings to monitor and support the day-to-day operations, continued communication around the year goals, and any relevant information sharing that was necessary for the rest of the leaders of the school
- Plans, develops, monitors, evaluates, and administers an inclusive model of service delivery through leadership, cooperation, collaboration, and partnerships to develop programs and projects related to providing a continuum of school-based mental health and wellness services
- Coordinate a wrap-around system of care (i.e., manage student referrals to outside agencies, support parents to obtain these services and evaluations, collaborate with outside specialists, advocate for children and families, etc.) that integrates school, family, and community agencies and provides a strengths-based approach to ensure the learning and growth of all students
- Coordinate, and conduct activities that contribute to the effective operation of a universal system of social-emotional and behavioral supports for the school community (e.g., professional development, workshops, parent education, etc.)
- Collaborate with school leaders on issues related to school climate and program and staff development in order to contribute to an environment where the needs of all members of the school community are met
- Collaborate and lead with other administrators to lead 8th-grade transition process.
Upper School Counselor
Conservatory Lab Charter School
09.2018 - 06.2022
- Deliver individual and group counseling services to support students’ social, emotional, and behavioral health and well-being
- Maintain efficient and effective counseling notes for all students on the counseling caseload, in addition to any student that was met with not on the caseload
- Implement developmentally appropriate and prevention-orientated group activities to meet student needs and school goals (e.g., developing healthy peer relationships, bullying prevention, executive functioning skills, conflict resolution, etc.)
- Provide push-in therapeutic and behavior management/self-regulation support to students directly in the classroom
- Provide crisis support in collaboration with other administrators and school staff
- Provide ongoing consultation to students, teachers, parents, and administration with respect to learning differences, social-emotional development, emotional literacy, behavioral functioning, and conflict resolution
- Conduct Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and create Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) along with other social-emotional and behavioral assessments and observations
- Assist with Student Support Team (SST) and IEP processes in order to help teachers and staff develop and implement differentiated instruction and classroom management practices that meet individual student needs
- Write SMART goal(s) and objectives for service that effectively address the needs of students and monitor progress towards those goals
- Maintain all documentation required for students who received services through an Individualized Education Plan
- Manage sharing of school records for students transitioning to other schools
- Communicate with transferring school to provide records, letters of recommendation, etc
- Coordinate records transfer with school-based enrollment staff.
Clinical Director, Juvenile Detention Program
Eliot Community Human Services
08.2016 - 06.2018
- Apart of the administrative team, collaborating with the overall daily organization and operation of the program
- Supervise and implement the clinical intake, clinical individual and group sessions, and discharge process/planning in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services
- Maintained own caseload of youth, provided direct clinical support
- Responsible for clinical crisis assessments, both within the program and had a rotating schedule to support other programs in the building
- Maintained all documentation, both clinical and non-clinical as a part of the administrative team
- Completed Monthly data review and documentation to submit to the Department of Youth Services
- Organize and facilitate required clinical training; including Suicide Prevention, Trauma Focused Care/interventions for all employees of the program
- Oversee the development and integration of the program’s Behavior Support System, monitoring fidelity and integrity
- Oversee the medication, medical needs, and mental health of students
- Direct Clinical Supervisor of Residential Mental Health Clinicians
- Responsible for the Implementation of a trauma-focused framework into everyday programming: Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC)
- Create and facilitate weekly clinical groups such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Substance Abuse Prevention, and ARC.
Residential Mental Health Clinician, Juvenile Detention Program
Eliot Community Human Services
09.2013 - 02.2017
- Provide individual counseling for 7-15 adolescent males in a secure facility by developing genuine relationships while establishing appropriate boundaries
- Developed, implemented, and improved Substance Abuse Prevention and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group curriculums
- Establish and maintain contact with those involved in an adolescent’s rehabilitation, including parents/guardians, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), lawyers, and probation officers
- Conduct intake assessments and refer adolescents to appropriate resources based on their individual needs; ensure clinicians, advocates, and floor staff are aware of any safety concerns
- Create weekly clinical progress notes for each adolescent using the Juvenile Justice Electronic Management System (JJEMS).
Clinical Intern, Detention Program
Massachusetts Department of Youth Services
09.2012 - 06.2013
- Led Substance Abuse Prevention and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) groups
- Established monthly staffing schedules with adolescents and included parents/guardians and the Department of Child and Families (DCF) to discuss progress and options to enhance treatment
- Provided probation officers and the court system with an adolescent’s needs and potential conditions of probation.
Clinical Intern, Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention
Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School
09.2011 - 06.2012
- Counseled students with psychological, emotional, and behavioral conditions; conducted family therapy to enhance the treatment
- Led psycho-educational seminars discussing life goals, peer pressure, gender norms, and bullying
- Assisted students with the cultivation of coping skills and promoted verbalization of issues.
Intern, Detention Diversion Advocacy Project
Joseph Lee Middle School
- Established and managed an after-school tutoring program for children in Dorchester
- Coached and mentored children during a basketball clinic
- Observed juvenile court proceedings and the relationship between the youth advocate, youth attorney, and the child
- Conducted school visits, documented progress, and met with teachers and school administrators
- Spoke in a women’s panel that discussed opportunities and alternatives to violence and substance abuse.
Education
Master of Arts in Forensic and Counseling Psychology -
William James College (formerly known as Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology)
Boston, MA01.2013
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice - undefined
Curry College
Milton, MA01.2011
Skills
- Clinical Supervision
- Crisis Intervention
- Cultural sensitive approach
- Team Leadership
- Fast pace adaptability
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Certification
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Massachusetts- License Number 10029
- Adult, Child, Infant CPR and Standard First Aid certified
- Youth Mental Health First Aid certified
- Certified Trainer for The Enough Abuse Campaign
Professional Development
- LGBTQI and GNC Youth presented by the Department of Youth Services (attendee)
- New England School of Addiction and Prevention Conference (attendee)
- Expert Testimony Workshop – studied a juvenile case, presented expert testimony on the juvenile offender’s competency to stand trial, and withstood cross-examination in a mock trial setting
- Crime and Punishment: A Psychologist’s View from the Parole Board (attendee)
- Who Sexually Offends and Reoffends? What Works in Treatment? (attendee)
- Adolescent Substance Use and Aggression/Violence presented by the Department of Youth Services (attendee)
Timeline
Mental Health Director
Conservatory Lab Charter School
06.2022 - Current
Upper School Counselor
Conservatory Lab Charter School
09.2018 - 06.2022
Clinical Director, Juvenile Detention Program
Eliot Community Human Services
08.2016 - 06.2018
Residential Mental Health Clinician, Juvenile Detention Program
Eliot Community Human Services
09.2013 - 02.2017
Clinical Intern, Detention Program
Massachusetts Department of Youth Services
09.2012 - 06.2013
Clinical Intern, Alliance for Inclusion and Prevention
Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School
09.2011 - 06.2012
Intern, Detention Diversion Advocacy Project
Joseph Lee Middle School
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice - undefined
Curry College
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in the state of Massachusetts- License Number 10029
- Adult, Child, Infant CPR and Standard First Aid certified
- Youth Mental Health First Aid certified
- Certified Trainer for The Enough Abuse Campaign
Master of Arts in Forensic and Counseling Psychology -
William James College (formerly known as Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology)
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