Our NATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT MONTH CELEBRATION is a half-day conference with two sessions to enjoy. You will be eligible for up 2 NBCC CEs upon completion of the conference and submission of a survey.
Session I: Our Ever-Evolving Dilemma: How Do I Avoid Burnout?
Dr. Pitre will briefly discuss the history behind burnout, offer concepts from the field, and present an innovative strategy to managing the symptoms of burnout. Participants will be guided to reflect on their own experiences and will be able to apply the knowledge gained to both their own career as well as to those they are guiding in their career.
Speaker: Dr. Renee Pitre is a registered drama therapist, a board certified drama therapist, a licensed professional counselor, and a licensed mental health counselor. She is the Director of Mental Health and Wellness Services at Post University. Nationally, she has taught master’s level therapist-in-training students at New York University, California Institute of Integral Studies, and currently teaches at Lesley University. Internationally, Dr. Pitre has taught trauma treatment and embodied clinical supervision in China, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and the UK.
Dr. Pitre’s interests in burnout and vicarious trauma stem from her experiences while working with those who had experienced severe psychological, physical, and sexual trauma. Having written extensively on the impact of trauma on our overall being and developing expressive, creative, and playful ways to aid people in desensitization and differentiation, Dr. Pitre took her own pause to begin a family and shift her career even more towards higher education. Finding that ever-evolving balance between work and life, she is looking forward to providing some
Session II: Is the 5-Day Work Week a Thing of the Past?
Drs. Haynes-Thoby and Prescod will discuss the relevancy of a traditional 5-day work week in comparison to other more creative options. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the traditional work week was challenged, which forced many employers to pivot to an all virtual or hybrid work schedule. Since that time, research has shown the many benefits of non-traditional work schedules. Our session will explore the benefits of non-traditional work schedules along with populations who have seen significant positive changes in work-life balance due to these changes.
Speakers: Dr. Latoya Haynes-Thoby and Dr. Diandra J. Prescod
Dr. Latoya Haynes-Thoby is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Connecticut. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and MEd in Counselor Education at the Pennsylvania State University. She is a licensed professional counselor in the states of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, she is an Approved Clinical Supervisor, and a Nationally Certified Counselor. She also holds certifications in treatment for clinical trauma; domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking for the past 20 years; global mental health trauma and recovery; and she is a child sexual abuse prevention trainer. Dr. Haynes-Thoby is also Secretary for the Connecticut Career Counseling and Development Association, and Vice President Elect of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division E. She is a 2015 National Board for Certified Counselors master’s fellow, a 2018 National Board for Certified Counselors doctoral fellow, a 2018 ACES Emerging Leaders Fellow, and a 2019 member of the Career Educator Academy.
Her work explores the benefits of culturally responsive trauma-informed counseling that promotes resilience and thriving, especially for marginalized populations. Using a critical lens, her research focuses on issues such as individual and community healing from trauma; trauma-informed counseling and supervision; and resilience; including the impact of trauma on career development across the lifespan.
Dr. Haynes-Thoby is passionate about counselor training and the operationalization of practices that promote thriving after trauma. One of her most recent publications “‘It’s About Time That We Listened:’ Black Women’s Resilience in the Face of IPV” centers the experience of Black women survivors and was featured on https://phys.org/. Her body of research centers career development, counselor development, trauma, and resilience at the individual, family, community, and system-level. Amongst recent publications, she recently co-authored Foundations in Becoming a Professional Counselor: Advocacy, Social Justice,and Intersectionality with Springer, a first-of-its-kind introduction to the counseling profession rooted in intersectionality.
She is a guest editor for The Professional Counselor, an editorial board member for Teaching and Supervision in Counseling, ad-hoc reviewer for Counselor Education and Supervision, and she serves as a member of the Advisory Council for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Foundation, amongst other roles that support counselors, our students, and the clients that we serve. The fruit of her service includes the development of a trauma-informed career intervention for the Association for Group Work (ASGW) following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, an approach to implementation for homeless and housing service workers during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic at in Alachua County, FL, and current work that highlights the operationalization of trauma-informed supervision for new counselors and counselors in training, funded by the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). She continues to serve as a member of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) Research Committee, and she is a national speaker in areas of trauma and thriving across the developmental lifespan.
Dr. Diandra J. Prescod is Interim Department Head for the Department of Education Psychology and Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Counselor Education at the University of Connecticut. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Certified Career Services Provider. From 2020-2023 she served as NCDAs Trustee for Higher Education Career Counselors and Specialists. In her role as trustee, Dr. Prescod created the Career Teaching Academy, which supports career professionals who teach undergraduate career planning courses.
Dr. Prescod’s research focuses on effective career development interventions for STEM undergraduate students and underrepresented students in higher education. She has almost 15 years of counseling experience, numerous publications in academic journals, and $3M in external funding. She has 85 academic presentations and has presented all across the US, and in countries including Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, and the Netherlands. In 2024, she was the recipient of NCDA’s Merit Award and the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision’s Counselor Educator of the Year.
Questions? Contact Diandra J. Prescod, Diandra.Prescod@UConn.edu
