Meet the Faculty

Dr. Deborah McMakin

Associate Professor, Program Coordinator

B.A., Framingham State University; M.A. The George Washington University; M.S.W., Boston University; Ed.D., University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Email: dmcmakin@framingham.edu

Dr. McMakin is the Counseling Psychology Program Coordinator and Internship Coordinator. She also teaches a variety of undergraduate psychology courses.

Deborah has over 15 years of experience working with children and adolescents identified as “emotionally disturbed” in residential, day treatment and outpatient settings. She has been a residential counselor, group and individual therapist. Deborah earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Framingham State College, a master’s degree in Special Education and Human Development from the George Washington University (GWU), a MSW from Boston University, and a Doctorate in Education from UMASS Lowell.  She has taught the following graduate courses: Orientation to Counseling, Professional Issues in Mental Health Counseling, Group, Theories of Psychotherapy and Internship. She recently earned Level 1 Solution-Focused Practitioner Certification in Solution-Focused Practices. 

Dr. Robert Donohue

Professor, Program Advisor and Prospective Student Advisor

B.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst; M.A. University of Florida; Ph.D. University of Florida

Email: rdonohue@framingham.edu

Dr. Donohue has served as an advisor to the program for 6 years and teaches CPSY 956 Advanced Principles of Learning and Development.

Dr. Donohue's research training is in infant cognitive development and developmental psychophysiology.

Dr. Rupal Bhatt, LMHC

Visiting Assistant Professor

B.A., Mount Holyoke College; Psy.D., University of Hartford, LMHC

Email: rbhatt@framingham.edu

Dr. Bhatt has been teaching in the program since 2014. She enjoys making her course material accessible to a variety of learners. She teaches CPSY 925 Adult Psychopathology, CPSY 945 Multicultural Counseling, & CPSY 966 Assessment, Diagnosis, & Treatment Planning.

She has a background in community and emergency mental health services. She currently works in the Framingham State University Counseling Center.

Dr. Patricia Elisnord-Ehiabhi

Adjunct Professor

B.A. Stonehill College; M.S. and Ph.D. Springfield College

Email: pelisnord@framingham.edu

Dr. Patricia Elisnord-Ehiabhi earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Stonehill College, a master’s and doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from Springfield College. Patricia’s training focuses on diversity, social justice, and addiction recovery. Her clinical experiences include individual and group work with culturally diverse youth, college students, and adults in inpatient and outpatient settings.  Her primary research interest examines racial microaggressions in academic settings. Additionally, she serves as a counseling psychologist at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital working with veterans managing co-occurring disorders and homelessness .

Dr. T. Bridgett Galvin

Professor, Program Advisor

B.A., M.Ed., Central State University; Ph.D., University of Oklahoma

Email: bperry@framingham.edu

Dr. T. Bridgett Galvin received her B.A. in Special Education and an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Central State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oklahoma. She routinely teaches the following undergraduate courses: General Psychology, Adolescent Development, Psychology of Personality, Human Sexuality, Research Methods I & II, Senior Thesis, Senior Seminar (Peace & Conflict). She served for 15 years as the Program Director and Advisor for the MA in Counseling Psychology. She currently serves as one of two advisors for the program. She teaches Orientation to Counseling, Advanced Development and Learning and Understanding Social Science Research for the graduate program when needed. Her office is 244 in O'Connor Hall.

 

Jennifer Hurley, LMHC

Visiting Instructor

B.A., University of Connecticut; M.A. Framingham State University

Email: jhurley10@framingham.edu

Jenn Hurley currently is working in private practice in Hopkinton MA. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Connecticut, Jenn moved to Massachusetts and worked with children with autism in a residential program utilizing applied behavioral analysis. During that time, she completed her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Framingham State College. Upon graduating, she started working at a community health agency until she obtained her LMHC, then transitioned to private practice in 2015. Jenn has been volunteering as a board member at MaMHCA for the last several years and enjoys participating in various projects with the organization. When not working, Jenn enjoys traveling and hiking around with her family, especially at national parks.

Maura Kelly

Visiting Instructor

B.A. University of New Hampshire; M.S & CAGS, Suffolk University

Email: mkelly26@framingham.edu

My name is Maura Kelly, she/her. I am currently the clinical director at Wayside Youth and Family in Medford, MA. I complete my undergrad at the University of New Hampshire and graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling at Suffolk University. I have experience in working in a variety of mental health settings and levels of care, mainly focused around work with children, adolescents, and families. I believe that the internship experience is so important in discovering individual strength and passion in this work and look forward to supporting students through this process. I also believe that maintaining an equity lens in all contexts, particularly related to work with clients, is so important for the client relationships, progress in our work, and our own personal growth and development.

 

Dr. Maria Masotta

Visiting Assistant Professor

B.A., Hartwick College; M.S., Psyc.D., Nova Southeastern University

Email: mmasotta@framingham.edu

Dr. Masotta obtained her B.A. from Hartwick College and PsyD in Clinical Psychology with a Specialization in Forensic Psychology. She has a post-graduate certificate in Forensic Mental Health from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Law and Psychiatry Program. She has been teaching various courses at Framingham State University since 2003.

April Middleton, MA, LMHC

Instructor

B.A. Framingham State College; M.A, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology

Email: amiddleton@framingham.edu

April has years of experience working in the mental health professions. She has worked in academic institutions, community mental health centers, outpatient mental rehabilitation facilities, and residential treatment centers. She believes in the benefit of Group Process in Counseling class with her prior knowledge and skill working with youth, adolescents, and adults. At several academic institutions, including Framingham State University, she has been trained to intake, process, and distribute personal/private information for the benefit of the consumer. During April’s professional career, she was educated to become a more culturally competent mental health professional. Utilizing a culturally sensitive model to guide services provided, has helped her establish trusting relationships with clients. She has successfully facilitated psycho-social rehabilitation and skills training groups, clinical supervision individually and group in many therapeutic settings. The above are concepts we are going to explore. Her belief is together we can further contribute to the growing knowledge of academic functions in the mental health field. Framingham State University has a reputation for educating and supporting people, and giving them opportunities to evolve into higher functioning members of society. As an alumnus, April is proud to become further involved in giving back to this community.

Esther Merritt, LMHC

Visiting Instructor

B.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst; M.A., Boston University School of Medicine (Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine)

Email: emerritt@framingham.edu

Esther Merritt has been in clinical practice since 2011, and in private practice in Framingham, MA since 2016. In a previous career life, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Massachusetts, and then worked in advertising in a large media agency in Boston. After a few years Esther realized she was missing meaning and purpose in her work and decided to go back to school for what she was meant to do all along. During graduate school, at Boston University School of Medicine, she interned in a partial hospital for adolescents, and in the counseling center at Boston University. After graduating in 2011, she worked towards licensure in outpatient community and private settings working with a range of ages, diagnoses, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultures.

 

In 2013 Esther became independently licensed as an LMHC, and also started teaching in the Undergraduate Psychology Department here at FSU. Shortly after she began teaching in the Masters Counseling Program, and has has taught Professional Issues and Ethics, Theories of Psychotherapy, and Orientation to Counseling Practice. Esther has previously served on the board of the non profit Arredondo Family Foundation to educate around, prevent, and respond to veteran suicide and support the families of those affected.  In her practice, Turning Leaf Counseling, she has focused on clients who are in high school, are college aged, and adults. She helps people dealing life transitions, first responders, experiencing grief, other therapists and helping professionals, adults whom were adopted as children, LGBTQIA’s+, perfectionism and it’s consequences, to name a few.  When not working, Esther spends most of her time with her husband, two young sons, and their Goldendoodle. She’s a fan of knitting, painting, LEGOs, hiking, kayaking (though admittedly it’s been years), audio books, and a good funny podcast.

Jodie Nierintz

Visiting Instructor

B.A. Assumption College; Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, Antioch University

Email: jnierintz@framingham.edu

Jodie Nierintz, LMFT, currently serves as the Director of Clinical Operations at Telemynd. In this role, she manages a nationwide Teletherapy provider network. Jodie has played many roles in the behavioral health care field over the past 20 years. In her previous role she was a Senior Program Director of a non-profit mental health agency. Jodie earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Assumption College and her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University. When not working, Jodie engages in her hobby of photography and volunteers as a baseball coach and Boy Scout leader. She also enjoys various outdoor activities with her family.

Ms. Allison Parks

Visiting Instructor

B.A., SUNY Potsdam; M.A., Marywood University

Email: aparks@framingham.edu

Allison Parks, LMHC, ATR-BC is the Program Director for Wayside Youth and Family Support Network’s FamilyWorks Program. She received a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and Counseling Psychology from Marywood University in Scranton, PA. Upon graduation, Allison worked for Hospice of Jefferson County, in Watertown, NY where she completed her final internship and compiled the data for completion of her thesis, “Art Therapy with Children Dealing with Issues of Death and Dying.”

In 1996, Allison moved to the Boston Area and began working for Westwood Lodge Hospital’s Special Care Unit, a long-term, DMH- funded, psychiatric unit for children ages 5 through 12. For five years, Allison served as the Milieu Coordinator where she structured all therapeutic groups, supervised direct care staff, and coordinated all unit activities and family functions. Allison then expanded her clinical expertise in the area of home based counseling services with Wayside’s FamilyWorks Program, a non-profit community based program serving individuals and families in the MetroWest area. Allison began as a Clinician with FamilyWorks and was soon after promoted to Program Coordinator and clinical supervisor. After two years, Allison was further promoted to the role of Program Director for the FamilyWorks Program, which employs a staff of approximately forty Clinicians and Youth and Family Support Workers. Allison continues to provide direct clinical services to individuals and families, as well as serve on several community organizations in MetroWest and Metro-Boston.