Curriculum Vitae
If you want more detailed information about my background, you can browse excerpts from my C.V. below.
Education
Licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts - License #9278
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
M.A., Clinical Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
B.A., Psychology, Connecticut College, New London, CT
I.B. International Baccalaureate, Paris, France
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
M.A., Clinical Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
B.A., Psychology, Connecticut College, New London, CT
I.B. International Baccalaureate, Paris, France
Certification & Continuing Education
08/08
“Introduction to the Incident Command System”, “Incident Command System for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents”, “National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction”, and “National Response Framework, an Introduction”
06/08
“From Battlefield to Street: One Uniform to Another”
05/08
“Wellness Fitness Seminar/Peer Assistance”
03/06
“Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention”
04/03
Community Crisis Response Team
12/02
“Basic Group Crisis Intervention” & “Understanding the First Responder”
08/01
Hospice Volunteer Training Program
01/01-05/01
“Principles and Techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy”
“Introduction to the Incident Command System”, “Incident Command System for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents”, “National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction”, and “National Response Framework, an Introduction”
- Independent study courses offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
06/08
“From Battlefield to Street: One Uniform to Another”
- Two-day training on the challenges faced by returning veterans, the psychological impact of combat, and the challenges of reintegrating with home and civilian life. Offered by the On-Site Academy and sponsored by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
05/08
“Wellness Fitness Seminar/Peer Assistance”
- Day-long training offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy/Commonwealth of MA Department of Fire Services.
03/06
“Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention”
- Two-day training on assisting emergency services personnel around issues of suicide of a colleague, offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy/Commonwealth of MA Department of Fire Services and sponsored by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
04/03
Community Crisis Response Team
- Two-day training in debriefing techniques for community members affected by a violent or traumatic event, offered by the Victims of Violence Program, Cambridge Health Alliance.
12/02
“Basic Group Crisis Intervention” & “Understanding the First Responder”
- Five-day Critical Incident Stress Management certification program offered by the Onsite Academy, Gardner, MA, in collaboration with members of several police, fire, and EMS agencies in the Greater Boston Area. Sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Victims Assistance and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
08/01
Hospice Volunteer Training Program
- Thirty-hour training offered at Health Care Dimensions Hospice, Waltham, MA.
01/01-05/01
“Principles and Techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy”
- Seminar presented by the CBT Center, in collaboration with the MHICM Program, at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bedford, MA.
Workshops Presented
11/11 Speak Freely - Overcoming Public Speaking Performance Anxiety (Toussaint, K.L., & Kern, J.L.)
05/11 Helping Grieving Firefighters
01/09 Working with Bereaved Individuals
06/08-07/08 Intro to Understanding Substance Abuse, Anxiety & Addiction: The Risk of Self-medication (in association with the On-Site Academy)
01/04-07/08 First Responder Wellness Program (Bolduc-Hicks, L., Toussaint, K.L., Gehan, M., & Farrow, B.)
10/07-11/07 Exploring the Roles of Meaning-making, Continuing Bonds, and Hospice Volunteering in Women’s Adaptation to a Loss Experience. (Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., et al.)
07/06 Performance Anxiety
03/05 Understanding Grief
10/04 Performance Anxiety
10/04 Performance Anxiety
09/03-12/03 Wellness for First Responders (Bolduc-Hicks, L., & Toussaint, K.L., et al.)
04/02 Grief Issues in Therapy
01/00 Diversity Workshop (Toussaint, K.L., & Parks, C.X.)
- Workshop presented in collaboration with Jessica L. Kern, LMNT, to the Orient Freemason Lodge in Norwood, MA.
- Topics addressed: what contributes to the fear of public speaking; understanding performance anxiety from a psychological and physiological perspective; and what are some psychological and physical tools to overcome our fear of public speaking?
05/11 Helping Grieving Firefighters
- Workshop presented to the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains, Duxbury, MA.
- Topics addressed: what issues are particular to the fire service, and what are the six steps to helping the bereaved?
01/09 Working with Bereaved Individuals
- Workshop presented to the Asian Mental Health Program at the Cambridge Health Alliance, Somerville, MA.
- Topics addressed: what issues must be addressed in grief therapy, important questions to ask, and what are the four goals of grief therapy?
06/08-07/08 Intro to Understanding Substance Abuse, Anxiety & Addiction: The Risk of Self-medication (in association with the On-Site Academy)
- Workshops presented to several groups of members of the Boston Emergency Medical Services department.
- Topics addressed are the biology of addiction, the social impact of the disease, the psychophysiology of the disease and intervention strategies.
01/04-07/08 First Responder Wellness Program (Bolduc-Hicks, L., Toussaint, K.L., Gehan, M., & Farrow, B.)
- Manualized workshop series program delivered to all members of the Cambridge, Lynn, and Revere Fire Departments. Workshops include:
- “Wellness – Challenges & Choices” - what is wellness, how to make changes, healthy choices & nutrition. Activity: cooking a healthy meal.
- “Stress & the First Responder” - psychophysiology of stress, stress as a first responder, stress management, alcohol and drugs, & massage therapy. Activity: chair massages.
- “Secondary Trauma & Self-Care” - secondary trauma, traumatic stress, critical incidents, & treatment options. Activity: relaxation training via biofeedback computer game.
- Advanced workshops series program delivered to all members of the Cambridge Fire Department. Workshops include:
- “Firefighter Fitness” - offered in partnership with the CFD F.I.T. Program. Discusses physical fitness. Activity: exercises tailored to the job.
- “Firefighter Nutrition” - offered in partnership with H. Hendrickson from Fit for Fun. Discusses advanced nutrition topics. Activity: cooking a healthy meal.
- “Resiliency & Strength in Stressful Times” – what are resilience and burnout as applied to firefighters. Activity: yoga session guided by B. Lauck from Five Points Yoga.
10/07-11/07 Exploring the Roles of Meaning-making, Continuing Bonds, and Hospice Volunteering in Women’s Adaptation to a Loss Experience. (Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., et al.)
- Presentations of dissertation results to the Hospice and Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts (Norwood, MA), Beacon Hospice (Beverly, MA), and Epoch Hospice (Boston, MA).
07/06 Performance Anxiety
- Workshop presented to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women’s soccer team.
- Topics addressed are definition of performance anxiety, psychophysiology of stress, and behavioral and psychological coping tools to prepare for a big game.
03/05 Understanding Grief
- Workshop presented to a class of doctoral students at Suffolk University, Boston, MA.
- Topics addressed are how to work with bereaved children, family dynamics in grief, meaning-making, and therapeutic techniques.
10/04 Performance Anxiety
- Two workshops presented to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Business communication classes.
- Topics addressed are definition of performance anxiety, psychophysiology of stress, and behavioral and psychological coping tools to prepare for public speaking.
10/04 Performance Anxiety
- Workshop presented to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women’s soccer team.
- Topics addressed are definition of performance anxiety, psychophysiology of stress, and behavioral and psychological coping tools to prepare for a big game.
09/03-12/03 Wellness for First Responders (Bolduc-Hicks, L., & Toussaint, K.L., et al.)
- Workshop series pilot program delivered to two Cambridge Fire Department houses. Workshops included:
- “Wellness – Challenges & Choices”- illness & injury risk & prevention, what are wellness, mind-body connection, & mindfulness.
- “Consuming – Smoking, Eating, Drinking...” - alcohol and drugs in the fire service. Nutrition & your lifestyle presented by E. Vesterman, MS, DI.
- “Stress and the First Responder” - psychophysiology of stress, stress management, & massage.
- “Secondary Trauma & Self-Care” – what is secondary trauma, traumatic stress, self-care in the face of trauma, & meditation exercises.
04/02 Grief Issues in Therapy
- Workshop for doctoral students working at the Ballotti Learning Center practicum training, at Suffolk University, Boston, MA.
- Topics addressed are what is bereavement, what you can expect, working with the bereaved, and self-care as a mental health provider working with the bereaved.
01/00 Diversity Workshop (Toussaint, K.L., & Parks, C.X.)
- Workshop presented at the Ballotti Learning Center tutor training at Suffolk University, Boston, MA.
- Topics addressed are what kinds of diversity can be an issue between therapist and client, what kinds of discrimination exist in our society, and self-exploration exercises to understand our own biases better as individuals and therapists.
Clinical Experience
01/11 - 01/14
Owner of private practice in Lexington, MA
11/07 - 04/11
Clinician at On-Site Academy in Garner, MA
Fall 2009
Consulting Staff Clinician at the UMass Dartmouth Counseling Center
03/05 - 03/08
Co-Founder & Wellness Coach for the First Responder Wellness Program
at the Victims of Violence Program of the Cambridge Health Alliance
09/04 - 05/06
Doctoral Intern at the UMass Dartmouth Counseling Center
10/02 - 06/04
Lead Advocate on the 9/11 Families & First Responders Support Team
at the Victims of Violence Program of the Cambridge Health Alliance
01/02 - 06/05
Bereavement Professional at The Children's Room, Center for Grieving Children & Teenagers, Inc.
09/01 - 12/01
Bereavement Intern (Practicum student) at HealthCare Dimensions Hospice
09/00 - 05/01
Practicum student at the Mental Health Intensive Case Management Program at the Bedford VA Hospital
05/00 - 08/00
Intern at the Cambridge Health Alliance Geriatric Service
09/99 - 05/00
BLC Counselor (Practicum student) at the Ballotti Learning Center at Suffolk University
09/96 - 05/97
Intern at the Southeastern Connecticut AIDS Project (SECAP)
Consulting Experience
2011-2013 - MetroBoston Critical Incident Stress Management Team (Clinical Director)
2003-2009 - MetroBoston Critical Incident Stress Management Team (Active Member)
2003-2008 - Community Crisis Response Team, Victims of Violence Program, Cambridge Health Alliance (Active Member)
10/01-09/02 - Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts September 11 Task Force (Active Member)
2003-2009 - MetroBoston Critical Incident Stress Management Team (Active Member)
2003-2008 - Community Crisis Response Team, Victims of Violence Program, Cambridge Health Alliance (Active Member)
10/01-09/02 - Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts September 11 Task Force (Active Member)
Publications, Conference Presentations & Posters
Bolduc-Hicks, L., Mendelsohn, M., & Toussaint, K.L. (2007). Promoting Wellness and Resilience Among Firefighters. Trauma Psychology Newsletter, Spring/Summer 2007, 14-17.
Moderator for Ray,S., Alvarez, A., Hopgood, C., & Noerdin, M.T. (2010, November). Perspective on loss and bereavement. Panel presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Ray, S., Toussaint, K.L., Wolfe, T, & Gallewale, B. (2010, November). Overcoming adversity: Women’s resiliency and post traumatic growth. Panel presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., & Gehan, M. (2010, June). Tips and resources for wellness from the First Responder Wellness Program. Presentation at the Professional Fire Fighters of MA and International Association of Fire Fighters “John J. Jennings Education Seminar & Legislative Convention” (Westborough, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., & Raposo, L.M (2008, March). A residential treatment model for emergency services personnel. Presented at the “Addressing secondary trauma among first responders: Prevention and intervention” symposium at APA Work, Stress, and Health Conference (Washington, DC).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Harkins, D., Basseches, M., Silverman, P.R., Grant, H., Gehan, M, Friel, L.M., Robinson, S., Roy, K.F., & Toussaint, J. (2008, August). Life, death, and meaning-making among hospice volunteers. Poster presentation at APA Annual Convention (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Harkins, D., Grant, H., Gehan, M, Friel, L.M., Robinson, S., Roy, K.F., & Toussaint, J. (2009, April). Loss and intervention – Meaning-making, continuing bonds and hospice volunteering. Paper presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Horikoshi, A., & Ide, K. (2002, February). Attitudes towards death and bereavement among Caucasian American and Japanese students. Poster presentation at “Attending to Psychosocial Issues Near the End of Life – A SPSSI-Sponsored International Conference” (Cleveland, OH).
Werth, Jr., J.L., Blevins, D., Toussaint, K.L., & Durham, M.R. (2002). The influence of cultural diversity on end-of-life care and decisions. American Behavioral Scientist, 46, 204-219.
Moderator for Ray,S., Alvarez, A., Hopgood, C., & Noerdin, M.T. (2010, November). Perspective on loss and bereavement. Panel presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Ray, S., Toussaint, K.L., Wolfe, T, & Gallewale, B. (2010, November). Overcoming adversity: Women’s resiliency and post traumatic growth. Panel presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., & Gehan, M. (2010, June). Tips and resources for wellness from the First Responder Wellness Program. Presentation at the Professional Fire Fighters of MA and International Association of Fire Fighters “John J. Jennings Education Seminar & Legislative Convention” (Westborough, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., & Raposo, L.M (2008, March). A residential treatment model for emergency services personnel. Presented at the “Addressing secondary trauma among first responders: Prevention and intervention” symposium at APA Work, Stress, and Health Conference (Washington, DC).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Harkins, D., Basseches, M., Silverman, P.R., Grant, H., Gehan, M, Friel, L.M., Robinson, S., Roy, K.F., & Toussaint, J. (2008, August). Life, death, and meaning-making among hospice volunteers. Poster presentation at APA Annual Convention (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Harkins, D., Grant, H., Gehan, M, Friel, L.M., Robinson, S., Roy, K.F., & Toussaint, J. (2009, April). Loss and intervention – Meaning-making, continuing bonds and hospice volunteering. Paper presentation at Knowledge Globalization Conference (Boston, MA).
Toussaint, K.L., Ray, S., Horikoshi, A., & Ide, K. (2002, February). Attitudes towards death and bereavement among Caucasian American and Japanese students. Poster presentation at “Attending to Psychosocial Issues Near the End of Life – A SPSSI-Sponsored International Conference” (Cleveland, OH).
Werth, Jr., J.L., Blevins, D., Toussaint, K.L., & Durham, M.R. (2002). The influence of cultural diversity on end-of-life care and decisions. American Behavioral Scientist, 46, 204-219.