Mental Health Expert
About John Viola

Licensed Expert Mental Health Practitioner

I am a licensed Expert Mental Health Practitioner with over 50 years of experience. I am a psychotherapist, educator, program developer, and community organizer. I have used my Mental Health Expertise to help people, families, groups, and communities to learn, heal, and grow. I've practiced in non-profit organizations, government agencies, hospitals, courts, public schools, colleges, universities, and private practice. In the 1960s and 70s, my Mental Health Practice pioneered the development of substance abuse treatment and education programs in the New York City metropolitan area that were replicated throughout the USA. In the 80s and 90s, I focused my Mental Health Expertise on enriching child welfare programs, including; 1) custody evaluation, 2) custody mediation, 3) foster care services, 4) family reunification therapy, 5) counseling at-risk elementary school students, and 6) treatment services for dependents and wards of the Juvenile Court. My Expert Mental Health approach blends Buddhist Psychology with an eclectic mix of western science into a conversational style. I've provided counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, couples, groups, and families. My Expertise in Mental Health has been shared by supervising clinical associates and providing consultation to other health care professionals. I've developed curriculum and taught college and university subjects associated with my Mental Health Expertise. I've been a field instructor for public and private graduate schools and presented numerous papers to Educate Mentally Health in: 1) parenting, 2) communication, 3) family and personal relationships, and 4) clinical skills. I am a Qualified Expert in Mental Health and Forensic Analysis in California Juvenile, Family and Criminal Courts.

John Viola

Education

  • Continuing Professional Education 30 hrs. (specialties) and 20 hrs. (general practice) biannually.
  • MSW Adelphi University School of Social Work - Garden City, NY - Graduate Assistantship
  • BS SUNY Empire State College - Saratoga Springs, NY - Authored Degree Substance Abuse & Human Behavior

Related Experience

  • Received $12,000,000 from Governments and foundations
  • Raised $8,000,000 in local fund-raising campaigns
  • 2.5 hours television talk show credits
  • 4 hours radio talk show credits
  • Co-authored and performed an N.B.C. feature on substance abuse
  • 280 hours guest lecturing and public speaking
  • 25 hours presenting professional seminars, workshops, and papers

Volunteer Experience

  • Pro Bono Professional Services in Private Practice for uninsured individuals, couples, and families since 1984
  • Morongo Basin United Way (82-93) President 3 yrs., Campaign Chair 2 yrs., Account Executive Trainer 9 years
  • Rotary international (85-91) Counselor Foreign Exchange Program 3 yrs., Youth Service Chair 1 year
  • Parents United (84-87) Therapist for Incest Survivors and Family Members
  • Unity Home (84-87) Therapist for Battered Spouses and Children
  • Morongo Basin Child Abuse Task Force (83-86) Founder of Task Force and Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program
  • Nassau County Mental Health Board (74-80) Training and Staff Development Chair 3 years
  • Council of Youth Service Agencies (73-76) Founder of Need Assessment/Policy Development Coalition, Chair 2 years
  • N.Y.C. Mayor’s Council on Drug Abuse (70-73) Consultant to Mayor John Lindsey for Policy/Program Development
  • Joint Coalition of Community Services (69-72) Co-founder, President & Treasurer 1 yr. each, Consultant to Governor Nelson Rockefeller for Policy/Program Development

Mental Health Expert - Treating Conditions Requiring Clinical Expertise

  • Acute Stress Reactions
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Child Abuse, Neglect, and Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery
  • Child Custody Mediation
  • Clinical Consultation and Intern Supervision
  • Depressive Disorders
  • Disruptive, Impulse Control & Conduct Disorders (children, adolescents, & adults)
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Family Reunification Healing
  • Field Instruction for Social Work Students
  • Forensic Social Work Evaluations
  • Grief Counseling
  • Group Therapy
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Mental Health Evaluations for Attorneys and Courts
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
  • Personality Disorders
  • Post Traumatic Stress Reactions
  • Program Development
  • Psychodrama
  • Psychoeducation
  • Relational Problems (couples, family, social, and vocational)
  • Social Policy Analysis and Development
  • Spousal and Partner Abuse Recovery
  • Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
  • Sustainable Resilience for Troubled Teens
  • Trauma and Stress Related Disorders (Acute and Posttraumatic)
  • Victim of Crime Counseling

Professional Positions Held

  • Adelphi University School of Social Work Assistant Director continuing Education and Off-Campus Programs, taught graduate course in Social Welfare Policy and Administration
  • California State University at Fresno Curriculum Development and Instruction (Child Welfare Training Program for Child Abuse Investigators )
  • California State University at San Bernardino Field Instructor
  • Chapman College Adjunct Faculty graduate courses in sociology, education, and counseling
  • Clinical Director and Co-founder Desert Psychotherapy Institute 5/92 to 8/98 Group Mental Health Practice and Training Facility
  • Clinical Supervision for associate MSW and MFT Interns pursuing professional license
  • College of the Desert Adjunct Faculty, Sociology & Psychology
  • Copper Mountain College Adjuct Faculty, Sociology & Psychology
  • East Meadow Community Counseling Center Clinical Social Worker in mental health, developed program for acting-out adolescents
  • Loma Linda University Deptartment of Social Work Field Instructor and Clinical Supervision for M.S.W. Students
  • Long Island University curriculum development and instruction counselor training program in chemical dependency
  • Lynbrook Public School System Consultant/Lecturer curriculum development K-12 faculty training substance abuse
  • Morongo Basin Counseling Center Clinical Social worker in mental health, developed group program for chronically ill patients
  • Morongo Unified School District Consultant Instructor Curriculum Development and Instruction
    i. Adolescent Substance Abuse Program (A.S.A.P.)
    ii. Elementary School Counselor for social behavior and academic problems (Prototype for legislation creating funding for mental health services in public schools)
    iii. Parent Education
  • National Univeristy Adjunct Faculty, graduate courses in sociology, education, and counseling
  • Private Psychotherapy Practice
  • San Bernardino County Department of Social Services Child Abuse Investigator, adjudicate dependency cases, recruit and train foster parents, developed Children’s Services Unit