Jim Matta

Disciplines/Field of Instruction

• Director of Clinical Mental Health track for the Masters of Arts & Counseling Program

• Appointed program director of the Master of Arts in Counseling Program at Geneva College in January of 2021.  Have been a faculty member of the program since 2008.

Education

• Ed.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision, Duquesne University, 2004
• M.S.Ed. in Counselor Education, Duquesne University, 1999
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Edinboro University, 1986
• B.A. in Psychology, Edinboro University, 1984

Courses Taught

• CNS 514: Human Development
• CNS 521: Counseling Skills
• CNS 545: Addiction Counseling
• CNS 595: Advanced Assessments
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship
• Clinical Mental Health Counseling Practicum
• Counseling Theory
• Process Addiction
• Professional Issues and Ethics in Mental Health Counseling
• Psychopathology and Diagnosis
• Psychopharmacology

Publications

• Matta, Sr., J.K., Matta, D.S., & Matta, T.F. (2011). Retraining and Second Careers in Declining Job Market. In J. Samide, G. Eliason, & J. Patrick. (Eds.). Career Development in Higher Education (pp. 343-355). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum.
• Matta, T.F., Matta, D., & Matta, Sr., J.K. (2010). Mentoring Moments. National Council on Family Relations, April, 2010. Available at: http://www.ncfr.org/?pdf/mentor_stories/Mentoring_Moments.pdf
• Cornelius, J.R., Bukstein, O.G., Clark, D.B., Matta, Sr., J.K., & Salloum, I.M. (2007). Fluoxetine Trial for the Cannabis-Related Symptoms of Comorbid Adolescents.  In T.A. Walcott (ed.), Drug and Alcohol Abuse Research Focus (pp. 1-6). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
• Cornelius, J.R., Bukstein, O.G., Clark, D.B., Matta, Sr., J.K., & Salloum, I.M., & Wood, S. (2007). Fluoxetine Trial for the Cannabis-Related Symptoms of Comorbid Adolescents. Journal of Drug Abuse, Education, and Eradication.
• Cornelius, J.R., Clark, D.B., Bukstein, O.G., Birmaher, B., Kelly, T.M., Salloum, I.M., Walters, M., Matta, Sr., J.K., & Wood, S. (2006). Fluoxetine in Adolescents with Comorbid Major Depression and an Alcohol Use Disorder: a Five-year Follow-up Study. Journal of Dual Diagnosis 2:9-23
• Johnson, B., Brent, D.A., Bridge, J., Connolly, J., Matta, J., Constantine,  D., Rather, C., & White, T. (1995). Familial Aggregation of Adolescent Personality Disorders. Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
• Brent, D.A., Johnson, B., Bartle, S.V., Bridge, J., Rather, C., Matta, J.K., Connolly, J., & Constantine, D. (1993). Personality Disorder: Tendency to Impulsive Violence and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents. Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
• Matta, T.F., Matta, Sr., J.K., & Matta, D. S., (2019).  The Changing Landscape of Career Development in Higher Education.  In G. Eliason, T. Eliason, J. Samide, & J. Patrick. (Eds.). Career Development Across the Lifespan (pp.825-841). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum. 

Presentations

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Minchen, B., Barnhart, C., Richardson, K., Rittinger, J. Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, State College, PA. November 2019.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., National Counselor Licensure Endorsement Process: Moving Towards Portability. Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, State College, PA. November 2019. 

• Dotson-Blake, K., Matta, Sr. J.K., Shlemon, P., Process and Potential: Counselors as Leaders and Board Directors.  Annual Conference of American Counselor Educator & Supervision, Seattle, WA, October 2019. 

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Staring into the Abyss: Identifying, Understanding and Treating Substance Use Disorder.  Psi Chi Induction Ceremony at Geneva College. Beaver Falls, PA. September 2019.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Matta, C.L. Understanding Some of the Mysteries of Human Behavior: Exploring Issues, Challenges and Approaches to Substance Addiction.  First International Addictions Conference held in Port Lois, Mauritius. June 2019.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Belisky, R., Boudreaux, E., & Solares, K. Integrating Treatment Approaches to Address Adolescent Comorbidity.  Beaver County School Counseling Association Meeting, Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA November 2018.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Belisky, R., Boudreaux, E., & Solares, K. Integrating Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Address Adolescent Comorbidity Issues. Annual Conference of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Pittsburgh, PA. November 10, 2018. 

• Matta, Sr. J.K., & Pickutt, R. Portability & Endorsement-Part I: An Interactive State Discussion.  Annual Conference of the National Board of Certified Counselors’ State Licensing Boards Meeting, Minneapolis MN, September 20, 2018.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., & Pickutt, R. National Counselor Licensure Endorsement Process Update.  Annual Conference of the National Board of Certified Counselors’ State Licensing Boards Meeting, Minneapolis MN, September 21, 2018.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., & Pickutt, R. Portability & Endorsement-Part II: An Interactive State Discussion.  Annual Conference of the National Board of Certified Counselors’ State Licensing Boards Meeting, Minneapolis MN, September 21, 2018.

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Schrecengost, R., Prugar, A., Brokenshire, A., & Minchen, B. Using MI with Adolescents: Mediating Issues of Resistance, Ambivalence and Change.   Annual Conference of the American Counseling Association, Atlanta, GA, April 2018.

• Approximately 60 career presentations at international, national, state, and local professional events and conferences.

Media Presentations

• Matta, Sr. J.K., KDKA Drug Summit. Represented Geneva College as an expert panelist at a community event to address the opioid crisis being experienced within our communities.  This discussion was a 3-hours radio program and had an in-person audience of a few hundred.  Pittsburgh, PA April 2018.

Grants

• Matta, Sr. J.K., Shiderly, S., and Impellizzeri, J. (2019).  Grant Approved.  Master of Arts in Counseling Resources for Opioid (MACRO) Workforce Enhancement Program.  Grant funded through the Bureau of Health Workforce in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program (OWEP) Professionals.  Application Tracking Number: 166850. 

  Awarded funding from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Clinical Researcher’s Loan Repayment Program to investigate effective treatment intervention strategies for adolescents and young adults identified with comorbid substance use disorder and Major Depressive Disorder (8/1/06 – 8/1/08).  During this period there was extensive mentoring targeting the publishing and presenting of research findings from a leading principal investigator in the comorbidity field, in-depth research trainings and workshops developed by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for the purposes of developing scientific practitioners, and extensive training in research grant writing through seminars.

Awards and Distinctions

• Recipient of the 2021 Pennsylvania Counseling Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Affiliations, e.g., membership in professional organizations, etc.

• Board Member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors
• Chair Faculty Advisor for Chi Sigma Iota, the international honorary society for counselors

• Board member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.  Served two terms between 2008 to 2018.  Was Chair of the Board for last two-years of the second term.  Note of distinction: happened to be only the second LPC to serve as Chair of the board.

• Served as President of the American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB).  This is the organization of state boards that regulate the practice of counseling.  Elected by state board members of AASCB to serve as the President position of the American Association of State Counseling Boards in January of 2017.  This was a three-year commitment that ended on December 31, 2020.  Note of distinction: happened to be the first ever AASCB President hailing from Pennsylvania.