Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium

The Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium, sponsored by the Psychological and Counseling Services (PCS) program, aims to:

Maintain the sense of excellence and leadership in the Psychological and Counseling Services Program that typified the work of Harold F. Cottingham
Help current students understand the ways in which their graduate education relates to diverse options for professional employment
Build a stronger sense of community among current and former students, as well as current and former faculty

2026 Cottingham Colloquium Speakers

Kara Dingess

Dr. Kara Dingess is a licensed psychologist who received her doctoral training at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She completed an internship and fellowship at Tulane University School of Medicine with an emphasis on pediatric psychology. Dr. Dingess specializes in the evaluation and treatment of children with developmental disabilities, chronic illnesses, and significant medical conditions. Her clinical interests center on positive psychology coping mechanisms, the use of service dogs, and the impact of developmental disabilities on children and their families. Dr. Dingess is an active member of the American Psychological Association (APA), including the Division 33 (Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorder), and the Society of Pediatric Psychology. In her free time, Dr. Dingess enjoys travelling the world with her husband, building Lego sets, and spending time with family and friends.

Sarah Grace Kaschak

Dr. Sarah Grace received her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Auburn University and her Master’s and Education Specialist degrees in mental health counseling from Florida State University. Sarah Grace also received her doctoral degree in administration of higher education from Auburn University. 

With a background as an eating disorder therapist and over seven years of experience managing institutional food pantries, Sarah Grace maintains expertise in the nuanced food security issues of college students. Beyond knowledge, she is incredibly passionate about providing basic needs access with a trauma-informed lens.

In the Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) at Auburn University, Sarah Grace leads the Hunger & Higher Ed initiatives, which include Hunger Free Higher Ed, Presidents United to Solve Hunger, and Universities Fighting World Hunger. Through these programs, Sarah Grace gets the opportunity to work with staff and university administrators, presidents and chancellors, and college students.

Outside of work, Sarah Grace enjoys curling up to read with her 2 cats, going for walks with her 3 dogs, or singing with her husband. Sarah Grace brings care, empathy, and laughter to all she does.

Nari Jeter

Dr. Nari Jeter is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Florida State University and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Tallahassee, Florida. Her professional work centers on helping individuals, couples, and families better understand and navigate the complexities of intimate and family relationships.

Dr. Jeter has taught in the Human Development and Family Science program at Florida State University for more than two decades. Her teaching focuses on relationships, marriage and family life, and human development, with a particular emphasis on translating relationship science into practical knowledge students can apply to their own lives and future professions. In addition to teaching, she mentors and supervises graduate students as they develop their own skills as university instructors.

As a marriage and family therapist, Dr. Jeter specializes in couple and relationship concerns, including premarital counseling, marital distress, infidelity recovery, separation and divorce, co-parenting, and stepfamily relationships. Her clinical work informs her approach to teaching, while her academic background provides a foundation for helping clients understand both the science and lived experience of relationships.

Beyond the university and therapy room, Dr. Jeter contributes her expertise on relationships and family life to national media and public conversations. Her commentary has appeared in outlets including USA Today, HuffPost, Oprah Daily, and other national publications. Through teaching, clinical practice, speaking, and media work, she is particularly interested in making relationship knowledge accessible, practical, and relevant to everyday life.

Who was Harold Cottingham?

In 1958, Dr. Harold F. Cottingham became the founder and chair of the Department of Guidance and Counseling at Florida State University. As one of the “Forty-Niners,” those young faculty who shaped the development of our current graduate research university out of the Florida State College for Women, Harold’s bold leadership laid the foundation for an academic unit that remains vibrant and strong today. Harold retired from FSU in 1980 and died in 1981 at the age of 67.

Dr. C was known for his work with groups, and he viewed such encounters as a primary vehicle in counselor training. The social interactions in classes and professional meetings were something that he enjoyed and valued. The idea of a meeting, a professional exchange in a face-to-face situation, or an informal professional colloquium would have appealed to Harold. Moreover, it is something that comes easily to counselors and counseling psychologists.

Cottingham Photo Gallery

Cottingham’s Curriculum Vitae

Cottingham Directed Dissertations List

Cottingham Obituary

An Interview with Harold F. Cottingham

An interview with Harold F. Cottingham

Giddan, N. S. (1979). An interview with Harold F. Cottingham. Professional School Counseling, 27, 214-221. Reprinted with permission, American School Counseling Association.

Past Cottingham Colloquium Photos, Videos, and Agendas

History of the Colloquium

For years, faculty and alumni have sought to establish a new program and tradition that would honor the memory and legacy of “Dr. C” as the wellspring of training for more than a thousand professional counselors and psychologists. Such recognition is long overdue. To honor this legacy, Dr. Peter Scanlon helped establish the Harold F. Cottingham Memorial Fund to provide support for colloquia focused on professional development for professional counselors, psychologists and graduate students.

Fall 2011 marked the first Harold F. Cottingham Colloquium for Professional Counselors and Psychologists, hosted by the Program in Psychological Services and the Career Center at Florida State. Distinguished speakers included College of Education alumni, Dr. Peter Scanlon and Dr. Joel Gecht of Impact Solutions, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. The colloquium was recorded and is available here.

In Fall 2012, the distinguished speakers included Dr. Jan Greenwood of Greenwood/Asher & Associates in Miramar Beach, FL. A recording of her presentation is available here. In addition, the colloquium provided a panel of distinguished private practice practitioners, including Dr. Greenwood, Dr. Peter Scanlon, executive director of South Bay Mental Health in Boston, and Dr. Joe Garmon, a licensed psychologist in Thomasville, GA. Click here to view the panel discussion.

In 2013, we honored the class of 1973 and friends and focused on the topic of creating a professional identity. Speakers included Dr. Linda Miles, Dr. Carole Minor, and Dr. Joe Padronaggio. Click here to view the presentations. Consulting from an international perspective was the topic for 2014, and included Dr. Denise Saunders and Dr. Donghyuk Lee as presenters and faculty discussants. The presentation and panel discussions can be accessed here.

For Whom is the Cottingham Colloquium Intended?

Harold was a licensed psychologist and a founder of the Eastwood Counseling Center in Tallahassee. This program is viewed as an opportunity to bridge “town and gown” relations in the counseling profession, and is open to counseling professionals in the larger community, as well as alumni, friends, faculty and students. This mix of individuals provides an opportunity for collaboration on training, practice, and research.

In addition to showcasing topics pertaining to innovative practice or research in psychological services, this Colloquium is also a social event, featuring food and a day and evening program. Harold once characterized a group meeting that was fun and productive as having a “high level of conviviality,” and thus, a goal of the event is to make this an enjoyable professional experience for all attending. The Colloquium will be held at a time of the year when important features of the University and the Tallahassee area can be incorporated into the festivities. Accomplishments of current faculty and students, as well as alumni, will be highlighted.

Make a Donation

Make a Donation to the Harold F. Cottingham Memorial Fund

Recent Entrepreneurs from FSU’s Psychological & Counseling Services

Our grads go on to do great things! Check out a few of our alumni below who have started their own businesses:

Mary-Catherine Riner, PhD
Greenville/Anderson Riner Counseling, LLC, Greenville, SC
https://rinercounseling.com/

Nolan Katz, PhD; Sheba Katz, PhD
Katz Counseling & Educational Psychology, Inc., Fort Myers, FL
http://www.katzpsychology.com/

Abigail Levrini, PhD
Psych Ed Coaches, PLLC, Jacksonville, FL
https://www.linkedin.com/in/psychedcoaches/

Stefanie J. Coppes, PhD
Coastal Neuropsychology, Clearwater, FL
http://www.coastalneuropsychology.com/about/

Marissa Petralia, PhD
Premier Psychology, Naples, FL
http://www.premierpsychnaples.com/

Julia Kronholz, PhD
Utah Psychological Evaluation & Consultation, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT
https://www.utahpec.com/

Cassandra Smisson Hayes, PhD
Smisson Psychology Services, PA, Houston, TX
https://www.smissonpsychology.com/

Katie Merricks, PhD
Katie Merricks Counseling, LLC, Clearwater, FL
https://www.drkatiemerricks.com/

Elyssa Barbash, PhD
Tampa Therapy, LLC, Tampa, FL
http://tampatherapy.com/

Alicia Mahler, PhD
Freedom First Psychological Services, PLLC, Latham, NY
https://www.freedomfirstpsych.com/alicia-mahler

Theodora P. Coffman, PhD
Shoreline Psychological Services, LLC, St. Petersburg, FL
https://shorelinepsychology.com/about-us

Angela Canto, PhD
Southeastern Behavioral Health, Tallahassee, FL
https://counselingschoolpsych.com