Since retiring from his medical profession in 2021, Dr. Messina has been focusing on his blog on his website, Coping.us
ROCHESTER, MN, February 15, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present James John Messina, PhD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Messina celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
For more than 40 years, Dr. Messina was a prominent psychologist who focused his career on clinical mental health counseling. In addition to maintaining a private practice from 1980 to 2010, he served as a private consultant for staff development and training programs and as an evaluator for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Dr. Messina held various positions in the field as well, including as a behavioral health consultant for several health care facilities throughout the state of Florida and as a counselor at Cotler Health Care Psychology Services Inc. in Wellington, Florida.
Dr. Messina also enjoyed a distinguished tenure in academia, beginning as an adjunct professor in counseling and applied behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1977. Dr. Messina subsequently upheld faculty appointments at several other institutions, including Johns Hopkins University Columbia Graduate Center, the Florida Mental Health Institute, the University of Florida, the University of Tampa, and Troy University.
Aside from his responsibilities as a counselor and educator, Dr. Messina had the opportunity to serve as an expert witness involving individuals with developmental disabilities for more than 25 years. Dr. Messina also served as a consultant-lead trainer at CORE, as a consultant/trainer at BayCare Health Services, and, among other commitments, as a consultant, website designer, editor, and writer on behalf of The Unicorn Children's Foundation.
Since retiring from his medical profession in 2021, Dr. Messina has been focusing on his blog on his website, Coping.us, which has been in existence since 2000. His website notably features 16 of the books that he has written throughout the course of his career, as well as various relevant works on mental health. Among his many written works, Dr. Messina has published "PATHFINDER Parenting: Tools for Raising Responsible Children," "Gerontology: A Training Resource," and "Dealing with the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic: A Training Resource."
Avid of contributing to community-wide initiatives, Dr. Messina co-founded and served as the president of Be-COS, Inc. with his wife, a charitable organization, between 2010 and 2016 and as the clinical director of the Be-COS Counseling and Outreach Center from 2011 to 2013. The nonprofit, in partnership with The Salvation Army in Tampa, Florida, focused on helping the homeless community and offered a counseling center and a kitchen to train individuals in the hospitality business. Dr. Messina has also volunteered with the American Red Cross and the Covenant Communities for Worship, Living, and Training, has served as a consultant on behalf of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, Diaconate Board of Admissions and Scrutinies, as a clinical director of mental health counseling ministry at Saint Mark's the Evangelist Church in Tampa, and, among other activities, as a volunteer psychological consultant for the Francis House, an advocacy and support center for people with HIV and AIDS.
Highly educated, Dr. Messina earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy at the Catholic University of America in 1968, followed by a Master of Art in education and a Doctor of Philosophy in counseling psychology at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York, in 1970 and 1974, respectively. He also completed postgraduate coursework in community mental health at the National Institute of Health, University of Florida, in 1974. Additional educational pursuits to Dr. Messina's credit include numerous certifications, including as a nationally certified clinical mental health counselor and licensed psychologist in the State of Florida.
Dr. Messina is the co-founder and former second president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association. Among other industry-related affiliations, he is a member of the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association and a lifetime member of the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association.
In honor of his accomplishments, Dr. Messina has been recognized as the Florida Mental Health Counselor of the Year and with an Appreciation Award from Troy University and a Leadership Award from the American Mental Health Counselors Association. Dr. Messina was also named as the Volunteer of the Year by The Salvation Army.
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