Assistant Professor
Counselor Education & Family Therapy
Excellence in Teaching Committee
Contact
(860) 832-2117
rpelletti@ccsu.edu
Office
Henry Barnard Hall
225-01
Biography

Dr. Rachael E. Pelletti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselor Education & Family Therapy at Central Connecticut State University. She earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Southern Connecticut State University (CACREP) and her M.S. in Counselor Education from Central Connecticut State University, specializing in Clinical Professional Counseling (CACREP).

At Central, Dr. Pelletti serves on the Excellence in Teaching Committee after receiving the Excellence in Teaching Part-Time Faculty Award in 2025. She is a member of the Center for Excellence in Social and Emotional Learning (CESEL) Steering Committee and serves as Co-Faculty Advisor for the Central Counseling Society. She promotes excellence in the counseling profession as Secondary Chapter Faculty Advisor for the Chi Alpha Mu Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International (CSI).

Dr. Pelletti is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), and Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). Her expertise in mental health, rehabilitation, and addiction counseling reflects over a decade of clinical practice across the full continuum of care, from outpatient to medically managed intensive inpatient settings.

Her scholarship focuses on multilevel stigma related to substance use disorders, with an emphasis on advancing counselor preparation and clinical practice. Dr. Pelletti has shared this work across state, national, and international forums. Most recently, she presented at the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) National Conference in 2025 and served as the lead presenter for an international webinar hosted by Chi Sigma Iota in 2026.

As part of her ongoing commitment to the counseling profession, Dr. Pelletti serves as Co-Chair of the Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA) Conference Planning Committee. She is also an active member of the CSI's Professional Member Committee, the CSI-CACREP Leadership Contest Committee, and the ACES Substance and Behavioral Addiction Counseling Interest Network.

Dr. Pelletti’s curriculum vitae provides a comprehensive overview of her professional experience and contributions.

Education
Counselor Education and Supervision
Southern Connecticut State University
2024
Counselor Education (Clinical Professional Counseling)
Central Connecticut State University
2016
Sociology (Anthropology, Psychology)
University of Connecticut
2013
Areas of Expertise

STATE LICENSURE:

  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
    State of Connecticut Department of Public Health

NATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS:

  • Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) 
    National Board for Certified Counselors
  • Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) 
    Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
  • National Certified Counselor (NCC) 
    National Board for Certified Counselors
Publications, Research & Presentations

PEER-REVIEWED PRESENTATIONS:

  • Pelletti, R., & Holt, R. (2025, October 9). Igniting change: An intersectional approach to destigmatizing substance use disorders in counselor education and supervision [50-minute education session]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) 2025 National Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
  • Pelletti, R. (2025, May 19). An intersectional counseling approach to destigmatizing substance use disorders [60-minute virtual workshop]. Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA).
  • Pelletti, R. (2023, February 23). Trauma and substance use: An intersectional approach to destigmatization [50-minute conference session]. South Carolina Counseling Association (SCCA) 59th Annual Conference, Hilton Head Island, SC, United States.
  • Pelletti, R., & Bonjo, L. (2022, July 14). Trauma and substance use: An intersectional approach to destigmatization [60-minute virtual session]. 5th Annual Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference: Youth Mental Health Promotion, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
  • Pelletti R. (2022, March 11). Cutting edge practices in teaching counseling application during a pandemic [Award-winning virtual poster presentation]. Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES).

INVITED PRESENTATIONS:

  • Pelletti, R. (2026, March 12). Destigmatizing substance use disorders in counseling [60-minute guest lecture]. Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, United States.
  • Pelletti, R., Tift., J., & Prince, A. (2026, February 17). Breaking barriers: Destigmatizing substance use disorders in professional counseling practice [60-minute webinar]. Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International.
  • Pelletti, R. (2025, September 30). Substance use disorders: An Educational Talk [60-minute educational talk]. Central Community Health Education Clinic, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, United States.
  • Pelletti, R. (2025, March 7). Functional and vocational implications of psychiatric conditions and substance use disorders [3-hour guest lecture]. Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, United States.
  • Pelletti, R. (2024, November 4). A brief overview and application of Consensual Qualitative Research [90-minute guest lecture]. Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, United States.
  • Pelletti, R. (2023, August 8). Substance use within the family system: An overview of potential role structures and relational processes [60-minute guest lecture]. Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, United States.
  • Pelletti, R. (2023, May 15). A family affliction: Impact of substance use on children and families [60-minute virtual presentation]. Monticello central school district, Monticello, NY, United States.
Awards & Grants

AWARDS:

  • Excellence in Teaching Honor Roll, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT — Recipient, 2026
  • Marijane Fall Counselor Educator of the Year, North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) — Nominee, 2025
  • Excellence in Teaching Part-Time Award, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT — Recipient, 2025
  • Excellence in Teaching Honor Roll, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT — Recipient, 2024
  • Outstanding Service in Chi Sigma Iota, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT — Recipient, 2024
  • Excellence in Teaching Honor Roll, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT — Recipient, 2023
  • Graduate Student Poster Presentation Contest, Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES) — Recipient, 2022
  • Golden Key International Honour Society, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT — Inductee, 2013
  • President’s Annual Student Leadership Recognition, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT — Honoree, 2013
  • New England Scholar, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT — Honoree, 2013
Memberships & Affiliations

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL:

  • American Counseling Association (ACA)
  • Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
  • Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International
  • Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ)
  • National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)

STATE & REGIONAL:

  • Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES)
  • Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA)
  • North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES)

DEPARTMENT & UNIVERSITY:

  • Center for Excellence in Social and Emotional Learning Steering Committee
  • Central Counseling Society — Co-Faculty Advisor
  • Chi Alpha Mu Chapter of CSI — Secondary Chapter Faculty Advisor
  • Excellence in Teaching Committee
Courses Taught

Central Connecticut State University

Department of Counselor Education and Family Therapy, New Britain, CT (CACREP)

  • CNSL 501 Theories and Techniques in Counseling (6.0 credits)
  • CNSL 594 Supervised Clinical Professional Counseling Internship (3.0 credits)