Assistant Professor
Counselor Education & Family Therapy
Excellence in Teaching Committee
Center for Teaching and Innovation
Academic Standards Committee
Online Learning Committee
Curriculum Committee
Counselor Education: Clinical Professional Counseling, MS
Contact
(860) 832-2117
rpelletti@ccsu.edu
Office
Henry Barnard Hall
225-01
Biography

Dr. Rachael E. Pelletti (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselor Education and Family Therapy (CEFT) at Central Connecticut State University and serves as the core faculty member associated with the Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling specialized practice area. She earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Southern Connecticut State University (CACREP accredited) and her master's degree in Counselor Education, with a specialization in Clinical Professional Counseling, from Central Connecticut State University (CACREP accredited).

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

She 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 spans more than a decade of clinical practice across the continuum of care. Her research and scholarship focuses on multilevel stigma, with an emphasis on advancing counselor preparation and professional practice. She presents at state, national, and international forums and is a contributing author to the forthcoming second edition of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Encyclopedia of Counseling.

Dr. Pelletti contributes to CSI's Professional Members Committee and the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Substance and Behavioral Addiction Counseling Interest Network. She currently serves as President-Elect of the Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA) and received the 2026 CCA Professional Development Award in recognition of her contributions to the counseling profession.

Education
Counselor Education and Supervision
Southern Connecticut State University
2024
Counselor Education (Clinical Professional Counseling)
Central Connecticut State University
2016
Sociology (Minors: 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. (2026, November 13). From silo to standard: Embedding addiction-related competencies across counselor education [Webinar]. Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES).
  • 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, August 19). Mindful walking: Awareness in motion [60-minute workshop]. InCord, Colchester, CT, United States.
  • 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:

  • Professional Development Award, Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA) — Recipient, 2026
  • 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
Memberships & Affiliations

Professional Organizations:

  • American Counseling Association (ACA)
  • Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES)
  • Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International (CSI)
  • Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (CACES)
  • Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA)
  • Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ)
  • International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC)
  • National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
  • North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES)
Courses Taught

Central Connecticut State University:

Department of Counselor Education and Family Therapy (CACREP)

  • CNSL 501 Theories and Techniques in Counseling (6.0 credits)
  • CNSL 575: Counseling Individuals with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (3.0 credits)
  • CNSL 594 Supervised Clinical Professional Counseling Internship (3.0 credits)