Nick J. Piazza, PhD, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1973 from Quincy College, Quincy, Illinois; a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology in 1975 from Illinois State University, Normal; and a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision in 1984 from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Dr. Piazza joined the faculty at The University of Toledo in 1986 and is a Professor in and former chairman of the Department of Counselor Education & School Psychology in the College of Health Science and Human Service. He is licensed in Ohio as a Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Endorsement (PCC-S) and as a Psychologist. He has worked in the mental health and substance abuse fields since 1975, and holds national certification as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor and as a Master Addictions Counselor through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). Dr. Piazza is nationally recognized as a lecturer on psychopharmacology, and is on the medical staffs of two different local hospitals. He has numerous publications and has presented frequently at both the American Counseling Association and the American Psychological Association annual conventions. Dr. Piazza formerly served on the editorial boards of Counseling and Values and the Journal of Mental Health Counseling, and is currently on the editorial board of Essential Psychopharmacology. In addition to these activities, Dr. Piazza is immediate Past President of the Northwest Ohio Counseling Association (NWOCA).

Download my TAAPP presentation on Dual Diagnosis of May 16, 2008.

Education & Degrees

• PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, August, 1984, Department of Educational Psychology, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
• MA in Clinical Psychology, December, 1975, Illinois State University
• BA in Psychology, May, 1973, Quincy University

Licenses & Certificates

• Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Endorsement, April, 1989, License No. E1044
• Psychologist, June, 1988, License No. 4018
• Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC), July 1, 1993
• Certified Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), April 22, 1995

Work History

• Professor, 1995-Present, Counselor Education & School Psychology, the University of Toledo
• Department Chair, 2000-2003, Counseling & Mental Health Services, the University of Toledo
• Associate Professor, 1989-1995, Counselor & Human Services Education, the University of Toledo
• Assistant Professor, 1986-1989, Counselor & Human Services Education, the University of Toledo
• Assistant Professor, 1985-1986, Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Assistant Professor, 1984-1985, Psychology, Marymount College of Kansas, Salina, KS
• Doctoral Student, 1981-1984, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
• Administrator, 1979-1981, Jacksonville (IL) Area Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
• Program Director, 1977-1979, Community Alcoholism Services Program, Randolph County (IL) Community Mental Health Center
• Clinical Supervisor, 1977, Alcoholism Resource Center, Jackson County (IL) Mental Health Center
• Psychologist and Substance Abuse Counselor, 1975-1977, Mark Twain Mental Health Center, Hannibal, MO

Publications

• Wright, E. E., Piazza, N. J., & Laux, J. M. (2008). The Utility of the SASSI-3 in Early Detection of Substance Use Disorders in Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity Acquitees, Journal of Addictions and Offender Counseling, 2, 119-127.

• Piazza, N. J. (2008). Substance-related disorders. In R. R. Erk (Ed.), Counseling Treatment for Children and Adolescents with DSM-IV-TR Disorders (2nd ed.) (pp. 294-331). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

• Piazza, N. J. (2004). Substance-related disorders. In R. R. Erk (Ed.), Counseling Treatment for Children and Adolescents with DSM-IV-TR Disorders (pp. 273-304). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

• Piazza, N. J. (2002). Screening for alcohol and other substance use disorders. In R. S. Weiner (ed.), Pain management: a practical guide for clinicians (6^th ed.; 825-832). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

• Piazza, N. J., Martin, N., & Dildine, R. (2000). Screening instruments for alcohol and other drug problems. . Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 22, 218-227.

• Horrigan, T. J., & Piazza, N. J. (1999). SASSI minimizes the need for toxicology screening of prenatal patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Counseling 17, 243-247.

• Gerwood, J., LeBlanc, M., & Piazza, N. J. (1998). The Purpose-in-Life Test and religious denomination: Protestant and Catholic scores in an elderly population. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54, 49-53.

• Pearson, B., & Piazza, N. J. (1997). A taxonomy of dual relationships in the helping professions. Counselor Education and Supervision, 37, 89-99.

• Horrigan, T. J., Piazza, N. J., & Weinstein, L. (1996). The Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory is more cost effective and has better selectivity than urine toxicology for the detection of substance abuse in pregnancy. Journal of Perinatology, 16, 326-330.

• Piazza, N. J. (1996). Dual diagnosis and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Substance Use & Misuse, 31, 215-223.

• Martin, A. L., & Piazza, N. J. (1995). Codependency in women: personality disorder or popular descriptive term? Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 17, 428-440.

• Wagoner, J. L., & Piazza, N. J. (1993). Group therapy for adult substance abusers on probation. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 19, 41-56.

• Piazza, N. J., & Frost, M. A. (1993). The implications of union membership on counselor practice and professionalism. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 15, 193-199.

• Yeager, R. D., Piazza, N. J., & Yates, J. W. (1992). Testing the progressive nature of alcoholism. International Journal of the Addictions, 27, 947-959.

• Piazza, N. J. (1991). Cocaine. Toledo, OH: The University of Toledo, Department of Counselor & Human Services Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED333329).

• Piazza, N. J., & Yeager, R. D. (1991). The client record as a tool for risk management. In P.A. Keller (Ed.), Innovations in clincial practice: a source book. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Exchange, Inc.

• Ritchie, M., Piazza, N. J., & Lewton, J. (1991). Current use of the DSM–III–R in counselor education. Counselor Education and Supervision, 30, 205-211.

• Piazza, N. J., & Yeager, R. D. (1990). Federal confidentiality regulations for substance abuse treatment facilities: a case in applied ethics. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 12, 120-128.

• Piazza, N. J., & Baruth, N. E. (1990). Client record guidelines. Journal of Counseling and Development, 68, 313-316.

• Piazza, N. J., Vrbka, J.L., & Yeager, R. D. (1989). Telescoping of alcoholism in women alcoholics. International Journal of the Addictions, 24, 19-28.

• Piazza, N. J., & Wise, S. L. (1988). An order-theoretic analysis of Jellinek’s disease model of alcoholism. International Journal of the Addictions, 23, 387-397.

• Molloy, R. G., & Piazza, N. J. (1987). Networking remote students into the conventional university classroom. Nebraska Counselor, 19(2), 3-9.

• Piazza, N. J., Peterson, J. S., Yates, J. W., & Sundgren, A. S. (1986). Progression of symptoms in women alcoholics: Comparison of Jellinek’s model with two groups. Psychological Reports, 56, 367-370.

• Mansfield, C., & Piazza, N. J. (1986). Lesser-known uncontrolled psychoactive substances and their effects. Journal of Counseling and Development, 65, 104.

• Sundgren, A. S., Yates, J. W., Peterson, J. S., Piazza, N. J., & Yeager, R. D. (1986). An investigation of Jellinek’s phases as they apply to both men and women. International Journal of the Addictions, 21, 915-922.

Dissertations Directed

• Pecsok, W. J. (2007). The relationship between negative emotionality and reported substance use in an adolescent population.

• Wright, Ervin E. (2006). The utility of the SASSI-3 in early detection of substance use disorders in not guilty by reason of insanity acquitees.

• Grothaus, Kay. (2001). Family functioning and depression in post-MI patients.

• Smith, Carol. (2000). A potentially useful screening tool for domestic violence offenders derived from the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-3 (SASSI-3).

• Pearson, Brian. (1999). Validation of the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory-3 (SASSI-3) with the chronically mentally ill adult population.

• Frost, Mary Ann. (1999). Clinicians’ accuracy and consistency in diagnosing co-morbid Anorexia Nervosa Binge Eating/Purging Type in borderline Personality Disorder.

• Schaefer, Daniel. (1999). Group differences between shame proneness and guilt proneness on measures of anxiety, depression, and risk of alcohol abuse.

• Spurr, Suzanne. (1997). The ability of psychologists and counselors to accurately diagnose case vignettes representing co-morbidity of eating disorders and substance dependence.

• Hudson, Sharon. (1997). Predicting substance abuse in a family counseling agency.

• Warren, Karen. (1996). The use of the TOVA I and TOVA II in the identification of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

• Gerwood, Joseph. (1995). The Purpose-in-Life Test: A comparison in elderly people by relational status, work, spirituality, and mood.

• Newell, Ryan. (1994). The effectiveness of court mandated counseling for domestic violence: An outcome study.

• Fox, Marian. (1992). MMPI and SASSI scores as predictors of sexual abuse and substance abuse in adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

• Sims, Sylvia. (1992). Adult children of alcoholics: A comparison of families of origin for alcoholic adult children and nonalcoholic adult children.

• Wagoner, Joyce. (1992). The contribution of group therapy to the successful completion of probation for adult substance abusers.

• Delaney, Nancy. (1991). Direct and indirect effects of variables related to locus of control on life satisfaction as reported by community-dwelling and nursing home older adults.

• Ivoska, William. (1991). The impact of school transition on substance use among high risk youth.

• Martin, Lynne. (1991). Codependency: DSM-III-R personality disorder or popular descriptive term.

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Nick J. Piazza, PhD
Counselor Education & School Psychology
The University of Toledo, Mail Stop 119
2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606
Phone: 419.530.4721 | Fax: 419.530.7879
Email: Nick.Piazza@utoledo.edu