PhD, CPCRT, CBIST
Assistant Clinical Professor; Track Director, Complementary and Integrative Health Program
Graduate Nursing
Rita Cola Carroll, PhD, completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Education and Psychology at Immaculata University. She holds multiple Advanced Certificates from Drexel University’s Complementary and Integrative Health Program, and she has a PhD in Organization and Management with a specialization in Higher Education.
Carroll’s clinical areas of expertise are in Cognitive Rehabilitation and Holistic Health, designing, providing and overseeing home and community based services for people dealing with the cognitive effects of acquired brain injuries, MS, autism and other neurological diagnoses. She has worked extensively in leadership for the remote and virtual environments with a focus on educating and supporting therapists and clinical coordinators. Throughout her career, she has served in professional organizations to advocate for the clinical standards and practices that support independence, meaningful engagement and optimal quality of life for people with cognitive disabilities.
Carroll has served as faculty for the graduate Complementary and Integrative Health Program, since 2016, where she designs and teaches courses. She has had specialized training in multiple complementary modalities including Integrative Mental Health, Reiki, Healing Touch, Mindfulness, Emotional Freedom Technique and Health and Wellness Coaching. Carroll has a special interest in integrating healthy lifestyle practices into the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions.
Academic Distinctions
Provost 2021 Adjunct Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence
Professional Society
Society for Cognitive Rehabilitation, Inc., North American Liaison; Academy for Certification of Brain Injury Specialists, Past Board of Governors, Current Curriculum Committee Member; Textbook & Academic Authors Association; Member of the Cognitive Panel with the Brain Injury Association of America Brain Injury and the Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine to establish “Guidelines for the Rehabilitation and Disease Management of Adults with Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury”.
Selected Publications
- Carroll, R. C. (2022). Complementary energy modalities: New hope for individuals with Substance Use Disorders and their families. Energy Magazine, The Energy Medicine Spectrum: Exploring Modalities, 221.
- Carroll, R. C. (ed.) (2021). Complementary and integrative approaches for Substance Use Disorders. Nova Science Publishers.
- Carroll, R. M. (2020). Complementary and integrative therapies for Opioid Abuse Disorder. In A. A. Rundio and S. Brooks (eds.) The Opioid Epidemic: Medical, Nursing and Counseling Behavioral Treatment. Nova Science Publishers.
- Carroll, R. M. (2018). Persistent and abusive use of opioids: Short- and long-term effects on the brain. Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists, 2(2).
- Carroll, R. M. (2017). Healthy living after a brain injury: Veterans’ edition. Wounded Warrior Mental Health Summit.
Editorial Review Board Membership:
Peer reviewer for The Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice; Peer reviewer Brain Injury Journal
Research Interests
Mindfulness to improve cognitive function; complementary and integrative approaches to substance use disorders; Cognitive Rehabilitation for individuals with cognitive and learning differences.
- Drexel University; Advanced Certificates in Women’s Integrative Health and Integrative Addictions Therapies
- Drexel University; Advanced Certificate in Complementary and Integrative Therapies
- Capella University; PhD in Organization and Management with a with a focus on post-acute health care
and a specialization in Higher Education
- Immaculata University, MA in Educational Leadership with a minor in Counseling Psychology
- Immaculata University, BA in Psychology and Education