Diane Hall, EdD, LMHC, CCCJS

Diane Hall serves as a full-time faculty member within the Psychology department at the University. To this role, she brings her experience of working in both clinical and forensic settings and is especially skilled in working with acute, high-risk individuals. Hall has focused on experiential learning and has formed collaborations with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Youth Services, and the Community Adolescent Treatment Program that have provided educational and experiential opportunities for students outside of the classroom. Hall has worked on various projects with students including co-founding a book club with juvenile offenders chronicled in the Bay Path University produced video Reading Our Way Out. Additionally, Hall has served as a faculty mentor for student research projects conducted in collaboration with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department and the UMASS Medical School Department of Psychiatry.

Hall began teaching at Bay Path University as an Adjunct Professor in 2004 and was appointed to a full-time position beginning in fall of 2006 and in 2018 she received her appointment as Professor of Psychology. Since joining Bay Path University she has developed three new courses within the Forensic Psychology program which are now required: The Survey of Forensic Psychology, the Psychology of Female Offenders, and the Advanced Seminar in Forensic Psychology. Other courses taught by Hall include Domestic Violence, Forensic Psychology, the Psychology of Criminal Behavior, Social Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, the Psychology of Women, Adolescent and Adult Development, Social Problems, Introduction to Psychology, and the First Year Experience. Hall also developed the Psychopathology course as part of the Master’s in Developmental Psychology program and was part of the accreditation process for the graduate Physician Assistant program which she also teaches in.

Hall started her career in the mental health field at the Adult Psychiatric Treatment Unit at Baystate Medical Center. She completed her Master’s level internship in the position of Inpatient Psychiatric Specialist, then remained on staff as a part-time Counselor on the unit (1999-2002). She later worked at Providence Behavioral Health Hospital as a Triage Clinician where she performed clinical assessments and worked with families, professionals, forensic services, and a variety of community agencies to determine the psychiatric needs and level of care required for treatment (2000-2002). Prior to accepting a full-time appointment at Bay Path College, she was employed as a Forensic Clinician with Behavioral Health Network and worked at the Hampden County Correctional Center in the division of Forensic Mental Health Services. In this capacity, she performed comprehensive clinical assessments, crisis intervention/risk assessments, and intake evaluations of incarcerated men and women. She also conducted suicide prevention and assessment training for the correctional staff and co-facilitated forensic psychotherapy groups with male inmates on pre-trial status (2002-2006). Hall completed her Doctoral level practicum working with male detained youth in the custody of the Department of Youth Services at the Westfield Youth Service Center, and she completed her Doctoral level internship requirements at the School Street Counseling Institute providing outpatient clinical treatment and assessments. Hall’s dissertation research titled Assessing Academic Enablers Among Incarcerated Youth: Implications for Teaching and Learning bridged the two fields of education and psychology.

Hall obtained a Doctorate of Education in Educational Psychology degree from American International College and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychological Services with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Springfield College. She earned her baccalaureate degree in Psychology from Our Lady of the Elms College, graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors. She is also a graduate of Springfield Technical Community College, earning an Associate Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.

Hall is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a member of the American Psychological Association. Additionally, Hall is a member of the National Association of Forensic Counselors and holds certifications as a Clinically Certified Forensic Counselor and a Certified Clinical Criminal Justice Specialist. Hall is also a Certified Personality Disorder Treatment Specialist, a Certified Anger and Depression Management Specialist, and a Certified CANS assessor (Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths). Hall is the 2010 recipient of the Bay Path University President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Thinking. Hall has been inducted into the Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology and the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society. Hall has presented at various professional conferences including the American Mental Health Counselor Association’s annual conference in Boston, the American Counseling Association’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., and the Through Her Eyes: The Experience of Girls in the Juvenile Justice System conference in Springfield, MA. Hall has also presented on a variety of topics related to juvenile offenders and recidivism.

Specialty Areas:

• Risk assessment/suicide prevention and intervention
• Working with individuals with personality disorders
• Working with high risk, violent offenders
• Victimization and trauma
• Working with individuals with chronic mental illness