Celeste Racicot, M.Ed., CRC, CVE

Certified Vocational Evaluator

Celeste holds an undergraduate degree from Russell Sage College in Troy, New York, in Visual and Performing Arts/Creative Arts in Human Services, and a Master’s Degree from Springfield College, Massachusetts in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has over 100 hours of advanced training with Dr. Ralph Reitan and Deborah Wolfson.

With over twenty-five years experience working as a rehabilitation counselor, vocational counselor, cognitive remediation therapist, case manager, operations manager, marketing director and psychometrist, Celeste specializes in working with individuals who are experiencing cognitive challenges. Celeste first began working at Dingleton Hospital in Melrose, Scotland as a social therapist and creative arts therapist. She returned to the United States to Vermont and worked in the psychology department at the Brattleboro Retreat, specializing in the assessment and cognitive remediation of individuals with brain injuries, dual-diagnosis and psychiatric diagnoses. At St. Charles Hospital in New York, Celeste managed the Community Re-entry Program and provided cognitive remediation, cognitive skills development groups, and vocational rehabilitation to persons with brain injuries. She arrived in California in 2001, and was the lead case manager with Head Injury Rehabilitation Services. Celeste was Operations Director at The Canyon at Peace Park in Malibu where she also facilitated labyrinth groups and counseled clients regarding return to work issues. In addition to her work here at Milestones, Celeste is currently Marketing Director/Case Manager with Brain Injury Specialists and works as a psychometrist and rehabilitation counselor with neuropsychologist Dr. Robert Tomaszewski.

Celeste is on the Advisory Board of the Brain Injury Center in Ventura and facilitates support groups for individuals with brain injuries. She recently presented at the first Brain Injury Conference in Ventura County and lectured on the unique issues for someone with a brain injury and substance abuse diagnosis. Celeste lectures to other groups in the area, including the Southern California Rehabilitation Nursing Society, Oxnard College Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling students, S.C.O.P.E. meetings and the LA Epilepsy Foundation. Additionally, she has lectured and presented case studies at Bancroft Institute, Brattleboro Retreat, Reitan Society, and has presented with Dr. Ralph Reitan and Dr. Deborah Wolfson.

Problems with attention, concentration, memory and executive functioning commonly reduce an individual’s ability to benefit from traditional therapies. Treatment involves sustained attention, the acquisition of new materials, remembering what is learned and assimilating that understanding and applying it to recovery. While the likelihood of increased cognitive processes improves with sustained abstinence, it is imperative to teach skills and compensatory strategies to individuals in the early phases of recovery when the treatment is most intense. Celeste feels strongly that teaching someone how to learn helps the individual to be a more active participant in his/her rehabilitation. Through teaching exercises on how to keep your brain fit, Celeste acts as a “cognitive coach” working closely with the client and the team to individually tailor a treatment plan to maximize the outcome.

Celeste balances her life with work, love and play. She enjoys hiking, boogie boarding, gardening, cooking up yummy meals, dancing like no one is watching and long walks with her four legged friend Gracie. Celeste is a Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator and conducts labyrinth walks at a spiritual center.