RMS Counseling
Christy Adams, RMS SAP Counselor
Christy Adams has been a Student Assistance Professional (SAP) Counselor at Riverside since 2002. In her role as SAP she works collaboratively with school staff and community agencies to prevent youth involvement in high risk behaviors, and she directly supports students and families impacted by addiction and other life crises. She came to us from the Brattleboro Retreat's satellite program Families in Recovery, where she worked as Family Services Coordinator and a Marriage and Family Therapist. Ms. Adams grew up across the river in NH, where she still resides in a small town with her husband and son. She holds a BA in Sociology from Keene State College and an MA in Applied Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy from Antioch University New England.
Deb Harrison O'Brien, LICSW
Deb has been the NorthStar social worker at Riverside Middle School since 2020. In her role as social worker she helps students and families that may struggle with challenges that impact learning or connecting in the school setting. Deb can provide individual, family or group counseling, crisis support, skills development, psychoeducation and case management to students and their families. She works collaboratively with school staff and community agencies to best support students with their goals. Deb can also act as a liaison between families and schools, strengthening communication and advocating for support as needed. As an integrated member of the NorthStar team, Deb can also help families access medical, psychiatric, dental and vision services in order to best support the whole student.
Deb has more than 25 years experience in working in Vermont schools and she loves working with the team here at RMS! Deb grew up and went to college in Massachusetts, moving to Vermont in 1998. She raised her two kids locally, and enjoys music, thrifting, the ocean, and trying to train her Siberian husky Morgan.
Jan Rounds, RMS School Counselor Grades 5 & 6
Jan Rounds has worked in the Springfield School District for 28 years starting in 1998. She received her BA and an MEd. in School Counseling from Keene State College. What she adores most about her job is the genuine relationships that she has built with students, families and staff throughout the years. The Springfield community has always made me feel welcomed and appreciated.
Mrs. Rounds lives in Chester with her husband, Dennis and her dog, Lola. Her daughter, Eliza is a 4th grade teacher in Charleston, SC and her son, Mitchell is in his senior year at Thomas College. Mrs. Rounds loves to dance, listen to music and read during her time off!
Moria Farnsworth, RMS School Counselor Grades 7 & 8
As a School Counselor, Mrs. Farnsworth helps students succeed academically, socially and emotionally by providing guidance, support and resources. This includes individual and group counseling, academic planning, career guidance, and crisis intervention. also collaborate with parents, teachers, and administrators to create a positive and supportive learning environment. Mrs. Farnsworth has been a School Counselor since 2008 and has been at Riverside for the past 15 years. She grew up in Springfield, and after high school attended St. Lawrence University, The University of Connecticut and Keene State College and earned a BA in Counseling & Clinical Psychology and an MEd. in School Counseling. In 2018 Mrs. Farnsworth received the James F Cawley Award for Outstanding Vermont School Counselor of the Year and had the honor of traveling to Washington DC to represent Vermont during the 2019 American School Counselor Association's School Counselor of the Year events. When she's not at Riverside she enjoys spending as much time as she can outdoors with her husband, two children and her dog.