Intervening on Normal: Trauma, Substance Use, and Counselling in Appalachia will be presented by Darlene Vaughn at the Landcare meeting on Monday, March 18th, 7 pm at the LandCare office.
Darlene has provided substance abuse counseling for twenty-five years, specializing in
adolescent substance use, most recently, in Appalachia. Currently employed in rural community
mental health, she serves a five-county area where she works collaboratively with politicians,
emergency responders, and systems of care. She also teaches college courses in Human
Services and Counseling for Lindsey Wilson College, School of Professional Counseling.
Darlene has been a public speaker and trainer throughout her career. Locally, she has provided
training on trauma, substance use, mental health, and wellness. She has presented
Appalachian substance use-specific work at state and international conferences. A writer, she
has published poetry, a book chapter, and journal article.
Darlene B. Vaughn, MMsc, MEd, CSAC, FACASAC, NCC, LPCC, is Cherokee Appalachian
American by bloodline and heritage. A native of Carroll County, Virginia, Darlene had the
privilege of growing up with many impoverished Appalachian experiences and rich traditions.
Throughout her expansive career in human services, Darlene has been employed in
community-based mental health, inpatient treatment, state-level advocacy programs, and
medication-assisted treatment.
Darlene graduates with a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Lindsey Wilson
College in Columbia, Kentucky in May 2019.