Bio

Riana Milne received her 3-part, 92-credits Master of Arts Degree from Rowan University in Applied Clinical and Counseling Psychology in August, 2000, with a 3.98 GPA and awards in the National Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi) and the National Honor & Leadership Society of Graduate Students (Alpha Epsilon Lambda). Her Master’s Thesis, “Increasing Self-Concept and Developmental Assets in Adolescents using Behavioral and Psycho-educational Interventions” was the result of the initial Ventnor Teen Vision Program, a free group counseling program for adolescents ages 12 – 19, to which Riana donated her time and efforts to her community. Results of Riana’s thesis showed the adolescent high-risk behaviors decreased while overall health, happiness, good grades, self esteem and confidence levels increased, using the creative arts. Today, Riana is the Director and Therapist for her private practice, Therapy by the Sea, LLC. Go to this link for details on Riana’s Counseling/Therapy practice.

Prior counseling experience includes working with children over age 5, teens, adult individuals, various groups, and couples at The Rowan University’s Counseling center, AtlantiCare Child/Adolescent unit, Catholic Social services, Cape Atlantic Counseling, The Lighthouse Drug & Alcohol Rehab Center, working with women of Domestic violence, the dug-court system, the Juvenile Justice system, being a SAC (Substance Awareness Coordinator, Student Assistance Counselor) for emotionally upset students in the NJ school districts of Atlantic City, Vineland, Wildwood; and she served as a School Psychologist for Hackensack High School.

Riana’s background in the Creative Arts includes over 30 years as a model herself, 15 years as a Model & Talent Manager who owned a Model & Talent Creative Arts Center in Erie, PA and New York City. Her school won three International Awards for “Model & Talent School of the Year” and two “Educational Excellence” awards.

Riana is also an LCADC (Licensed/Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) of which she teaches future counselors for this credential part-time at Stockton College of NJ. Her BA is in Speech Communications & Broadcasting from Penn State University. Combining both degrees, she has done three radio counseling shows: “Talk to me AC” on WJAM 88.9 FM, “Talk Therapy with Riana Milne” on WOND 1400 AM; and “Night Moods with Riana Milne” on KOOL 98.3 FM. Riana was honored to be the only Psychotherapist called by NBC News-TV 40 in South NJ to help advise the viewers on how best to help children through the 911 tragedy. She has done numerous TV shows and interviews throughout the years for all her business endeavors. Riana was nominated into the International Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs (2000). She has been a local member of BNI (Business Network International), the Atlantic Co Youth Investment Council, various Chambers of Commerce, the South Jersey Networking group, and a member in many other professional organizations. Riana was recently chosen for the “Mentors & Heroes” program for the Atlantic County Business Excellence Center, and at the age of 25 was the youngest person to receive the Honor of Entrepreneur of the Year for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in 1984 when she owned a chocolate company, 24 Karat Candies, in which had 84 employees. Riana has been doing professional lectures for businesses, educational staff and students, social and civic groups since the age of 24.

Beside her thesis, Riana wrote a 250-page instructional manual for her model and talent school, “Commercial Modeling - The Real People Concept” and in 2006, wrote and published her first book for public purchase, “Watch Me!” The Bold New Motivational Attitude for Personal Success.” Riana asked her youngest daughter, Alexi Panos to write a section of the book which explains how she used this motivational technique to reach her success at such a young age. Proceeds for their book benefit Alexi’s charity, EPIC (Every Day People Initiating Change) and Riana’s Performance Arts Scholarship Fund. You can find details on the scholarship, Watch Me!, and recommendations on other books in the section By the Sea Books Publishing.

Since Riana’s book published, she had become an Advice columnist for The Current Newspaper (Singles by the Sea), did her third Advice/talk radio show, and has done many corporate lectures using techniques from her book. She found schools and corporate administrations looking for other professional speakers with a similar, motivating and educational approach to various topics. Thus, in 2010, Riana created the By the Sea Speakers Bureau, where she serves as an agent to speakers of various ages, backgrounds, and who all possess many years of incredible life experience in their topics of choice.

Riana became an Ordained, Inter Faith Minister in 1997 after taking numerous courses in spiritual counseling approaches and psychology. Afterwards, she formed her company Ceremonies by the Sea, LLC and became one of the busiest wedding Ministers who performed ceremonies on location in the South Jersey area. Her easy, down-to-earth style and desire to personalize every wedding/civil union ceremony or anniversary/vow renewal ceremony to really fit a couple’s personality earned her the respect of many wedding professionals and venues that refer her as their “top choice” for Ministers in the area.

Riana had always wanted to help people through healing using motivational, educational and spiritual approaches so went for her Masters in 1997 in counseling psychology for the scientific approaches she also now uses – Person-centered, cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused therapy. Her holistic approach to personal growth and change for mind and spirit is core to all her endeavors. She believes every human being is unique and deserves an individual, fresh perspective to their overall health. Riana promotes Holistic Healing that involves the mind, body and soul; and takes an active part while she and her Client explore the many avenues to their optimum health and wellness. 

In the spring of 2006, Riana created the By the Sea Singles Networking Group, LLC to reach singles ages 35-60 in transition (after divorce or loss of a spouse) to have a safe, fun and comfortable monthly event to meet other singles. Her events have helped many to meet and find long-lasting love and happiness. This also led to Riana meeting her fiancé, Jim Rhoads, at her 6^th party event! Riana is proud to say her introductions throughout the years have led to four marriages and many more happy relationships.

Wanting to reach even more people than she possibly could in southern NJ, Riana chose to become a Singles & Couples Life Coach with the Relationship Coaching Institute, and took many courses to become a Certified Coach for Singles and Couples. This web site is the result of Riana being able to Coach “beyond the walls of an office” by using webinars and virtual coaching through this site. Details for Coaching through this web site by virtual camera, or for phone or email coaching can be found under the Therapy by the Sea/Coaching section.

After becoming a Certified Coach, Riana changed the Singles venues to include coaching in September of 2009; to help singles become the “best they could be” to attract the love they really want in life. This group meets once a week, and has many resources to use through this site at By the Sea Singles Group.

Riana always loved travel and the meeting of people around the world. She introduced Jim to world-wide travel, and together they have been to Paris, Amsterdam, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and many other romantic locations and she decided to share their “travel finds” through Romance International Travel, LLC. Just formed in year 2009, this site will share their traveling adventures, as they look for “romance and reasonable rates” for sophisticated singles and couples. The Reference number attached to the articles is the number for you to use to get discounts and upgrades for yourself when going to the same locations. See the Romance International Travel section for details.

Most importantly, Riana is the proud mother of two daughters. Stephana Panos, age 27, is a corporate trainer and supervisor for Jet Blue Airlines in Orlando, and has her own business, Belle Luce Photography, LLC. Stephana is also a very successful writer and public speaker. Alexi Panos, age 26, is a very accomplished model/actor in New York, who is currently seen as the Host on “Beer Money Sports Trivia Show” on SNY (Sports New York). She is also doing her passion of reaching out to those in need by putting water wells in the Tanzania Africa area with her charity EPIC (www.epicthemovement.org), and is recently completing her fourth well. These water wells bring fresh drinking water to thousands of needy people. Alexi is also an accomplished writer and speaker; and can be booked for school or corporate seminars through the By the Sea Speakers Bureau.  Riana is the fourth of five children from Beverly and Jack Milne, she attended Lower Moreland schools and was raised in Huntingdon Valley, PA. She currently resides in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.