It is my goal as a therapist to create a safe place for you to be willing to go through pain, trusting that healing is on the other side. When I consider my work experience thus far, I think about what I have learned and how I have grown in each role. 18 years ago during my first position in the field, out of undergrad, I was working with the elderly; it allowed me to learn the arts of patience, compassion, and advocacy. I was taught how to develop a program, gather appropriate data for grant writing, and ultimately, how to manage a team. My adult caseload within the community mental health setting helped me to better understand the personal challenges which had created barriers in their lives. Through this experience, I feel confident employing a multidisciplinary approach in working with individuals exhibiting a wide range of diagnostic conditions, crisis management, and engagement with those most resistant to treatment. My internship, and later my role in a grant-funded connection project, aided me to feel comfortable working with an inpatient population. Connecting with individuals at their most vulnerable proved to be challenging, but also one of my most rewarding jobs. This instilled in me the importance of a thorough safety assessment, and a time-limited need to connect. As an EAP counselor, I honed in on my crisis management skills, having the ability to remain calm in an emergency and offer in-the-moment supports. This role allowed me to work under two umbrellas simultaneously—the client, and their employer. Being a group fitness instructor took me out of my comfort zone, increasing my ease in public speaking and flexing an extrovert muscle that is typically weak for me. My recent efforts with college-age students have reminded me just how difficult the transition between high school and the world, between youth and adulthood, can be. Navigating those decisions, molding a new identity, and learning about responsibility: these challenges require empathy and encouragement.
