Therapist

• Mar 2011 - Present

Therapist/LCSW

• Jul 2011 - Jun 2014

Therapist

• 2009 - 2010

Provided individual, group and family therapy to students and their families at therapeutic boarding school for adolescents. Developed training materials for parent sessions, provided crisis care to students, collaborated with teachers, and supervised direct care staff. Earned recognition from both students and staff as a highly consistent therapist who was able to retain clients during a challenging period for the organization, and who was often sought out by students for help. Provided individual, group and family therapy to students and their families at therapeutic boarding school for adolescents. Developed training materials for parent sessions, provided crisis care to students, collaborated with teachers, and supervised direct care staff. Earned recognition from both students and staff as a highly consistent therapist who was able to retain clients during a challenging period for the organization, and who was often sought out by students for help.

Core Therapist

• Oct 2007 - Jul 2009

Worked with adolescents aged 11 to 18 in a Level V therapeutic residential treatment facility. Provided case management for 16+ residents, collaborated with consulting psychologist on treatment plans, provided on-call support for emergency and crisis situations, secured services and assessments through external providers, and handled discharge planning including service linkage referrals. Challenges included helping extremely troubled young people despite severe budget cuts that had decimated the staff. Achieved numerous successes including reuniting several residents with their families, decreasing symptom severity, and effectively navigating complex systems to secure needed support and services for residents. Show less

Youth & Family Counselor/Experiential Team Leader

• May 2003 - Aug 2007

Managed caseload of 30+ clients in community mental health agency for adolescents and their families. After one year, assumed responsibility for coordinating experiential programming and leading training sessions for 90+ employees and interns. Worked closely with local school systems and supported 24-hour crisis intervention team. Played key role in agency’s increasing reputation as the State’s top experiential substance abuse provider by developing new programs, leading community outreach, presenting at national conferences, incorporating experiential techniques into all group therapy and working closely with state government and courts. Agency received Experiential Agency of the Year Award in 2005 from the AEE. Show less

Teams Course Facilitator (Part-time)

• 1998 - 2007

Facilitated team-building courses for a wide range of people of all ages, from at-risk youth to athletic teams to schoolchildren. Trained new staff members on policy and procedure, safety and group facilitation. Led successful program for ‘Active Father’s Group’ a group run by a local agency that helped adults find housing and jobs. Created training programs for several corporate groups including programs on communication, goal-setting, sales and customer service across a wide range of diverse industries. Show less

Senior Milieu Therapist & Intern (Medical Social Work)

• 1998 - 2004

As Senior Milieu Therapist: Worked with an interdisciplinary team in in-patient and partial hospitalization psychiatric units. Accountabilities included diagnostic evaluation, crisis stabilization, medication evaluation and discharge planning. Handled numerous dangerous crisis situations calmly and competently. (1998 to 2004) As Medical Social Work Intern: Managed cases of patients and their families receiving acute and chronic medical treatment. Worked closely with physicians, geneticists, nurses and medical residents. (2002) Show less

Program Manager

• 1996 - 1999

Initially hired as child care worker and earned 2 promotions, ultimately leading team of 70 to manage long-term residential DCFS-licensed group home for 26 sexually aggressive/reactive children between the ages of 5 and 16. Played key role in improving patient care and available services. Hired, trained and retained top-notch team who increased the quality of overall care. Received Employee of the Year award in 1998. Initially hired as child care worker and earned 2 promotions, ultimately leading team of 70 to manage long-term residential DCFS-licensed group home for 26 sexually aggressive/reactive children between the ages of 5 and 16. Played key role in improving patient care and available services. Hired, trained and retained top-notch team who increased the quality of overall care. Received Employee of the Year award in 1998.