Helping others has been in my blood ever since I was a young girl. I loved being around anyone who was older than me and especially loved spending time with the older adult generation. After high school, I thought that I would go to school and obtain a Library Science degree, however life changed course. In my early 20s, I began meeting with a social worker to help process and walk through a life changing situation. A situation that I never thought that i would be in, but there I was. Due to the positive experience with this social worker, I knew that Library Science was not my calling anymore and the world of Social Work is where I need to look towards. I began my education at Iona College and finished my undergrad studies at Cleveland State University with a major in Social Work and a minor in Psychology. My graduate program was completed in 2017 at University of Connecticut – School of Social Work with a concentration in Group Work.

 

Social Work Interests:

Adoption: 

• The field of adoption tends to have a focus on the adoptee and/or adoptive parent and less on the birthmother/birth family. While I enjoy working with all members of the Adoption Constellation, I enjoy focusing on the area of birth parents. I was an active member of the organization Birthmom Buds when it was up and running. I am now an active member and at times seen to be in a leadership role with Birthmom Collective Group which is in the process of obtaining 501c3 status. Birthmom Collective provides support to birthmothers who have placed a child into an adoption plan (voluntary and involuntarily). I have been an active participant in each organization’s annual conference/retreat located in Charlotte, NC during the month of may each year. 

Aging Adults / Geriatrics: 

• Another population group that tends to lack in the support that is fully needing. The older adult population is a growing group as the  youngest Baby-Boomer cohort begin to enter the age of retirement. The older adult population is full of wisdom that every younger generation can learn from. I challenge anyone to sit and ask their aging family members what society was like when they were in their 20s vs current age and so on. Aging adults suffer from anxiety, depression and all other mental health issues that younger individuals struggle with as well. When working with a group practice and clients are matched with me, I tell the care coordinators at the group practice to send me all of the individuals in this age group.

Addictions:

• Another misunderstood population that holds a special space in my heart. I began my social work career in an outpatient treatment center and realized that this was a group of individuals who may be challenging to work with, but still willing to make a change when they are ready. 
• I see recovery from addiction as a road-trip. Before you start that trip you have to figure out where you are going, how you are going to get there and maybe how long it is going to take it get there. Along the way, you will hit that occasional bump in the road or miss the exit on the interstate, however it doesn’t mean you have to go back to your starting point to restart. You pull over, fix what may have went wrong and then continue moving forward in the right direction at that time. 
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is not a crutch to the recovery process. It is a helper just as if one was a diabetic and needed to take insulin to help maintain blood sugar levels. 

Employment:

• Sokya Health, September 2021 – Present
  • Associated with offices in Oregon and Texas
  • Title: Therapist 
  • Offers Teletherapy and In Person sessions depending on location. 
  • 1:1 Therapy sessions with individuals who are 18 years and older. Willing to take an individual younger than 18 years old on a case-by-case basis. 
  • Modalities used but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing. 
• Monument Inc, April 2021 – Present
  • Title: Therapist 
  • Online Only
  • Individual therapy sessions addressing the habits of alcohol usage. Client will have a goal to drink in moderation or practice complete sobriety. 
  • Support Group Leader: Women’s Weekly Group
  • Modalities used but not limited to: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing. 
• Southeastern Council on Alcohol & Drug Dependency (SCADD), June 2017 – November 2020
  • New London Outpatient
  • Title: Counselor
  • Duties:
    • Perform Substance Use Evaluations
    • Group Leader: Men’s Early Treatment (2x/week), Women’s IOP Group
    • Mental Health Assessments
    • 1:1 Counseling Sessions

Education:

Masters of Social Work (MSW)

• University of Connecticut: School of Social Work, 2017
  
• Concentration: Group Work
• Field Education (Internship):
  Foundation Year (Sep ’15- Apr ’16): Department of Children & Families – Willimantic, CT
  Advanced Year (Sep ’16 – Apr ’17): Natchaug: Older Adult Program at Windham Hospital – Willimantic, CT

Bachelors of Social Work (BSW)

• School of Social Work, Cleveland State University, 2013
• Major: Social Work
• Minor: Psychology
• Field Education (Internship): Adoption Network Cleveland – Cleveland, OH

 Educational Honors:

• Cleveland State University: Magna Cum Laude,
• Cleveland State Chapter: Phi  Alpha – Social Work Honors Society
• Cleveland State: Golden Key Honor

Educational Service:

• 2015 – UConn Building Bridges Program – Peer Partner (1st year, incoming student participant)
• 2016 – UConn Building Bridges Program – Ambassador (Mentor)
• 2016 – UConn Graduate Student Organization (GSO) – Education Policy Committee: Micro Social Work Graduate Representative

 

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