My journey in the world of social work began as a Psychology and Sociology double major, I just did not know it at the time. Growing up with a parent who struggled with a substance use disorder, I knew I wanted to help people find hope and motivation for change but did not know what path to take - or to be honest, what paths were even available. I was lucky enough to have the mentorship of Dr. Eisenberg during my time at Geneseo; as we talked about my struggles to figure out a plan post-graduation, Anne introduced me to the field of social work and encouraged me apply to MSW programs. I am forever thankful to Dr. E for helping me find a way to take my interests and passions and turn them into a career.
Following my graduation from Geneseo in 2007 I obtained my MSW. I am currently a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Credentialed Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) in Buffalo, NY. I have been with the same company since 2009 in various roles - both as a direct care provider & member of our quality improvement department. For the last 3 years I have worked as a clinical supervisor in our intake department. As a clinical supervisor I not only help oversee day to day operations but provide clinical guidance and leadership to our team of around 12 counselors. I also work in a direct care capacity with patients & I've been fortunate to have completed training in Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR). My focus with most of my patients is around complex trauma work.
Though much of my work is micro-focused and clinical in nature, my sociology background from Geneseo helps me in this work every day. It provides me a lens in which to conceptualize the cases of the patients I see every day - recognizing how socioeconomic factors & generational trauma and inequity impact my patients on a daily basis, as well as how they impact the ability of our community to access care. It helped give me the lens of "what happened to you?" with which to view my patients, rather than just "what is wrong with you".
