Mental Health Manager

Suzanne Patricia Christenson

**** ****** ********** ****

Fort Worth Texas. 76140

(Cell) 817-***-****

(E -mail) *******.***********@*****.***

Professional Overview Core Qualifications

I am interested in a position as a Clinical Therapist, Program Director, Administrator or Mental Health Behavioral Therapist. Adjunct Professor, Consultant in Behavioral Health, Program Planner, Psychologist or Addictions counselor, Case Manager.

What I can Offer

Licensed chemical Dependency Counselor Intern

(I do not need clinical supervision to obtain the full license of LCDC)

•Cognitive Behavioral therapy

• Pro-active treatment of depression and chemical dependency disorders

•Success with violent youth and adult offenders

•Sexual Predators treatment

•Comfortable with urban, small town and, village life environment’s or the big city

•Substance abuse and addictions

•AAA in 12 step Groups

•Anger Management

•Couples therapy

•Family therapy

•Children's play therapy

•Sand Tray therapy

•Worked with many Native American cultures

•Alaskan Native American cultures experience

•Crisis intervention and management that leads to Stabilization

•De-escalation techniques

•Research into TBI’s as they relate to mental health issues

Autism experience of one year off and on

•Experience as Clinical Supervisor

•Experience as an Administrator and Program Director

Chemical Dependency Counselor licensed

•Passed a CARF Accrediting successfully as a Program Director and Administrator

•Much experience in Title 47's ( Involuntary Commitment's)

•CPR trained all levels & First aid currently certified + Defibulator

•Who I am

I'm a very driven person when it comes to career and education. I have been looking for a position where my talent for “getting the job done”, ambition, communication skills, and need to excel, are the skills a perspective employer is looking for. Looking for a position in Management or clinical therapist working with families where I can put my skills to good use and where I could also see or oversea clients in the capacity that is essential to their well-being as a therapist. I’m also looking for Clinical Supervision as a LPA or LPC in the State of Alaska.

•Worked for the State of Texas as a BHS III as a clinician with regards to behavioral health. Saw clients, meetings every day and follow-up paperwork.

•Working with all ages from children to seniors while employed with APIA. Work with veterans and substance abuse issues of all ages. Co-occurring diagnoses are the main stay of my job duties. As a clinician, I work with a vast population of nationalities and cultures here in Alaska. Many of my clients are fishermen and women who make their living from the sea, so clinical therapy is sometimes accomplished thru satellite phone from their ships out to sea or, a poly-com or even over the phone for more remote clients.

•While employed with YKHC, working with all ages but mainly, substance, addictions, duel diagnoses and suicidal ideations /suicides and the family dynamics involved There is a lot of historical trauma that that is generational in nature as well as sexual abuse of the female population at very young ages. My role presently is a Village Clinical Supervisor based in Aniak but covers 13 other villages’ keeps me busy. I have under my supervision, 4 Behavioral Health Aids that I supervise and train on a continuous Bases as well. Plus I am also clinically supervising other Villages based out of Bethel and Hooper Bay Alaska and the staff that reside in these areas. Sometimes, when the client can’t get into where I work, I have to go to them by way of; Snow Mobile, four wheeler over frozen- iced –over- lakes and rivers as well as by dog sled. Other times I utilize Video Teleconference for communication and therapy. On good days I can get to my clients by small two and four seated planes that land on ice or dirt roads we use for runways.

•While working with Fairbanks Community Behavioral Health Center, I handled the Title 47's (involuntary Commitments) of clients that were referred by the families and or the courts in Alaska, deemed suicidal, homicidal or gravely disabled. I handled the investigations as a clinician by talking to the family and friends as well as the client to make a recommendation to the courts as to whether there needed to be a commitment made on this client. I was also on-call 24/7 for crisis intervention after hours and the calls came in from all over Alaska and other states at times. I was also a full time children's and adult clinician and worked with duel diagnoses for severely emotionally disturbed patients. I was also on call for emergencies on the on-call phone after hours.

With my move to Alaska in 2010, I took a position I was recruited for with Fairbanks Native Association as the Administrator, program Director and if needed, mental health therapist for emergency assessments. I was responsible for hiring, terminating and disciplinary actions of employees, accreditation, fiscal budget, Policies and procedures, Meeting with probation officers, attorneys, child protective services etc in conjunction with the operation of this residential treatment center for youth.

•I was employed with Aurora Plains Academy as a counselor and a unit manager with children from the ages of 10 to 18 with mental health and out of control behaviors in a residential treatment (Juvenile prison lock down) setting for one year. These children and youth were adjudicated with the criminal justice system and were placed here to serve their time as a condition of their release. Some of the youth were in here for major crimes and would be transferred to an adult prison upon release because the aged out of this youth prison, others would be released back home to families while others would go onto to a less intensive residential treatment center, often in other states.

•I worked with the Star Academy as a Chemical Dependency Counselor with adjudicated youth for DHS in conjunction with the Dept. of Corrections. The youth were between the ages of 14 to 18 years of age. I worked on their treatment plans and diagnoses as well as counsel these youth. I was also on license track for my LPC with Star Academy.

•I've also worked with all ages from 2 to 70 + in mental health and substance (Duel Diagnoses) abuse issues as a Clinician at a Masters level. I start with the assessment and move forward to the treatment plan as well as all referrals and diagnoses. As a clinician, I work with the patients in a therapeutic setting with regards to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

I worked as a Human Resource Coordinator at this Nursing home. I hired, disciplined and terminated the CNA's and NA's for the company. I also handled the orientations of new employees, scheduled the work shifts on a 24 hour clock within 15 minute intervals to make the schedule work for center. I kept up with vacation and sick leave accruals for employees and conducted trainings for employees. Also, approved time off for employees. Kept up with employee hours for payroll

•I'm now working on a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the present time. I have also received another (3rd) Masters in Psychology in conjunction with the PhD. The main focus in my studies are children and adults at risk in the criminal justice system with addictions, Investigations, mental health and developmentally disabled disorders with regards to new ways to help these individuals cope with the environmental and biological effects that has brought them to a facility such as your organization.

•Work History

State of Texas in Mexia

BHS III, 40 hours a week

04/05/2016 to 08/15/2016

Sitka Counseling and prevention services

09/13/2013 to 08/15/2014, Clinical Therapist

45 hours per week

02/15/2013 – 09-15-2013 APIAI, Dutch Harbor Alaska

Clinical Therapist 60 Hours per week

02/01/2012 – 02/01/2013 YKHC Aniak, Alaska

Village Clinical Supervisor, worked 40 to 70 hours per week

01/2011 - 12/2011 Fairbanks Community behavioral Health Center Fairbanks, Alaska

Children's & Adult Therapist, worked 40 to 70 hours per week

03/15/2010 - 01/15/2011 Fairbanks Native Association Fairbanks, Alaska

Administrator & Director and Clinical Therapist, worked 40 to 60 hours per week

10/2008 - 11/2009 Star Academy Custer, South Dakota

Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, worked 40 to 50 hours per week

04/2007 - 03/2008 Aurora Plains Academy Plankinton, South Dakota

Unit Manager & Counselor, worked 40 to 60 hours per week

08/2006 - 02/2007 Golden Living Center Madison, South Dakota

Human resource Manager, worked 40 to 50 hours per week

•Education

2009 PhD in Clinical Psychology (still ongoing)

Walden University Student 3 years into program

Masters

2009 Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota Psychology

MBA in Human Resources

2007 Colorado Technical University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnehaha

Masters in Project Management

2007 Colorado Technical University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnehaha

Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice

2005 Colorado Technical University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnehaha

1993 Pima Medical Institute, Tucson, Arizona

Medical terminology & Health Unit Coordinator

Certification

•Accomplishments

•Volunteer work

•Peer Training at a Manager level

•Falls City Ambulance, Falls City, NE (1995)

•First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and EMT training

•March of Dimes; Easter Seals, Sacramento, CA

•SHIRM as a student in the past

•CPR certified all levels-Also Defibulator trained (current).

•PPD current as of 07/17/2013

References:

Jack Stoddard Phone # 605-***-****

Dr. Freese Phone # 1-605-***-****

Donna Hunter Phone # 907-***-****

Adrienne Gregory Phone # 580-***-****

Contact this candidate