Introduction
Every several months, a member of our team has the privilege and opportunity to connect with members of our community. In our effort to spotlight individuals working in our recovery community, we’re excited to highlight the incredible efforts of Maddy. She is a talented, boisterous, and dedicated community partner. As our program has worked closely with Avenues Recovery Center for the past two years, we’ve had the opportunity to get to know their team well. Maddy embodies all of the characteristics of a incredible human being and hard working professional in our space.
Please check out this blog to learn more about her experiences and hard work as a case manager.
What brought you into your work at Avenues?
I used to work at Arapahoe County Halfway house and I wanted to get into the clinical side of things. My friend worked at Avenues and told me of a case management opening and I was really attracted to their program and the extensive community based approach they take.
How has your role shaped you personally and professionally?
In a more personal sense, working in the mental health and substance use field has made me more patient and understanding. Hearing individuals’ stories on how they ended in our programs, made me realize the importance of giving grace. Although I;m not in recovery myself, a lot of my family has struggled with substances. Working at a place like this gives me hope that there are good resources for people who want help. Specifically at Avenues, it made me think less black and white and I learned to understand the nuances of people’s needs and how to best support them.
I’ve also learned so much more about the recovery business. It’s insane how many awesome people work in various resources such as sober living or IOP’s.
What does mental health mean to you today?
Everyone’s baseline looks different. It’s incredibly important to be on top of our mental health and even if something seems small, it can lead to something big. We’ve got to keep our head on our shoulders if we want to meet clients where they’re. When I’m struggling with anxiety, I use box breathing and pick a mental reset, like kicking the dirt, to help me out.
How do you maintain boundaries and balance at Avenues Recovery?
When it comes to maintaining boundaries with clients, I’m a straight shooter. Being honest, whether it’s in recovery or my community correction experience, gets you to establish professional boundaries much more quickly. The clients also grow to respect you more and goes a long way in creating a strong relationship.
My boundaries in work haven’t been an issue. Avenues is incredible about respecting boundaries. If I spend more time at work than is required, it’s because I want to sit with clients, play cards and hang out with them. I also like to work outside of my office so I can be with the milieu and have fun interactions with them throughout the day.
What advice would you give someone just entering the mental health field?
Have patience for clients and take care of yourself. If you’re unstable, you cannot help people who are unstable. Also be sure to listen to people. Connection is the key and listening to their experiences and needs will make all the difference. Watching clients take the advice we give and grow over their brief time with us is the most rewarding experience I’ve had in my professional life.
How do you avoid burnout?
I like to take vacations and visit family. My family lives in California so I go see them often. I also love to play softball and that helps me reset and refill my energy.
What do you do for fun or when you’re not at work?
I played softball in college and absolutely love playing the game. I can often be found playing softball with my travel league, hanging on first base. I’m also going for my masters degree and prepping for my thesis next year. I plan to write on the predictive validity of the Level of Service Inventory (LSI) on recidivism rates across offense types. I’m hoping to complete my Master’s Degree and potentially go for my PhD afterwards.