When it comes to hiring the right people for the job, Ascend can’t do any better! Everyone on our team creates a safe, comforting space for our clients. And, there’s nobody who does a better job than our Primary Therapist, David. He’s one of our residential therapists and spends most of his days working with our clients. Learn more about where David got his start, what inspires him to work harder for our teens, and what exactly he does at Ascend!
In the Beginning…
When David first started his career many years ago, he was working as a teen peer counselor. He later graduated to working as a psych tech at hospitals. From there, he went into administration but quickly decided this wasn’t for him. As an admin, he didn’t get to work with clients anymore and he missed them. These experiences led him to go back to school and pursue MFT (Marriage and Family Therapists) licensure.
Now, he’s been working in residential therapy for 18 years and Ascend is blessed with the presence of a knowledgeable therapist who has many years of hands-on work in teen and family therapy under their belt.
Everyday Life at Ascend
On a typical day, David collaborates with the entire clinical team on client programs. He leads group sessions, sees clients individually, and has family therapy sessions. Before his day is done, he also meets with staff and talks to families and referents about what they can expect from treatment here. There is also the ever-present paperwork David has to complete in order to ensure our team and facilities are Joint Commission compliant.
The Best Part About Ascend
David loves working with the adolescents at Ascend and collaborating with the leadership team who runs our programs. He’s on board with our commitment to providing the best possible care for our clients because he feels the same way about fulfilling their needs. When it comes to Ascend, David only has three words to describe us: Integrity, Passion, Caring.
Truthfully, those are some of the same words we would you to describe David, too!
Challenges & Successes
Even though we strive to provide David with all the support he needs to do his job, he still runs into challenges. His biggest challenge is when clients aren’t ready to face their problems or they aren’t willing to make any changes to improve their own lives. David takes these challenges in stride and puts his head together with his team and the directors to find the right solution for each client.
When he finally gets through to a client and manages to affect positive change for them and their family, it motivates him to work even harder for the next teen that comes along. Some clients share their lasting impressions of David, because the way he approaches their sessions together helps them make better decisions in their daily lives. Many of our clients ask themselves, “What would David say?” when faced with a particularly challenging moment.
Contributing to Our Community
David’s years of experience have resulted in strong clinical skills and the ability to work effectively with a team. He’s so good at connecting with the people around him that it seems like he creates instant relationships with our teens and their families. We love to see how he encourages staff and clients to make a positive difference in the world around them!
More Amazing Ascend Members
If you enjoyed getting to know David, there are tons of other Ascend team members that are working hard to make a difference. Get to know them and what they do for Ascend when you explore our blog. Join us on adventures with Dr. Acosta or Chef Steve to get more looks behind the scenes!
