Ascend would be nothing without the dedication, passion, and compassion of our amazing team. Every team member brings something truly unique to the table and expands our horizons as a teen treatment center. Today’s staff spotlight honors Kim, our Lead Mentor at Canyons and our resident entomologist/botanist! Learn a little bit more about what Kim does at Ascend and how she makes a difference in the lives of our clients.
What is Bug Out?
The Bug Out! Group focuses on biology and entomology. When the clients gather for a session with Kim, they might
be discussing how insects play a vital role in the health of our planet, learn about one insect in particular, or go on nature walks around the property. Kim then leads them through activities and projects like composting, preserving flowers, and making art out of nature!
Each activity relates to our experiential treatment modalities and helps our kids rediscover the beauty and wonder of the world, introduces them to potential new hobbies, and helps them practice mindfulness in their daily lives.
What Drives Kim’s Passion
Kim came to us after working in foster care in Texas for several years. After moving to California and witnessing the high demand for professionals in the mental and behavioral health community, she chose to continue working with teens at Ascend.
Her own passion for her work, and compassion for the kids she works with, comes from a turbulent childhood where she experienced many of the things that our own clients struggle with. Her personal encounters with abuse, neglect, trauma, addiction, and depression are part of what makes her such a great mentor. She constantly strives to be the person that she herself needed when she was younger.
Collaborating with Kim
While the Bug Out! Group is one part of Kim’s job at Ascend, she also has a lot of supervisory duties where she works with the therapists, doctors, and other mentors here. She collaborates with nearly everyone on our team to ensure clients are getting the best possible care. Whether it’s navigating a tricky situation or creating the next Bug Out! lesson plan, all our staff members support and empower each other to better fulfill their responsibilities.
Why Kim Loves Ascend
There are many residential treatment centers that could benefit from someone as amazing as Kim, but what makes Ascend her number one choice? According to Kim, Ascend is such a progressive treatment facility that it provides an extremely rewarding and nurturing environment for both clients and staff. Most days, she doesn’t even feel like she’s working because the kids are such a joy to be around.
She loves the freedom and flexibility to try new, clinician-approved mentoring and treatment techniques that could be the key to helping any of our clients’ progress in their personal treatment plan. Each client is unique and requires different care, so she’s learned that you must adapt to fit each individual’s needs.
We Love Kim Too!
Ascend strives to find the most dedicated and dynamic clinical team, mentors, and auxiliary staff that each function as a major part of our successful teen treatment program. We love what Kim has to offer our clients — from getting the kids excited about something new to a personal perspective that helps her understand our clients that much better. Kim truly believes in the Ascend mission and brings unparalleled positive energy to her job.
Learn About Our Other Team Members
Ascend has so many integral staff members, and we’re excited to share their work with you. Stay tuned to our blog for periodic staff spotlights and a behind-the-scenes look at the work they do with us!
