Staff Spotlight: Primary Therapy with Anthony

Takeaways:

• Ascend is made up of many different departments and team members, each responsible for ensuring smooth operations and a high level of care.
• Our primary therapists are part of the core clinical group at each treatment facility, working with other on-site staff to enhance client success.
• Anthony is a Primary Therapist at Oaks House residential treatment facility, where he works with clients who struggle with OCD and anxiety, as well as depression and trauma.

Spotlighting Our Amazing Team

Ascend may have started out small, but we’ve grown into a large organization with many moving parts. Clients and their families are often looking for more insight into how we operate before admission to one of our programs, and our Day in the Life spotlight is a unique peek behind the curtain that can help them feel more at ease.

This month, we’re discussing the role of Primary Therapists through Anthony’s lens. As a Primary Therapist at the Oaks House, he has tons of experience working with clients and families in a residential treatment setting.

What Does A Primary Therapist Do?

Primary Therapists meet with clients one-on-one, in group therapy, and in family therapy, working as an essential guide throughout their journey with us. They’re involved during the assessment phase to ensure that the treatment plans we craft for each client are targeted and personalized. Then, Primary Therapists lead clients along the road to recovery, refining treatment as clients achieve goals and progress through the program.

Anthony As A Therapist

Because Anthony is a therapist at Oaks House, he primarily works with teens who struggle with OCD and anxiety. However, many of our clients are working through co-occurring conditions, including depression, neurodiversity, and trauma. Identifying their concerns and underlying conditions is often the key to mapping out treatment plans for clients at Oaks House.

How Anthony Got His Start

Anthony wasn’t always a therapist — he actually used to be a production audio mixer in the film industry. However, during COVID, he became disenchanted with the long days, unpredictable hours, and heavy equipment literally resting on his shoulders. When he realized that this career wasn’t a calling, he took the opportunity provided by COVID to shift his focus.

Anthony reevaluated his life and work, realizing that therapy may be his true calling. After revisiting his Bachelor’s Degree in psychology, Anthony decided to finish his education — fully transitioning into a role as a Primary Therapist at Ascend after completion.

Why Anthony Loves Ascend

Working in treatment can be incredibly difficult work. Some days are more exhausting than a twelve-hour shoot hauling sound equipment in the sun (and Anthony would know). However, everything shifts when a client says something that makes all that hard work worth the effort.

These moments are consistent reminders of why Anthony chose to re-enter the treatment world. Whether it’s a client who leaves his office feeling a little better than when they walked in or a major breakthrough during a one-on-one session, he feels like the day mattered.

With the support of other team members at Ascend, Anthony gets to share his sense of dedication and purpose with others, helping young people and their families navigate some of the hardest moments they’ll ever experience in their lives.

Why Ascend Loves Anthony

Anthony is such a great fit for our team because of his consistent, grounded presence for clients and their families. Oftentimes, the people who need our programs the most have never experienced the type of security Anthony can provide.

We also love how Anthony engages with clients in creative and unique ways. From introducing Pierogi and Pizza — his therapy pugs — to using somatic group and harm-reduction techniques in his treatment approach, he’s always bringing something new to the table.

A Day in His Life

Most days for Anthony revolve around therapy sessions with clients. He uses his time between therapy sessions to share meals with staff and clients alike, breaking down the barriers that may cause clients to view him with suspicion. Working to provide a warm presence helps Anthony build a stronger rapport with everyone around him.

In addition to working with clients and mentors on a daily basis, Anthony also spends time with Katy, the Clinical Director at Oaks. Clinical interns and educators are also an essential part of his work with clients, ensuring continuity of care throughout the entire program.

Next Month at Ascend

Now that you know a little bit more about what Primary Therapists, like Anthony, do at Ascend, you can take the next step toward healing. Learn more about admissions to determine whether residential, PHP, or virtual treatment is the right choice for you. And check back next month to see who we spotlight next!