Welcome back to another Day in the Life spotlight piece from the team at Ascend! This month, we’re excited to showcase one of our Primary Therapist staff members at a very special house. Mauri works as a therapist at Haven where she collaborates with other therapists treating neurodivergent clients with ASD and ADHD who are navigating the challenges of succeeding in a neurotypical world while experiencing sensory processing issues, socio-emotional problems, and co-morbid depression and anxiety.
Follow along with us and discover how she navigates daily life with her clients here!
Therapy At Ascend
Since we offer residential treatment and outpatient care to teens who struggle with their mental health, it makes sense that we have a ton of therapists on our staff. From substance abuse counselors, like Janet, to eco-therapists, like Nicole, we have a full team that can handle every type of need.
Mauri works as a Primary Therapist that leads individual, family, and group therapy sessions for our Haven clients. Many of these sessions focus on DBT skills, train Murphy new skills, and build family communication skills.
Mauri’s Inspiration
When she was growing up, Mauri had her own experiences with family conflict, ADHD, and anxiety. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the support we offer at Ascend and struggled with these concerns well into her late teens.
When she finally started her therapy journey, Mauri found it life-changing! Her own journey in therapy inspired her to start looking into careers that would allow her to provide similar experiences for other young people. She wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, empowering them in the same way that therapy empowered her.
Training in Therapy
Due to her intense motivation, Mauri quickly found her path as a therapist and completed her Master’s of Marriage and Family Therapy at Phillips Graduate Institute in 2022, where she graduated Summa cum Laude. She then gained work experience at a community mental health center where she had the opportunity to work with clients ranging from five to 17 years old!
She saw an opportunity at Ascend to expand her experience and focus exclusively on supporting the healing journey of family systems.
Ascend Is The Right Fit
Once she joined the team at Ascend, Mauri realized we were the perfect fit for her because she gets to work so intimately with the entire family system. She loves watching families transition from conflict and anxiety to moments of joy and peace. Many families come to Ascend feeling broken, but with Mauri’s help, they find their way back to a place of balance where everyone feels safe communicating their needs. She sees how resilient the family system can be each and every day as clients and their families work together to show up for each other, highlight individual growth, and practice effective family therapy activities.
Mauri also loves Ascend because of the sense of community between therapists and clients, clients and their peers, and every supporting member of our staff. Mauri feels like we provide a place that surrounds clients and staff with people who truly care about their needs. Here, she knows that she never has to handle a challenge alone!
Why We Love Mauri
Mauri believes that the most important thing you can do for any child is show up. And that’s what she does each and every day. She puts her heart and soul into her time at Ascend, making it a point to greet every client and staff member. Mauri shows us and her clients that she’s excited and grateful to be here, inspiring others to do their best for themselves and others. When you show willingness to put in the work, others will follow your lead — just like they do Mauri’s!
Continuing Her Growth
While Mauri is an amazing Primary Therapist, that doesn’t mean she’s done growing! She’s soon going to take her exam and elevate her license from Associate Therapist to Licensed Therapist. Most of her free time is currently dedicated to studying so she can successfully bring this new certification to her work at Ascend.
Learning Through Work
Whether it’s collaborating with Clinical Director Kristina Navarro, or working with Director of Clinical Operations Margaret Hartmann, Mauri has built some invaluable relationships within the mental health community and learned so much more than just clinical techniques. As she continues navigating the challenges of working with teens and their families, she realizes more and more that what everyone wants is to be seen, heard, and valued. Mauri strives to provide a safe place for anyone who feels the need to express themselves and be understood.
Keep Up With Us Next Month
Did you enjoy this overview of Mauri’s work at Ascend? Don’t forget to check back next month for another Day in the Life breakdown!
