PsychSupportNetwork |
 |
PsychSupportNetwork |
|
 |
|
I'm really not as old as I sound when I say I've been practicing as a Clinical Social Worker for 25 years. After graduating with my Master's from the U. of Tennessee I got a job as director of a satellite Mental Health Center in Grundy County Tennessee - the heart of Appalachia. My first husband's job transfer brought me to Delaware where I've lived for the last 23 years. I'm trained as a family therapist but have devoted much effort to recovery issues due to personal experience that came in my first marriage to a man who died from the disease of alcoholism.
I started my private practice in 1985 and earned my second credential, a certification in drug and alcohol counseling, around the same period of time. Prior to this, I worked in a Family Service agency for 12 years and later for a Lutheran organization for 10 years.
Eight years ago, as a result of my work with a bright and engaging client who is an incest survivor, I co-founded a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing recovery services to sexual assault victims. Hence, the flying gull on my page here. The logo for Survivors of Abuse in Recovery, Inc. (SOAR) is similar and our webmaster, Linda, lovingly put this one on for me.
While working as a psychotherapist in private practice is still my first love, I'm very dedicated to SOAR and its mission which is to ensure adequate recovery services for rape, incest and other sexual abuse survivors regardless of their ability to afford the cost of professional treatment. Becoming a nonprofit Executive Director wasn't exactly what I imagined in my future - but the universe must have known better, somehow. I always seem to end up in some sort of management position.
I love teaching and have been a field instructor for the graduate school of Social Work at Bryn Mawr College and Widener University off and on for the last ten years. I'm currently taking a break from this and miss it tremendously. Some of my best friends in this world were my interns previously - I often got back more from them than I gave.
On a personal note, I am married for the second time and live in a 150 yr. old farm house that we are constantly renovating. My 19-year-old daughter moved "home" to attend college near here last year. We are very close as it was just she and I against the world after her father died for many years. My hobbies include gardening and chatting with my PSN sistahs online. But, I've also had mid-life sports fantasies lately. I play tennis regularly and recently learned how to play golf.
If you've read this far you're probably someone who knows me! Thank you for your interest. If you are a survivor or know someone who could benefit from our treatment program in Delaware, please do not hesitate to call me at (302) 655-3953 or write me at SoarsVal@AOL.com.
ALERIE