"I want to understand someone’s story and help them write the next page."

During my four years at ACSO, one thing that never ceases to amaze me is the resilience that people show in the face of adversity. I began working in residential services and jumped over to the COATS team after about 6 months.  Since then, I have been working in the AOD field and a moved around a few different roles.   

For the last year (which has passed in the blink of an eye) I have been working as the Senior Forensic AOD Clinician based at the Thomas Embling Hospital, working with people to address their AOD needs.  This is a Forensicare location and I love being able to walk in wearing my ACSO lanyard and impart ACSO’s values.  My role consists of triaging referrals, completing assessments, providing psychosocial intervention, supporting and upskilling other staff, and writing comprehensive assessment and treatment reports. 

The thing that keeps me in this role is my passion for people.  It makes me so disappointed that some people can sit outside of someone’s storybook, not even flip the front cover or try to understand their story, and pass judgement and reinforce shame and stigma.  I never want to be that person.  I want to understand someone’s story and help them write the next page or even the next chapter.  Sharing this passion and belief in humanity with colleagues is magic – it makes me so hopeful for the future and how we can evolve to best support the people we work with.  

When I’m not working…I’m usually working on my Provisional Psychologist internship, but when I’m not doing that, I love being out of the house hiking, camping, swimming, spending time with my partner, watching live music and looking at doggo’s that need adopting.