Learning together, 
that's living.

Name: Christina, LMHC
Role: Program Director, Mentor South Bay (a part of Sevita)
Tenure: 8 years

[Sevita] Please tell us about how you got started at Sevita, and how your career journey has unfolded here. 

[Christina] I started at the company in the role of a Family Support Specialist, working with kids and families in their homes. It's bachelor's degree entry level position.

While I was working in that initial role, I was also working towards getting my master's degree from Fitchburg State University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The role was perfect for me because it was really flexible. I could work on the weekends if I needed to, so I got a lot of experience working while getting my master's degree. Then I did my practicum here in the same position, but just a little more advanced, and then I did my internship here while working too. So I was an intern in-home therapist for a year, which was so helpful.

As an intern I saw my supervisor multiple times a week, so I felt super supported. Then I stayed here as a full-time in-home therapist because I just love the work.

Seeing families grow, seeing really successful graduations from our in-home therapy program is great.  We had a large family in our program that had never had a permanent home before, they would bounce around from apartment to apartment. We supported them, making sure they felt heard, and getting them connected with the resources that were available really helped them. Seeing them buy their first home, and that they were stable enough to graduate from our program at the same time…being a part of that and getting to see those things was wonderful.

I grew in my roles and had the opportunity to be a supervisor in the same office where I had worked in the previous roles. It was just amazing to see other staff grow, to see the office grow. Now I’m the Program Director of two different programs, and it has just been amazing to continue to grow with this company.

My first interview here at Sevita was with my future supervisor.
And one of the first things she asked me was, “What are your triggers?”.
I remember feeling really supported in that interview,
that she really wanted to get to know me personally.
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Here, I feel like my opinion really matters, that my safety really matters,
that my colleagues have my back.That's the biggest part for me.
And here my growth matters.
I've always been pushed to grow here, whereas at other companies, I wasn't.

[Sevita] You've had a lot of growth throughout your entire journey. How has Sevita supported you?

[Christina]  I've always had a supervisor that I think was appropriate for me in my career growth here. Especially when I was first starting out, I had someone who was really supporting me clinically. They pushed me by asking ‘What are we doing that's best for the person served? And clinically, what research are we using to support them and their goals? And what are their goals? Not necessarily what we think their goals should be, but what are their goals?’

As I've grown, my supervisors and managers have helped me focus on getting skills and experiences to help get me ready to take on my next role. Like managing others, or problem solving, or even business finance, my managers and supervisors have been so supportive, and I’m always learning new things.

[Sevita] What would you tell the younger Christina now that you have the opportunity to look back on your career journey?

[Christina] I would say, “Don't sacrifice your needs for a job.”

Where before I would sacrifice my safety, or maybe I would quiet down my thoughts and opinions. But here I feel all of that is very much welcomed. And appreciated, actually.

[Sevita] So for somebody who is looking to break into the behavioral health world as a career, any tips or advice you'd give them?

[Christina] Do something where you have the chance to learn something new every day. That's what I’ve had a chance to do at Sevita.

Here it's constant encouragement of growth. So I would say for anyone just starting out in the field, find a job and a company that supports you in exploring ways to learn in this field.

[Sevita] Thanks for sharing your story with us, Christina!

Learning together. Now that’s a career, well lived.