Claire believes in “second chances”. For her clients and herself. Growing up in Haiti her choice of professions was limited based on her social class, so she chose to become an architect. She didn’t feel fulfilled, but it made her family proud. When she came to the U.S., she had a world of opportunities and options open up. Remembering back in Haiti that she felt most fulfilled when she was coaching, mentoring, and helping others, she took a ‘second chance’ on a new career in the mental health field.
It’s that same philosophy that fuels her work with her clients. “I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone has something that needs someone to give them a push and help them discover. At my core, I believe in people. Helping others is my passion.”
It’s that same philosophy that fuels her work with her clients. “I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone has something that needs someone to give them a push and help them discover. At my core, I believe in people. Helping others is my passion.”
From architect to Outpatient Mental Health Therapist, Claire knows that taking second chances
may be all it takes to discover a career well lived.
may be all it takes to discover a career well lived.
Sevita: What about a degree or working in this field appeals to you?
Claire: I believe it’s in me. I like to work with people. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone has something inside or something hiding that needs someone to give them a push to help them discover. I believe in people. Social work, mental health, helping others is my passion.
Sevita: How did your team at Sevita help you feel welcome in the beginning?
Claire: What I like is that everyone makes you feel at home and feel welcome. Even though I’m a student, they don’t make me feel different from the degreed professionals with experience. Two of the clinicians gave me the opportunity to assist and sit in on their sessions, and that gave me the opportunity to learn before getting into my own client caseload.
Sevita: How do you put your personal 'thumbprint' on the work you do here?
Claire: I’m not a teacher, but I have the skills and experiences to be a teacher. I’ve been a mentor and coach for young people back home. So at work when there’s an opportunity to share information, I make sure I share what I know.
Sevita: Is there a client of yours that has left a lasting impression? Someone you will always remember, and why?
Claire: I was working with a 20-year old woman who was talking about committing suicide. At the time my first born child, my daughter, was 19. So I tried to protect my client because I saw my daughter in her, and didn’t see her as a client. I’m learning to keep myself as a mother separate from me as a counselor. It’s not easy.
Sevita: What’s Sevita’s culture like?
Claire: I feel Sevita is more like a family than a company. You could work for a company and you’re just someone that just comes in does your hours and leaves. You don’t have any connection to the company or co-workers. But that’s not how it is here. It’s more of a family than a company here at Sevita.
Sevita: Is there something about you, an experience, a fun fact you can share?
Claire: I write songs! I don’t know how to play any instruments. I can just sit peacefully and then the music comes to me, and I find the words to go with it. I record the songs on my phone, and I perform them in church.
Claire: I believe it’s in me. I like to work with people. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. Everyone has something inside or something hiding that needs someone to give them a push to help them discover. I believe in people. Social work, mental health, helping others is my passion.
Sevita: How did your team at Sevita help you feel welcome in the beginning?
Claire: What I like is that everyone makes you feel at home and feel welcome. Even though I’m a student, they don’t make me feel different from the degreed professionals with experience. Two of the clinicians gave me the opportunity to assist and sit in on their sessions, and that gave me the opportunity to learn before getting into my own client caseload.
Sevita: How do you put your personal 'thumbprint' on the work you do here?
Claire: I’m not a teacher, but I have the skills and experiences to be a teacher. I’ve been a mentor and coach for young people back home. So at work when there’s an opportunity to share information, I make sure I share what I know.
"In group supervision someone may say something and it’s not clear, and then other students will share their experiences and examples to help explain a point. So it’s not a classroom, but everyone comes with their own experiences and we learn from each other."
Sevita: Is there a client of yours that has left a lasting impression? Someone you will always remember, and why?
Claire: I was working with a 20-year old woman who was talking about committing suicide. At the time my first born child, my daughter, was 19. So I tried to protect my client because I saw my daughter in her, and didn’t see her as a client. I’m learning to keep myself as a mother separate from me as a counselor. It’s not easy.
Sevita: What’s Sevita’s culture like?
Claire: I feel Sevita is more like a family than a company. You could work for a company and you’re just someone that just comes in does your hours and leaves. You don’t have any connection to the company or co-workers. But that’s not how it is here. It’s more of a family than a company here at Sevita.
Sevita: Is there something about you, an experience, a fun fact you can share?
Claire: I write songs! I don’t know how to play any instruments. I can just sit peacefully and then the music comes to me, and I find the words to go with it. I record the songs on my phone, and I perform them in church.
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