Q: What's a typical workday like for you?
A: The kids are ages 12 to 17, and it's a three- to nine-month program. They go to school here and have daily group therapy and groups on living skills, plus activities every night. I chart on each child - their behavior, how their groups and school are going. I make sure they keep their rooms neat and clean and supervise lunch and afternoon jobs. It's a lot of support with their living skills and being respectful to their peers and following their treatment plans. I work with kids one-on-one if they need support with something, such as fears about being new or leaving, or roommate issues. We support them with interventions that work, such as coping skills, maybe music or journaling, deep breathing or going to the gym.
Q: How does your role fit into the bigger health care picture?
A: I work with clients a lot on sobriety and positive interactions, get them involved in sober community activities and goals to see them succeed. By following their treatment plans and coping without chemicals, they finish school and continue to stay sober.
Q: Who do you interact with during the course of the day?
A: I interact with the clients, teachers, case managers, therapists and my supervisor.
Q: Why did you become a residential counselor?
A: I'd only worked with the women's population before and I wanted to work with teens. I enjoy the field, just helping them and trying to get them on the way to successful sobriety.
