APRIL PALLESEN
Summary
Clinical Mental Health Counselor with background focused on substance abuse and crisis counseling across various populations including adolescents, adults and geriatrics. Motivated to provide strength-based, need-driven, clinical services for children, families and individuals to resolve crisis, cope effectively with mental challenges and facilitate growth and positive change.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Crisis Clinician
Common Spirit
West Valley City, UT
10.2022 - Current
- Provide assessments, interventions, and discharge planning/placements according individual needs.
- Evaluate risk to client or others by gathering information and conducting assessments.
- Use skills such as active listening and collaborative problem-solving daily to connect with patients, address concerns.
- Build safety plans to lower risk of crisis and intervene in specific manners outlined by procedures.
- Coordinate inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and geriatric patients.
- Provide clients with community resources for various needs including mental health, substance use, medical care, housing, legal aid, etc.
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills in working with hospital staff, patients, families, law enforcement and referral agencies.
- Display sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
Administrative Coordinator
Intermountain Healthcare
Murray, UT
05.2015 - Current
- Coordinate logistics for multi-state weight loss and lifestyle management program.
- Identify areas for process improvement related to referral procedures, charting practices, and program delivery.
- Aid service line growth by building relationships and implementing marketing practices.
- Assist management with special projects to complete all tasks by deadlines.
- Develop and distribute communications, track and follow up on requests, and prioritize deadlines.
- Manage multiple schedules, organize team functions, and provide training to new hires.
- Manage and maintain electronic filing systems to keep essential documents and information easily accessible and organized.
Therapist
PsychedCCS
Salt Lake City, UT
12.2022 - 12.2023
- Assessed clients' mental health needs, developed treatment plans and monitored progress.
- Counseled individuals to bring awareness of problems, deal with crisis situations and develop action plans.
- Incorporated techniques from various modalities including ACT, CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing and others to ensure individual needs were met.
- Developed strategies to help patients cope with stress and anxiety and build resilience.
- Documented patient information, treatment plans, goal progress and patient responses.
Mobile Crisis Clinician
Huntsman Mental Health Institute
Salt Lake City, UT
09.2021 - 10.2022
- Provided emergency response in crisis situations to diffuse tensions, prevent violence and supportive counseling to individuals in crisis.
- Conducted assessments, interventions, and discharge planning/placements according to individual needs.
- Evaluated risk to client or others by gathering information and conducting assessments.
- Used skills such as active listening and collaborative problem-solving daily to connect with patients and address concerns.
- Built safety plans to lower risk of crisis and intervened in specific manners outlined by procedures.
- Coordinated inpatient and outpatient services for children, adolescents, adults and geriatric patients.
- Provided clients with community resources for various needs including mental health, substance use, medical care, housing, legal aid, etc.
- Demonstrated excellent communication skills in working with hospital staff, patients, families, law enforcement and referral agencies.
- Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
Counseling Intern
Valley Behavioral Health
Salt Lake City, UT
01.2020 - 07.2021
- Applied variety of psychological methods and techniques in screening, assessment and evaluation of clients with mental health and substance abuse diagnoses.
- Provided counseling and support to clients with drug and alcohol abuse issues based on ASAM criteria and SAMSHA best practices.
- Used knowledge of different treatment modalities (ACT, CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing) to provide clients with individualized treatment goals.
- Monitored client progress to make necessary adjustments for client success.
- Coordinated care with other professionals and referred clients as necessary to provide comprehensive support.
- Facilitated group and individual therapy in outpatient setting.
- Assisted patients in accessing housing, financial assistance and other community resources.
- Kept accurate and detailed records to track and document client progress that met or exceeded standards for Medicare reimbursement.
- Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
Education
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Adams State University
Alamosa, CO07.2021
Skills
- Clinical Assessment and Interventions
- Diagnostic Evaluation
- SMART Goal Development
- Treatment Planning
- Crisis Counseling
- Suicide Prevention and Risk Assessment
- Substance Abuse Treatment
- MAT and ASAM Criteria
- Individual and Group Counseling
- Integrate various treatment modalities including ACT, CBT, DBT and Motivational Interviewing
- Case Management
- Community Resources and Education
- Clinical Documentation
Certification
- UT CMHC-Expires 9/2026
Timeline
Therapist
PsychedCCS
12.2022 - 12.2023
Crisis Clinician
Common Spirit
10.2022 - Current
Mobile Crisis Clinician
Huntsman Mental Health Institute
09.2021 - 10.2022
Counseling Intern
Valley Behavioral Health
01.2020 - 07.2021
Administrative Coordinator
Intermountain Healthcare
05.2015 - Current
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Adams State University