Ava Michael
Wilmington,NC
Summary
Compassionate mental health counselor skilled in providing effective and empathetic support. Have successfully developed and implemented individualized care plans that significantly improved clients' quality of life. Possess strong communication, crisis management, and therapeutic relationship-building skills. Demonstrated impact by fostering positive outcomes in challenging environments through innovative treatment strategies and patient advocacy.
Highly-motivated employee with desire to take on new challenges. Strong work ethic, adaptability, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working effectively unsupervised and quickly mastering new skills.
Compassionate Chronic Illness Case Manager known for high productivity and efficient task completion. Specialize in patient advocacy, care plan development, and cross-functional team collaboration to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Excel in communication, empathy, and problem-solving skills, consistently delivering compassionate support and guidance to patients navigating chronic illness challenges.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern
Fellow Traveler Counseling
Wilmington
01.2023 - Current
- Conducted intake assessments and provide individual therapy for adults and young adults presenting with anxiety, depression, and chronic illness.
- Accumulated 1,000+ in-person direct client hours, delivering evidence-based interventions.
- Currently providing therapy utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), DBT-informed emotion regulation skills, narrative therapy, and somatic grounding techniques via in-person and telehealth sessions.
- Assisted in crisis intervention by providing immediate support during emergencies.
- Researched best practices in mental health counseling for ongoing professional development.
- Coordinated outreach efforts within the community by volunteering at local shelters or food banks.
- Attended weekly supervision meetings with Clinical Supervisor to discuss progress of cases and receive feedback and guidance.
- Collaborated with other professionals to coordinate effective treatment plans for clients.
- Facilitated educational presentations at local schools or community centers regarding mental health awareness.
- Facilitated group counseling sessions focusing on topics such as grief and loss, addiction recovery, anger management.
- Provided case management services by linking clients to community resources or referring them to outside providers when needed.
- Educated clients about mental health issues through psychoeducation groups or individual sessions.
- Developed treatment plans for clients based on the identified needs of each client.
- Engaged in continuing education activities such as attending workshops or seminars related to clinical practice.
- Maintained accurate client records in accordance with professional standards and regulations.
- Utilized evidence-based practices to assess and treat mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD.
- Performed crisis interventions when necessary to deescalate situations involving high levels of distress.
- Assessed patients for risk of suicide attempts or harmful behavior toward others.
- Acted as client advocate, coordinating required services and resolving emergency problems in crisis situations.
- Collaborated with mental health professionals and other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans.
- Modified treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status.
- Referred patients or clients to community resources or specialists.
- Gathered and researched information about community mental health needs or resources used in conjunction with therapy.
Server
Elijah's
Wilmington
04.2022 - 12.2023
- Provided excellent customer service to ensure satisfaction.
- Responded efficiently to guest inquiries and complaints in a professional manner.
- Communicated with hosts, bussers, and kitchen staff to prepare for and serve customers.
- Collaborated with other restaurant staff members to ensure efficient operations within the restaurant environment.
- Implemented feedback from customers to improve service quality and menu offerings.
Easterseals nonprofit
04.2022 - 05.2022
- Worked with an individual with a developmental disorder and other health issues.
- Worked on his social and self-care skills.
- Helped assist him in communication and organization of his personal items as well as feeding.
Stanfordville Machine Shop & Co.
06.2019 - 06.2021
- Dealt with organizational tasks such as paying bills and emailing potential clients.
Education
Master of Science - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN 12.2023 - 08.2025
Master of Science - Psychology
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 12.2023 - 09.2024
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of North Carolina At Wilmington
Wilmington, NC 01.2019 - 08.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY 08.2017 - 09.2019
Skills
- Chronic disease management
- Intake assessment & treatment planning
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training
- Person-Centered & Strengths-Based approaches
- Trauma-informed care
- Crisis intervention & risk assessment (suicidality, self-harm, etc)
- Somatic grounding & mindfulness techniques
- Narrative therapy
- Psychoeducation for clients & families
- Motivational interviewing
- Electronic health record (EHR) documentation
- Co-occurring disorders (substance use mental health)
- Anxiety & depression treatment expertise
- Grief and loss counseling
- Crisis intervention
- Psychoeducation groups
- Client advocacy
- Professional collaboration
- Group counseling facilitation
- Emotional regulation techniques
- Problem solving
- Active listening
- Psychoeducation delivery
- Professional networking
- Individual counseling
- Substance abuse counseling
- Building rapport
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Suicide risk assessment
- Ethics and confidentiality
- Psychopharmacology
- Sexual assault support
- Stress management techniques
- Grief counseling
- Relapse prevention
- Clinical assessment
- Task prioritization
- Existential therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Substance abuse disorders
- Anxiety disorder management
- Build coping skills
- Psychoanalysis Techniques
- Humanistic therapy
- Self-Harm Prevention Techniques
- Solution-focused brief therapy
- Biopsychosocial assessments
Timeline
Master of Science - Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Walden University
12.2023 - 08.2025
Master of Science - Psychology
Purdue University
12.2023 - 09.2024
Clinical Mental Health Counseling Intern
Fellow Traveler Counseling
01.2023 - Current
Server
Elijah's
04.2022 - 12.2023
Easterseals nonprofit
04.2022 - 05.2022
Stanfordville Machine Shop & Co.
06.2019 - 06.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
University of North Carolina At Wilmington
01.2019 - 08.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Ithaca College
08.2017 - 09.2019