Cassandra Wooden-Seawood
Chicago,IL
Summary
Dedicated professional with over 27-years of early childhood education, social service, mental health, addiction, and business management experience. Dedicated professional with an intense counseling and teaching background. Demonstrate a strategic approach to problem- solving. Resourceful and versatile with excellent interpersonal skills, highly developed work ethics with immense integrity. Accustomed to working with individuals, families, multidisciplinary teams, and other professionals.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
4
4
Certification
Work History
Director of Program Therapy
The Truth Center
04.2021 - Current
- Co-Occurring addiction counselor to over 113 clients with utilization review duties.
- Remote counseling and team supervision for 8 staff member.
- Developed treatment plans to outline steps necessary for clients to achieve goals.
- Performed assessments to evaluate clients' mental health status, needs and goals.
- Provided crisis intervention to support clients during times of urgent need.
- Supported clients in developing coping skills to help patients manage life challenges and difficulties.
- Addressed cultural and diversity issues to provide clients with culturally responsive care.
- Senior and disability advocacy lead.
- Conducted over 250 Parenting, CPR/First Aid, AED and life skills training sessions.
- Grant research and writing.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in team environments.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Cultivated interpersonal skills by building positive relationships with others.
ECE Director
Early Achievers Academy
05.2006 - Current
- Supervising development, organization, implementation, coordination, hiring, and evaluation of Early Childhood and Preschool instructional programs.
- Performing activities required to prepare, submit, and manage all funding proposals, budgets, reporting requirements, and compliance activities.
- Supervising staff of 22 educators.
- Trainer of Early Childhood Education & Childhood.
- Educated over 2000 ECE students from 2009-2023.
- Conducted over 129 ASQ and DECA assessments.
- Curriculum creation and grant writing.
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines
- Identified issues, analyzed information and provided solutions to problems
School Social Worker Intern
Juvenile Protective Association- CPS
08.2022 - 05.2023
- Adolescent individual therapy and behavioral health.
- Developed education and social programs to provide clients with knowledge and skills for healthy, productive lives.
- Mediated between family members to facilitate conflict resolution and build healthy family relationships.
- Responded to crises and emergency situations to provide immediate assistance to persons in need.
- Documented services provided meticulously by keeping accurate records of activities, interactions and conversations.
- Interviewed clients to assess needs and determine most suitable needs and services.
- Offered community resource guidance to clients to meet family needs for assistance.
- Developed and implemented social work plans to understand desired project goals and properly align social work activities.
- Collaborated with school personnel, parents and mental health providers to maintain comprehensive and integrated approach to student services.
- IMCANS certified.
- Maintained client reports to track client progress, record interventions and provide relevant data for analysis.
Social Worker Intern
DCFS-Early Childhood Project
08.2021 - 05.2022
- Performed client intact assessments.
- Performed ASQ and DECA assessments for 0-3 year olds.
- Screen parents/caregivers of infant children involved in child welfare intact
- Complete home visits, child care, domestic violence, psychotherapy, and group referrals
- Completed all tasks with review from supervisor.
- Documented services provided meticulously by keeping accurate records of activities, interactions and conversations.
- Conducted research and wrote reports to provide accurate and up-to-date summaries of client conditions.
- Mediated between family members to facilitate conflict resolution and build healthy family relationships
Program Therapist
U of C Ingalls Hospital
05.2017 - 04.2021
- Conducted in-patient and out-patient assessments for mental health and addiction units.
- Psychotherapy, treatment plans, group therapy, family therapy utilization review, after careful planning and discharge in co-occurring unit.
- Facilitated IOP/ PHP groups for adolescents and adults.
- Created tele-health programming for adult addiction unit.
- Provide individual counseling & crisis intervention using cognitive behavioral therapy & motivational interviewing under supervision of Licensed Clinical.
- Professional Counselor and Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
- Utilization review for IOP and PHP Patients.
- Conducted patient vitals and urinalysis testing in addiction unit.
Education
Ph.D. - Child Development/ Juris Doctorate
Loyola University of Chicago
Chicago, IL05.2026
Master of Arts - Social Work- Clinical Mental Health
Erikson Institute
Chicago, IL05.2023
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health
Adler University
Chicago, IL05.2018
Bachelors Business - Management
Roosevelt University
Chicago12.2010
Skills
- Best Practices and Standards
- Quality Control Procedures
- Caseload Management
- Therapy Staff Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Individual and Group Therapy
- Substance Abuse Therapy
- Facility Oversight
- Committee Leadership
- Therapy Strategies
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Admissions Screening
- Web Master
Affiliations
- National Association of Social Workers
- NAADC
- Chicago Association of Realtor- Broker
- IAIMH
- IABH
- NADCP
- DEIBJ
- Project Management Institute
Certification
Project Management- Loyola
Government Contracting- George Washington University
Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor
Co-Occurring Disorder Professional
Licensed Social Worker -Pending
Licensed Professional Counselor- Pending
Licensed Illinois Broker
ImCans Certified
Timeline
School Social Worker Intern
Juvenile Protective Association- CPS
08.2022 - 05.2023
Social Worker Intern
DCFS-Early Childhood Project
08.2021 - 05.2022
Director of Program Therapy
The Truth Center
04.2021 - Current
Program Therapist
U of C Ingalls Hospital
05.2017 - 04.2021
ECE Director
Early Achievers Academy
05.2006 - Current
Ph.D. - Child Development/ Juris Doctorate
Loyola University of Chicago
Master of Arts - Social Work- Clinical Mental Health
Erikson Institute
Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health
Adler University
Bachelors Business - Management
Roosevelt University