Lea Walberg, LCSW
Summary
"If you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together." -African Proverb
Something I've always known about social work is that it takes an entire village to cultivate and instill Hope in our communities. To me, Hope means many things, but it can best be described as the following:
Hope. H elping O vercome barriers by using best P ractices that E mpower each community and individual to believe they can reach their full potential.
I showcase these values in my work through advocacy, relationship building, understanding, cultural competence & evidence based practices. My mission is to ensure safe spaces are created where the entire community can become the village to instill Hope .
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Mental Health Therapist
BetterHelp
01.2024 - Current
- Tailored therapeutic approaches to meet the unique needs of diverse client populations, including individuals with substance use disorders and trauma histories.
- Implemented behavioral modification techniques for clients struggling with unhealthy patterns of behavior or thought processes contributing to their mental health challenges.
- Reduced client symptoms of anxiety and depression with cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, mindfulness exercises, and psychodynamic approaches.
- Developed comprehensive treatment plans for clients to address specific mental health concerns and goals.
Social Worker
Harlandale Independent School District
06.2021 - Current
- Help students develop new coping mechanisms and techniques to drive behavior modification
- Administered assessments and developed academic goals based on specific disabilities and barriers to learning
- Interviewed students, families, or groups to assess situations, limitations and issues and implement services to address needs
- Facilitated group therapy sessions to build supportive, communicative student networks
- Conduct home visits to assess living environment and facilitate access to necessary resources
- De-escalated stressful situations through individual and family crisis interventions
- Participated in IEP, RTI and other related meetings that determined and implemented school-wide policies
- Trained and guided teachers on how to identify and support students
Social Worker
Southwest Independent School District
04.2019 - 06.2021
- Provide a supportive and trauma-informed environment for students and their families
- Trauma Informed Committee Member that meets weekly to develop a plan to implement trauma informed practices at the district level
- Identify barriers to academic success in school, in the home or in the community and recommend appropriate interventions
- Academic, behavioral, and basic need
- Provide ongoing individual and group counseling, social-emotional support, and crisis intervention to students
- Weekly caseload of 70 students that are seen individually, group or both- does not include crisis and other teacher referrals
- Participate in multidisciplinary team to identify and assist in addressing the needs of children and families
- Leadership team, attendance committee, sunshine committee, parent engagement team, IEP and 504 meetings
- Provide consultation and support to administrators, teachers, and staff members regarding student and family needs and best practices to serve our school community
- Foster community engagement by collaborating with community partners that can provide support and resources to meet the diverse needs of students, parents and schools: Examples: Operation School Bell, San Antonio Food Bank, SACADA and more
Site Coordinator
Communities In Schools of
03.2018 - 04.2019
- Develop and maintain effective individual relationships with at-risk students andparents
- Conduct individual and group counseling sessions to encourage peer supportand enhance social development
- Assess and implement service plans for at-risk youth to help improveattendance, academics, and behavior
- Develop and coordinate a continuing evaluation of social work services andmake changes based on the findings, utilizing KEY database
SAMMinistriesCase Manager
Schools
02.2013 - 03.2018
- Provide case management services to ongoing caseload of 15 thatfacilitate self-sufficient and housing retention with individuals experiencinghomelessness and disabilities
- Assist in developing Service Plans
- Refer and coordinate to necessary servicesto help families access services and achieve goals set in their plan
- Learn and model sound conflict resolution techniques and mediate conflictswithin the program
- Assisted in developing the largest Permanent Supportive Housing Program in
- SA for the those experiencing homelessness
- Built partnerships within the SAISD school district and local apartmentmanagers
- Utilize diverse case management skills to help promote empowerment andchoice by using the housing first approach
- Served on the committee for the PIT (Point in Time, 2016-2017) to assist in thenational homeless count
- Member of the Housing Coalition Committee
- Communities
Intern Social Worker
08.2017 - 12.2017
- Supervise attendance, behavior and academic progress of all students in CISand establish regular data documentation practices
- Serve as a case manager for each at-risk student accepted into the CISprogram
- Make home visits to CIS families, develop relationships, and assist with referralsto needed resources
- Provide crisis intervention for at-risk students and their families
- Complete a comprehensive annual and needs assessment for the campus andstudents
- Develop relationships with school staff and complete consultation on behalf ofat-risk students
Research Assistant
YAMS, Young Adult Medicaid, UTSA
01.2016 - 08.2017
- Organized and Co-facilitated focus group discussions
- Ran data quality control for transcriptions
Intern Case Manager & Pal
BCFS Health and Human Services
01.2016 - 08.2016
- Assess personal needs of PAL and TWC clients and help to obtain resources
- Advocate with human services, health, court and criminal justice system toresolve issues facing clients
- Assist youth in crisis by providing de-escalation for situation and developing planwith youth
- Coordinate community events to empower current and former foster youth
- Facilitate 6 session series of life skills to mandated foster youth
Education
Master of Science - Social Work
The University of Texas At San Antonio
San Antonio, TXBachelor of Arts - Psychology
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, ILAssociate of Arts -
Kishwaukee College
Malta, ILSkills
- Individual Counseling
- Grief counseling
- Crisis Intervention
- Group therapy specialist
- Strengths-based solution-focused therapy
- Multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Case Management
- Referrals and networking
Certification
- LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker: 65484
- Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI), Aug. 2023
- Certified Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainer, Sept. 2023
Affiliations
- Texas Society for Clinical Social Work
- Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
Timeline
Mental Health Therapist
BetterHelp
01.2024 - Current
Social Worker
Harlandale Independent School District
06.2021 - Current
Social Worker
Southwest Independent School District
04.2019 - 06.2021
Site Coordinator
Communities In Schools of
03.2018 - 04.2019
Intern Social Worker
08.2017 - 12.2017
Research Assistant
YAMS, Young Adult Medicaid, UTSA
01.2016 - 08.2017
Intern Case Manager & Pal
BCFS Health and Human Services
01.2016 - 08.2016
SAMMinistriesCase Manager
Schools
02.2013 - 03.2018
Master of Science - Social Work
The University of Texas At San Antonio
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Northern Illinois University
Associate of Arts -
Kishwaukee College