Sarah Tolvaisa
Summary
Accomplished Psychotherapist and business owner with 13 years of experience counseling individuals and couples with social, emotional and behavioral disorders. Positive, vibrant clinician with focus on accurately identifying issues and evaluating best techniques for treatment. Dedicated to offering quality services and maintaining knowledge of latest industry advancements by attending professional conferences and continuing education courses.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
President, Psychotherapist, Consultation, and Independent Contracting Work
Healing Waters Counseling and Wellness
Philadelphia PA, Media PA
09.2017 - Current
- Provide clinical counseling, consultation, and therapeutic services to couples, individuals, and families
- Consult with individuals or organizations within my field of expertise
- Utilize The Gottman Method and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to facilitate goal-oriented change
- Sustain timely progress notes and assessments as needed
- Develop trust and good rapport with individuals through person-centered and trauma informed counseling, while breaking through barriers of race, class, gender identification and sexual orientation
- Conceptualize and tailor individualized treatment plans for every client based on a bio-psycho-social-spiritual model
- Implement safety and relapse prevention planning as needed
- Make referrals as necessary, utilizing resources to maintain and uphold a continuum of care.
Assistant Program Manager
Project H.O.M.E.
09.2016 - 07.2017
- Supervise a staff of 10-15 individuals – providing training and educational opportunities as well as regular supervision – in addition to maintaining the clinical duties listed below under “residential case manager”
Residential Case Manager
Project H.O.M.E.
09.2013 - 08.2016
- Provide clinical trauma-informed services to women with histories of chronic homelessness, severe mental illness, trauma, substance abuse, and medical fragility
- Supervise MSW and BSW interns, and orient them to various modalities of treatment and oversee services provided by them
- Transitioned into role of temporary Program Manager, thus taking over the majority of the responsibilities while that person was on short term leave, once for three months in 2015, again for 3.5 months in 2016
- Maintain current documentation of client sessions, in addition to performing and recording various initial and annual assessments
- Implement safety planning and relapse prevention planning for individuals with histories of intimate partner violence and drug and alcohol abuse
- Consult regularly with the Department of Behavioral Health, Community Behavioral Health, and other service providers to ensure holistic services in conjunction with one encompassing treatment plan
- Improve quality of life for clients by helping them attain identification documents, public aid and social security disability benefits, as well as permanent housing.
Outreach Worker
Thresholds
09.2011 - 06.2013
- Worked as an LPC in the state of Illinois, providing clinical mental health, case management, and recovery services to homeless adults in impromptu settings
- Advocate for homeless individuals regarding issues of housing and basic human rights
- Support clients in attaining necessary social security disability and public aid benefits
- Conceptualize and diagnose individuals using a bio-psycho-social-spiritual model for holistic understanding
- Document client’s growth and change through session notes as well as administering anxiety, depression, and quality of life assessments
- Encourage safety by using emotional safety planning, relapse prevention planning and domestic violence safety planning
- Provide experiential training in the area of community mental health on a regular basis to doctors from the University of Chicago in residency.
Clinical Therapist Intern
Sarah’s Circle
07.2010 - 06.2011
- Promote a just and inclusive society by providing therapy and clinical resources for women who are homeless or in danger of becoming so
- Advocate for clients by providing case management services
- Provide therapy and treatment plans tailored to women’s specific emotional, cognitive and behavioral needs using a client centered, harm reduction, and acceptance and commitment therapy approach
- Work closely with psychotic, mood, anxiety, personality, and substance-related disorders
- Educate clients on anxiety symptom reduction and promote mindfulness through group therapy
- Facilitate a safe environment to encourage healing through trauma-focused group therapy
- Record and track client’s progress through maintaining accurate notes from individual and group sessions
Program Leader: Chronic Disease Self-Management
White Crane Wellness Center
10.2009 - 03.2010
- Educated in Stanford evidence-based “Take Charge of Your Health” program
- Teach the “Take Charge of Your Health” program to elderly individuals needing education on healthy living habits
- Utilize acceptance and control techniques to work through participant’s resistance to growth.
Education
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Specialization - Health Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Chicago, IL05.2011
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology -
Calvin College
Grand Rapids, MI05.2009
Skills
- Industry Expertise
- Client Relationship Building
- Client Engagement
- Consultations
- Referral Coordination
- Building rapport
- Psychosocial assessment
Certification
- Level 1 Gottman Certification
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Affiliations
American Counseling Association
References Available
Upon Request
Timeline
President, Psychotherapist, Consultation, and Independent Contracting Work
Healing Waters Counseling and Wellness
09.2017 - Current
Assistant Program Manager
Project H.O.M.E.
09.2016 - 07.2017
Residential Case Manager
Project H.O.M.E.
09.2013 - 08.2016
Outreach Worker
Thresholds
09.2011 - 06.2013
Clinical Therapist Intern
Sarah’s Circle
07.2010 - 06.2011
Program Leader: Chronic Disease Self-Management
White Crane Wellness Center
10.2009 - 03.2010
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Specialization - Health Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology -
Calvin College