Hi, I’m
Sherel Lawson
Summerfield
Summary
Qualified Speaker/Trainer/Writer/Content Creator prepared to excel in this role. Experienced with producing compelling content that resonates with target audiences. Adept at producing high-quality work that aligns with organizational objectives and enhances team performance. Known for strong collaboration skills and adaptability in dynamic environments. Proficient in research, writing, and editing. Passionate Speaker proficient in imparting knowledge and information through inspiration and motivational teaching to a variety of audiences.
Overview
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Natural Triad Magazine
Contributor for Mental Health
Job overview
- Submit articles related to mental health topics
107.5 Radio Station
Guest Speaker
Job overview
- Guest Speaker for mental health topics
Pinnacle Life Coaching & Consulting
Owner/CEO
07.2022 - Current
Job overview
- Deliver Coaching services with a Niche directed for Senior-Level Executives and Entrepreneurs. Assist them to handle high-stress occupations, assist in how to quickly pivot during times of transition. Assist with mastering emotions during times of stress, transition and trauma not only as a personal strategy, but a professional strategy for higher performance and productivity.
- Leveraged twenty-seven years of mental health and substance abuse expertise in clinical and administrative roles.
- Provide comprehensive business consulting for mental health and substance abuse agencies.
- Conduct assessments of daily operations, recommending improvements for enhanced efficiency.
- Hire and train staff to align with organizational goals and standards.
- Secured grants totaling up to $1.5 million, demonstrating strong fundraising capabilities.
- Developed policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations.
- Facilitate individual and group life coaching sessions, fostering personal transformation.
- Manage all marketing efforts while developing podcasts and social media content.
Alamance Academy, LLC
Executive Business Consultant
01.2021 - 03.2025
Job overview
- Provided comprehensive consultation in clinical guidance and agency operations.
- Ensured compliance with all state and federal regulations.
- Conducted all Staff Trainings for Initial Onboarding as well as ongoing monthly trainings
- Conducted Presentations and Speaking Engagements as a Community Liason with other Agencies in the Community such as Hospitals, Department of Social Services, Housing Authorities, Managed Care Organizations, Psychiatrists, State Officials
- Instrumental in the Opening of an Enhanced Bridge Home for individuals looking for permanent housing. Wrote Policies & Procedures and Resident Handbook. Planned Grand Opening for this Bridge Home, including communicating with Mayor, other State Officials, Department of Justice, etc.
- Ensured the maintenance of orderly client files in accordance with state MCO guidelines.
- Guided staff on proper documentation standards.
- Delivered clinical direction and interventions for staff managing client caseloads.
- Structured systems to enhance compliance and operational efficiency.
- Facilitated planning meetings to evaluate and adjust company strategies.
- Developed relationships with MCOs while leading collaborative meetings.
- Participated in continuous professional development activities, staying current with industry advancements and best practices.
- Improved workflow automation to reduce wasted time and resources.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient care and streamline processes.
- Delivered educational presentations for healthcare professionals on relevant clinical topics, promoting knowledge sharing within the community.
- Guided staff in clinical best practices and evidence-based methods.
- Mentored junior staff members, fostering a supportive learning environment that encouraged growth and skill development.
- Assisted with regulatory issues such as compliance.
- Created and implemented organizational policies and procedures.
- Recruited, hired and trained all staff, providing direct supervision, ongoing staff development and continuing education to employees.
- Designed and introduced leadership development, coaching and team management model, resulting in promotion of employees into increased levels of responsibility.
- Spearheaded and implemented new projects to expand scope of engagement.
Alamance Academy
Clinical Director
01.2016 - 01.2021
Job overview
- Oversaw all clinical aspects of the agency
- Provided clinical oversight over all staff and clients of the agency
- Maintained a part-time caseload of clients that included providing outpatient therapy, completing documentation, collaborating with outside providers
- Met with community stakeholders to build a positive relationship between them and the agency. Conducted presentations.
- Held planning meetings with owners to help the efficiency of the agency as well as to report on the clinical aspects of the agency
- Efficient in the use of Electronic Health Records
- Proficient knowledge in third-party payors such as MCOs/Medicaid and other private insurance payors
- Conducted trainings on a variety of topics such as trauma, Ethics, HIPPA, PCP trainings, documentation trainings, Mental health diagnoses/DSM, building positive relationships with other providers and much, much more
Counseling Center of Greensboro, Inc.
President/Owner
05.2007 - 01.2018
Job overview
- Licensed Professional Counselor
- Maintain caseload of outpatient therapy clients ranging from child, adolescent, to adults.
- Individual, Family/Marriage Counseling, Group Therapy for all ages
- Conduct Comprehensive Clinical Assessments for agencies to determine diagnosis, treatment recommendations of level of care recommendations.
- Work with other mental health professionals within the community to assist in treatment of clients
- Marketing for practice
- Manage all daily operations of the practice
- Supervision of administrative staff
- Monthly case meetings
- Budgeting for the practice –monthly and annual budgeting
- Development of Business growth plan
- All documentation related to client records
- Worked with CPA to maintain practice finances and tax preparation
- Worked with contract biller to ensure billing completed to third-party insurance
- Ensure that all HIPPA and Confidentiality laws adhered to
FAITH IN FAMILIES, INC.
Counselor
02.2013 - 04.2015
Job overview
- Conducted comprehensive clinical assessments for diverse populations, including children, adolescents, and adults.
- Utilized motivational interviewing techniques during consumer meetings to gather thorough historical and present information for diagnosis.
- Formulated clinical interpretations and established appropriate recommendations and goals for consumer care.
- Generated comprehensive clinical assessment reports promptly to facilitate timely service initiation.
- Performed grant searches and wrote proposals to secure funding aligned with agency mission and vision.
- Engaged with consumers in home and office settings to ensure holistic assessment processes.
- Developed tailored goals and determined suitable levels of care based on assessment findings.
VISIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
Intensive In-Home Team Lead
02.2012 - 02.2013
Job overview
- Part Time Contract
- Supervision of two team members on intensive in-home lead
- Case load of eight consumers/families to provide weekly therapy for individual and family to stabilize the family and address PCP goals
- Development and review of Person-Centered Plans for all consumers
- Review and clinical oversight of all documentation pertaining to the team and consumers
- All clinical oversight including weekly team meetings to staff consumer’s cases
- Responsible for making sure team members are making their contacts and meeting with the families and doing skills that address the therapeutic goals
- Responsible for reporting to the Clinical Director and having monthly supervision with Clinical Director
- Complete Comprehensive Clinical Assessments to determine appropriate level of care and recommendations for consumers
- Onboarding/Hiring of staff
- Training staff for onboarding
WRIGHT’S CARE SERVICES
Co-Clinical Director
08.2011 - 08.2012
Job overview
- Part Time
- Responsible for Training staff in all areas pertinent to Enhanced Services including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Ethics, Clinical Terminology, etc.
- Supervision of staff in Bi-weekly staff meetings with psychiatrist and staff
- Co-clinical oversight of clinical services within the organization
- Review of charts for internal audits for third-party payors guidelines
- Completed Comprehensive Clinical Assessments to determine diagnosis, appropriate level of care and treatment recommendations for consumers
- Highly qualified and skilled in Clinical Diagnosis
Counseling Center of Greensboro, Inc.
Licensed Professional Counselor
04.2006 - 05.2007
Job overview
- Independent Practice
- Part Time (was not owner of the practice at this time)
- Manage private independent practice with staff of four
- Act in accordance with North Carolina state licensing commission and standards
- Highly Experienced in Diagnostic Assessments and Clinical Comprehensive Assessments for recommendations for outside agencies
- Developed all practice paper work and documentation meeting third-party payers standards/requirements
- Record all client progress and document all sessions for records
- Work in all areas of counseling including brief therapy and long-term therapy
- Coordinate services with outside providers including primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, community support workers, group homes, etc.
- Monitor medications of clients and report progress to doctors
- Work with various populations including children, adolescents and adults, individual and family therapy, group therapy
- Work within various treatment modalities including cognitive-behavioral therapy, reality based therapy, solution-focused therapy, client-centered therapy and play therapy, etc.
- Responsible for 24/7 emergency/crisis services for all clients on a rotation basis
- Assist in making decisions regarding eligibility for disability for appropriate clients
- Experienced in DSM diagnoses and work with many different diagnoses including ADD/HD, Bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, ODD/Conduct disorder, Autism, Adjustment disorders, PTSD and much more
- Marketing for practice
FAMILY-BASED STRATEGIES INTENSIVE IN-HOME SERVICES
Area Director
01.2005 - 04.2006
Job overview
- Full Time
- Supervised staff of six in intensive in-home company
- Reviewed all documentation and signed off on them
- Maintained a caseload of intensive in-home consumers
- Led staff meetings on a weekly basis
- Monitored production output of staff as well as clinical oversight of all staff and their consumers
- Marketing and public relations for intensive in-home program
- Reported to regional director on a weekly basis and provided weekly reports regarding the Greensboro team
Psychological Associates
Licensed Professional Counselor
12.2002 - 12.2003
Job overview
- Full Time
- Record all client progress and document all sessions for records
- Work in all areas of counseling including brief therapy and long-term therapy
- Coordinate services with outside providers including primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, community support workers, group homes, etc.
- Monitor medications of clients and report progress to doctors
- Work with various populations including children, adolescents and adults, individual and family therapy, group therapy
- Work within various treatment modalities including cognitive-behavioral therapy, reality based therapy, solution-focused therapy, client-centered therapy and play therapy, etc.
- Responsible for 24/7 emergency/crisis services for all clients on a rotation basis
- Assist in making decisions regarding eligibility for disability for appropriate clients
- Experienced in DSM diagnoses and work with many different diagnoses including ADD/HD, Bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, ODD/Conduct disorder, Autism, Adjustment disorders, PTSD and much more
- Marketing for practice
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
Outpatient Counselor for Youth & Prevention Unit
09.2001 - 12.2002
Job overview
- Full Time
- Counseling with children and adolescents with a variety of diagnoses
- Coordinate services with the agency psychiatrist as well as case managers to provide the best services for clients
- Work closely with parents of clients to help provide parenting skills and help parent deal with child’s behaviors/parenting skills
- Responsible for all documentation including progress notes for each therapy sessions, intake sessions
- Confer with outside resources such as medical doctors, Department of Social Services, schools and other community agencies
- Attend weekly team meetings as well as meetings with psychiatrists
- Utilize many different treatment modalities and interventions for clients including client-centered treatment, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, storytelling, puppet modeling, relaxation techniques/guided imagery, parenting skills
- Certified MANDT techniques
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
Behavioral Specialist
12.1998 - 09.2001
Job overview
- Full Time
- Position requires much leadership and management skills, strong human relations/people skills
- Acted as mediator many times between parents and teachers/school administration in providing solutions to problems
- Developed program from ground up, developed all paperwork for the position, responsible for operation and management of the position
- Compliance with state and FAPT team regulations
- Provided information and recommendations to the FAPT (Family and Assessment Planning Team)
- Conducted naturalistic observations in the classroom as well as homes of the children with behavior problems
- Created behavior plans, evaluated their effectiveness and helped parents and school staff implement the behavior plans
- Provided parenting skills
- Individual counseling and behavioral therapy with children utilizing ABC therapy
- Utilized positive and negative reinforcement, token economies, reinforcement schedules and communication techniques
- Assisted in placing clients in other placements (school and residential) when necessary
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
Emergency Services Counselor
07.1998 - 12.1998
Job overview
- Full Time
- Responsible for all emergency/front door services
- Crisis intervention including assessment, initiation of hospital contacts or other interventions needed
- Certified Prescreener in Virginia
- Experience with Civil Commitment process including obtaining temporary detention orders
- Responsible for all documentation
- Attended emergency hearings to decide if placement necessary
- Implemented solution-focused approach as well as other approaches to interviewing and crisis intervention
CHARTER AUGUSTA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM
Intern
04.1998 - 06.1998
Job overview
- 150 HOURS
- Co-facilitated group therapy on child acute unit
- Assisted in Line of Sight and Elopement Precautions duty
- Involved in writing group notes and progress notes
- One-on-one counseling with children (5-10 years old) with various behavioral problems, including emotional problems, sexual and physical abuse issues, and substance abuse
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA: OUTPATIENT AND INPATIENT PSYCHIATRY
Intern-Psychological Technician
09.1997 - 04.1998
Job overview
- 300 HOURS
- Responsible for all aspects of psychological evaluation on children, adolescents and adults including scheduling, verifying insurance coverage, administration, scoring and writing comprehensive interpretive reports. Proficient in administering, scoring and interpreting the following psychological tests: Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition, Kaufman assessment Battery for Children, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised, Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and Stanford-Binet.
- Regularly attended lectures and seminars presented through Department of Psychiatry
- Assisted in development and administration of a client/patient satisfaction survey to assess services provided by the Outpatient Unit of Medical College of Georgia
- Observed family, individual and group therapy as well as intake interviews
- Attended case and intervention reviews which utilized an interdisciplinary team approach
- Observed therapeutic intervention with eating disorder population
- Co-facilitated depression management group and observed interpersonal group therapy sessions
Education
Guilford School of Theology
Ph.D. from Organizational Leadership
06-2025
The Credentialed Coach School
Certified from Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT) Coach
Duke University
from Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)
01.2015
University Overview
Became Rostered in North Carolina
Augusta State University
Master’s Degree from Clinical Psychology
06.1998
Ferrum College
Bachelor of Science from Psychology
05.1996
University Overview
Suma Cum Laude
Patrick Henry Community College
Associates from General Studies
05.1994
Skills
- Community engagement and outreach
- Brand development and awareness
- Content strategy and planning
- Leadership Skills
- Cross-functional teamwork
- Media relations
- Press release writing
- Public speaking/Trainer/Imparter of Knowledge
Hobbies and Interests
Spending time with family & friends, Helping the community, Spirituality, Reading/learning/writing
Awards
Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Psi Chi National Honor Society (Psychology), Sigma Psi Delta Psychology Club, Graduate Assistantship Recipient, Deans List, Academic Scholarships, Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Training
- Obsessive-Compulsive workshop
- Workshop for MMPI-Dr. Robert Greene
- Multicultural Counseling
- Parent Education Training courses
- “Managing the Psychiatric Patient”
- “Assessment and Management of Violence Potential in Emergency Psychiatry”-Dr. Douglas Hughes
- Clinical Case Conferences: “Recognition and Management of Depression in Psychiatric Liason”
- Recent Histological and Imaging Findings in Schizophrenia: Clues to Etiology”-Dr. Mamal Casanova
- ADHD workshops
- Bipolar disorder workshops
- Lee Canter’s workshops for “working with difficult children”
- John Edwards family therapy workshops
- Many Certificates and continuing education classes throughout the years including at least a bi-yearly Ethics course
Timeline
Owner/CEO
Pinnacle Life Coaching & Consulting
07.2022 - Current
Executive Business Consultant
Alamance Academy, LLC
01.2021 - 03.2025
Clinical Director
Alamance Academy
01.2016 - 01.2021
Counselor
FAITH IN FAMILIES, INC.
02.2013 - 04.2015
Intensive In-Home Team Lead
VISIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC.
02.2012 - 02.2013
Co-Clinical Director
WRIGHT’S CARE SERVICES
08.2011 - 08.2012
President/Owner
Counseling Center of Greensboro, Inc.
05.2007 - 01.2018
Licensed Professional Counselor
Counseling Center of Greensboro, Inc.
04.2006 - 05.2007
Area Director
FAMILY-BASED STRATEGIES INTENSIVE IN-HOME SERVICES
01.2005 - 04.2006
Licensed Professional Counselor
Psychological Associates
12.2002 - 12.2003
Outpatient Counselor for Youth & Prevention Unit
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
09.2001 - 12.2002
Behavioral Specialist
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
12.1998 - 09.2001
Emergency Services Counselor
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY SERVICES
07.1998 - 12.1998
Intern
CHARTER AUGUSTA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM
04.1998 - 06.1998
Intern-Psychological Technician
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA: OUTPATIENT AND INPATIENT PSYCHIATRY
09.1997 - 04.1998
Contributor for Mental Health
Natural Triad Magazine
Guest Speaker
107.5 Radio Station
Duke University
from Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)
Augusta State University
Master’s Degree from Clinical Psychology
Ferrum College
Bachelor of Science from Psychology
Patrick Henry Community College
Associates from General Studies
Guilford School of Theology
Ph.D. from Organizational Leadership
The Credentialed Coach School
Certified from Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT) Coach
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