Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Certification
Timeline
Publications
Generic

Vanessa Wells

North Andover

Summary

BACP Registered Counseling professional (Member No. 01038825) with a strong foundation in mental health support and client advocacy. My clinical interests are OCD and Anxiety Disorders, College-age youth in transition, Neurodivergence affirming, and Eating disorders. I've successfully implemented individualized treatment plans in residential, school-based, and outpatient settings that led to significant improvements in client well-being. I'm a highly collaborative team player, known for adaptability and results-driven approach. Proficient in crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills at the collegiate level.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Counseling Staff

Salem State University (SSU)
01.2022 - Current
  • Engage in weekly individual counseling sessions and treatment planning with students suffering with Anxiety, Depression, Eating disorders, anger management concerns, family of origin issues, and ADHD/Academic success management
  • Liaise with Disability Services and Residential Life to support crisis management of student clients, advocate for co-determined needs to be successful academically, and support student staff in being trained peer-supports for mental health
  • Connect student clients with off-campus and on-campus support options such as outpatient care, obtaining access to neuropsychological testing, navigating insurance, navigating departments on campus, and hospitalization when needed

Clinical Outpatient Therapist

Greenleaf Therapy Private Practice
04.2021 - Current
  • Manage caseload of weekly outpatient clients focusing on Anxiety-related disorders, OCD and Tic Disorder, Mood disorders, ADHD and ASD diagnoses with and without PDA profiles, and School Avoidance/Refusal concerns
  • Facilitate and maintain appropriate weekly engagement with school personnel, psychiatrists and MD interventionists, and other client support members such as Registered Dieticians and/or various collaborative specialists
  • Advocate for client need via referrals to community resources such as step-up treatment planning, referrals to specialists, and support with application to college-specific resources such as Disability Services, Counseling Centers, and Resource Offices

Clinical Outpatient Psychotherapist

Castle Hill Counseling & Consulting
02.2020 - Current
  • Manage caseload of 30+ clients, completed intakes, and case managed for step-down and/or step-up treatment planning
  • Planning 1-2 group therapy sessions per week focused on topics such as CBT, DBT, Social Anxiety ERP, and Coping skills through psychoeducation and practical exercises
  • Engage in weekly case consultation with fellow staff members on cases to provide the most appropriate and culturally sensitive care including, CBT, trauma-informed therapy, and human-centered approaches

School Adjustment Counselor

Salem Academy Charter School
08.2020 - 10.2022
  • Deliver solutions focused brief counseling services for high school students in areas of school adjustment, social pragmatic communication and skill development, and varied mental health concerns that affect access to academic success
  • Facilitate 5-6 therapeutic groups per year focused on trends gathered by quarterly student data, goal-directed IEP and 504 specific groups, and Adjustment groups to support transition to a new school and/or high school in general
  • Provide push-in services for students and staff for inter-department collaboration on behavioral, social, and emotional concerns
  • Teach 9th and 10th grade students year-round topics related to mental health, social development and holistic well-being through SecondStep Social-Emotional Learning curriculum
  • Co-supervise two Counseling Interns (LICSW and LMHC) by attending biweekly meetings for case conceptualizing, offering insight and support to trainee clinicians, and co-facilitating groups to model and provide opportunities to practice clinical application with 9th and 10th grade students

Residential Case Manager

Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
03.2018 - 10.2018
  • Managed revolving caseload of 3-5 female residential clients thrice weekly and 2-3 outpatient clients weekly sessions
  • Planned and facilitate 5-6 group therapy sessions per week focused on topics such as CBT, DBT, ERP, and Stress Management/Coping skills through psychoeducation and practical exercises
  • Focused individual and family therapy sessions on extensive trauma-work, family dynamic concerns, and safety planning
  • Engaged in case management role which involved weekly documentation and interaction with patient’s insurance companies through insurance reviews, discharge summary provision, and step-down treatment planning

Career Assistant

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
08.2017 - 03.2018
  • Co-planned the curriculum and implementation of a career development course for Spring 2018, the Freshmen/Alumni Summer Internship Program (F/ASIP), to include a full-day career development symposium
  • Co-instructed the F/ASIP curriculum to 80 freshmen to scaffold their internship search process, and contribute to program assessment by creating surveys to measure learning outcomes, analyzing data, and making changes to the program based on student feedback
  • Co-supervised 5 Undergraduate Student Workers involved with F/ASIP via weekly meetings and on-call support
  • Advised 15-20 MIT students and alumni weekly on resumes, cover letters, graduate school and career preparation through appointments and drop-ins

Psychological Counselor

Duke University Talent Identification Program
05.2017 - 07.2017
  • Served Duke East campus' 600 total student participants and 50 staff members over two three-week summer sessions
  • Duties included providing outreach services to students, creating and implementing staff training for both sessions, and serving as student support within a brief therapy model and crisis intervention lens
  • Co-led bi-weekly and daily support group sessions for interested students focused on coping skill development, academic support, and mindfulness techniques
  • Provided crisis counseling support for an at-risk student specific to suicidal ideation that involved alerting parents, collaborating with Duke University staff, and creation of appropriate referrals to local Emergency Room

Intern

North Carolina State University Counseling Center (NCSU)
08.2016 - 05.2017
  • Conducted weekly individual counseling sessions and treatment planning with adult students suffering with Anxiety disorders, Depression disorders, Eating disorders, anger management concerns, family of origin issues, and ADHD
  • Co-facilitated support groups for international students and graduate student women focusing on interpersonal relationships, stress management, and culture-specific developmental tasks for optimal success within their academics
  • Liaised with Veterans Affairs and Multicultural centers on campus where I provided ~ 5 hours of consultation for students who endorsed barriers to seeking treatment at the counseling center directly
  • Engaged in ~5 hours of triage counseling per week for intakes into the Counseling Center wherein I was responsible for assessing Mental Status Examinations, obtaining presenting issues, and scheduling accordingly for ideal fit with staff

Education

Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling

North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
Durham, NC
08.2017

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

The University of North Carolina At Greensboro (UNCG)
Greensboro, NC
05.2014

Skills

  • Languages: Intermediate Fluency in American Sign Language, Basic comprehension in Spanish
  • Computer: Microsoft Office, Gradebook Wizard, DeansList, Rediker, Simple Practice, PointNClick, some SPSS
  • Clinical Skills: Skilled in intake interviewing, Building rapport, Client advocacy, Crisis intervention techniques, Multicultural competence, Adept at treatment and discharge planning, Documentation and reporting, Team collaboration
  • Clinical Theories: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Exposure and response prevention (ERP) expert-trained

Affiliations

  • Member, American Counseling Association (ACA) Sep 2017 - Present
  • ACA Presenter May 2018, Multicultural Body Image on College Age Women, Revised
  • Member, American College Counseling Association (ACCA) Nov 2016 - Present
  • ACCA Presenter Feb 2017, Multicultural Body Image on College Age Women
  • ACCA Emerging Leader, Awarded Feb 2017
  • ACCA Committee Member, Professional Advocacy and Public Awareness Committee
  • Member, Licensed Professional Counselors Association of North Carolina (LPANC) Nov 2016 - Aug 2018
  • Member, North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA) November 2016-Present
  • NCCA Presenter Mar 2017, Improving Race Relations; School Counselors as School-Based Mental Health Clinicians
  • Treasurer, NCCU Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society April 2016 - May 2017
  • President, UNCG Psi Chi Honor Society Aug 2013 - May 2014

Certification

  • Massachusetts LMHC License No. 13193-MH-CC Expiration 12/25
  • British Association for Counseling & Psychotherapy Member No. 01038825 Expiration 08/27

Timeline

Counseling Staff

Salem State University (SSU)
01.2022 - Current

Clinical Outpatient Therapist

Greenleaf Therapy Private Practice
04.2021 - Current

School Adjustment Counselor

Salem Academy Charter School
08.2020 - 10.2022

Clinical Outpatient Psychotherapist

Castle Hill Counseling & Consulting
02.2020 - Current

Residential Case Manager

Cambridge Eating Disorder Center
03.2018 - 10.2018

Career Assistant

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
08.2017 - 03.2018

Psychological Counselor

Duke University Talent Identification Program
05.2017 - 07.2017

Intern

North Carolina State University Counseling Center (NCSU)
08.2016 - 05.2017

Master of Arts - Clinical Mental Health Counseling

North Carolina Central University (NCCU)

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology

The University of North Carolina At Greensboro (UNCG)

Publications

  • Wells, V. (2017). Improving Race Relations: How understanding trends in interracial and intra-racial relationships can help us serve multicultural couples in counseling. NCCA poster presentation.
  • Wells, V. (2017). Multicultural Body Image: A look into the differences in self-esteem, body image, and subsequent disorders among women of different racial heritages. ACCA poster presentation.
  • Wasik, S., Barrow, J., & Wells, V. (2016). Exploring the role of school counselors as school-based mental health clinicians.

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE