As an outpatient counselor in 海角社区鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Services, Dana Edwards provides individual, family and group therapy for children ages 6 to 18, including those involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice and as well as military families.
Dana joined 海角社区 nearly five years ago as a registered mental health counseling intern. 鈥淭he company hired me as an intern, provided supervision and I became a licensed Mental Health Counselor,鈥 she says proudly.
Her path to this role was anything but linear. After majoring in sociology early on, she spent 16 years in the corporate world, ran her own business and even worked at a church.
Yet her personal experiences鈥攔aising an adult son diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger鈥檚 Syndrome plus supporting her daughter, now a Special Education teacher鈥攌ept her connected to the world of advocacy.
鈥淚 was in meetings with teachers, counselors and doctors for years. I was just on the other side of the table, helping advocate for him. Now I get to help advocate for all the kids I work with.鈥
Dana鈥檚 return to education was a turning point. 鈥淥nce my youngest hit ninth grade, I decided I was going to go back to school and finish what I started,鈥 she recalls.
She not only earned her psychology degree but continued to complete her master鈥檚 in counseling with a concentration in child and adolescent therapy. 鈥淢y daughter and I graduated together鈥攕he with her bachelor鈥檚 in Special Education and me with my master鈥檚. It was so special.鈥
Her role has evolved to meet community needs. 鈥淥nce I became licensed, I realized there was a need to serve a large population of children from military families. I attended specific training, and now my name is listed on a military resource website for referrals.鈥
Her supervisor, James Rhodes, sums up Dana鈥檚 impact, 鈥淒ana is a mentor to many of our newer team members and interns. Her positive mindset and compassion for those we serve often sets the tone for what it means to be part of our unit and our agency.鈥
Looking ahead, Dana remains committed to serving children and families, especially those facing challenges like autism, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.
鈥淚 love Lakeview鈥檚 mission of helping people and often bring it up in my sessions. Being in this field helps us through our own journey, but through a deeper lens. It鈥檚 such a gift!
To work with compassionate team members like Dana, visit our Careers site.