Looking for the best recovery path for you or your loved one?
Teens, take our Depression Treatment Quiz today.
Parents, discover the best treatment options with our Teen Mental Health Treatment Quiz today.
Looking for the best recovery path for you or your loved one?
Teens, take our Depression Treatment Quiz today.
Parents, discover the best treatment options with our Teen Mental Health Treatment Quiz today.
Categories
Anniversary Blogs Recovery Service Treatment

Natalie Holman – Extended Care Assistant Manager

Natalie Holman has been with Visions since 2007. She started as an administrative assistant, working at our residential facilities, and eventually moving to our Day School and Outpatient facility. She is currently the Assistant Manager at Extended Care, where her administrative know-how is complimented by her desire to give back and be of service.  Natalie is always willing to help if you need something and is the one behind the scenes making sure the T’s are crossed and the I’s are dotted. Natalie is part of the fabric that makes Visions tick, and for that, we are incredibly grateful for her presence, her laughter, and her ability to take care of us from behind-the-scenes.

 

Read on for some incredible kudos from the staff:

 

“Natalie is the office enforcer… she is organized and on top of the office work and everything that needs to be done before you even blink.  She is always available and open to questions and has been extremely helpful.”  – Koreema Walden

 

“Natalie is a beautiful, caring woman who is always willing to help anyone at a moments notice. Natalie is the glue that holds outpatient together with her knowledge of our program as well as her loving, nonjudgmental words to our clients.  I can’t imagine IOP without Natalie’s beautiful face!” – Cheryl Lane

 

“Natalie is so warm and authentic and FUNNY, she makes work more fun — but she works her tail off behind the scenes to keep us all looking good!  We’d be lost without her!” – Jesse Engdahl

 

I have worked with Natalie for the last three years. I appreciate that she always has a warm smile and is ready and willing to help. Sometimes she gets overlooked because she is behind the scenes working at the details that make a huge difference in all that we do. I often ask Natalie to get a task done that I don’t have time to do, or that truly needs her attention to detail, which she excels at! Thank you, Natalie, for all you do, it would not be the same here without you. – Noelle Rodriguez

 

“Natalie is a big part of the day to day here at Outpatient. She does a lot for the facility, staff, and clients. My favorite part about her is her random humor. She’s hilarious and her Jersey accent really makes the jokes that much better. I think our common love for Beyoncè and food has really added a spark to our friendship. I’m glad she’s a part of the Visions family” – Adriana Camarillo

 

“Natalie is an integral part of the Visions team.  Her attention to detail, follow through and comprehensive approach to administration is an important factor in keeping all of us on task. It helps to know you have someone you can rely on and I’m grateful she carries us through the day to day.  Natalie is an invaluable asset to the organization and frankly, she makes us look good.” – Fiona A. Ray

 

“Where there is chaos, Natalie can find order.  This woman is the quiet answer to a storm of crazy.  Our team depends on her to fill in the gaps of communication…Natalie is basically the Siri of Visions.  Where can I find this?  Did we order that?  What time are they arriving?  Can you organize my brain?  Natalie’s ability to sort us all out makes Visions a stronger team…no doubt.” — Christina Howard Micklish

 

 

As always, we sent along 10 questions. Check out Natalie’s answers: 

 

 

1: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I don’t think I would want to live anywhere outside of the US permanently, but living in the US is all I know.  I’d have to do some traveling before I could answer that question.

 

2: What motivates you?

Dreams, ambitions, a desire to become a better me tomorrow than I am today, fear

 

3:  What is your favorite season and why?

Season?  There are no seasons in LA.  On the east coast I like the fall when the leaves change colors and the air becomes cool and crisp, and you would start to smell the fireplaces being used.  I always liked dressing for the cool weather (boots, sweaters, scarves and coats).

 

4: Do you prefer reading on a device or flipping through real pages of a book?

I like books.  I’ve recently started to use kindle, but nothing beats the smell of the pages in a book.

 

5: What makes your heart sing?

My cats, Gigi and Papa.

 

6: Describe your perfect day:

There’s no such thing as perfect anything.  Each of my days are perfectly imperfect in different ways and for different reasons.  I’m grateful for each day.

 

7: If you were given three wishes, what would you wish for?

Wishes?  I don’t know.  I would wish to be debt free.  I know that!  I would wish peace of mind for everyone (it gets so loud in there sometimes), and I would wish for all of the wishes I could wish for!

 

8: What is one thing you cannot live without?

Music.

 

9: What was the last song you listened to while you were driving?

Young Folks, Peter Bjorn and John.

 

10: Why do you choose to work for Visions? 

I believe in what we do here, for entire families.  There’s nothing like being part of a team that affects teens and their families in such dramatic and positive ways.  Visions rocks!

 

Categories
Adolescence Recovery Treatment

NExT: Santa Monica’s Adolescent Extended Care

Santa Monica Beach Reflections (Photo credit: szeke)

Santa Monica, California:

home of the Beach Boys, beautiful sunsets, surf, skateboarding, healthy living and NeXT, our gender-specific Extended Care program for teens. NeXT provides a therapeutic environment for teens that helps guide them and teach them how to become grounded in their independence while living away from home. Teens can come from any treatment facility across the nation and live at our Extended Care. No physical parental presence needed, though emotional support is welcome and required. Included in the treatment plans for those living at Extended Care is a supportive and caring education environment along with the appropriate therapeutic services required for healing.

 

Adriana Camarillo, our Educational Director aptly says this about NeXT: “It provides the structure and guidance that so many of our teens need. The staff is supportive and enthusiastic about recovery so it gives our clients something to look forward to about sobriety.” Being enthusiastic about healing and recovery from addiction and mental illness is paramount to the success of our adolescents and their families. Teens need to want to do something, it has to be appealing to them, and our program has identified that component and made it a reality.

 

Santa Monica, my hometown and perhaps the impetus behind my particular bias, really is a wonderful place. Where else can you easily ride your bike to the beach, go to a vast span of yoga classes, learn to meditate, eat at places like Urth Café or Café Gratitude, breathe clean air, visit the SM Pier and ride the ferris wheel, learn to fly trapeze, skateboard everywhere, drink Groundwerks coffee and also have an array of young people’s recovery meetings to choose from?  Doing all of that sober with sober friends is better than fun, it’s exhilarating!

 

So, if you’re worried about the future of your adolescents’ treatment plan and really want a safe, healing, fun space for them learn to live again, stay sober, and learn to love recovery, look no further. NExT is your place. Reality and healing can really be like heaven on earth and with a clinical and educational staff at the ready, it is therapeutically divine.

Categories
Recovery Service Treatment

Chloe Huerta: Assistant NeXt Manager

Chloe Huerta is one of our amazing alumni who came back and joined the Visions’ team. In 2010, Chloe brought her engaging personality and compassion to our residential facility as a Program Aide; Chloe has since become the Assistant Manager for NeXT, our Gender-Specific Extended Care program and is working toward her CAADAC.  Chloe always makes me smile whenever I see her. She’s funny, incredibly positive, willing to learn, always filled with gratitude and is a remarkable young woman. She has made it her mission to give back to the community that helped her find her way during her youth. We are tremendously grateful to have someone like Chloe as part of our team.  Her relatability, understanding, and kindness are an integral part of who she is and what she brings to the Visions family. Thank you so much for all you do, Chloe! Read on for the amazing staff comments about you and your awesomesauce:

“She is a miracle. A completely different human being than the girl I first met here in treatment. Incredibly proud of her and amazed at the level of joy, compassion and optimism this young woman displays and shares with our residents.” – Roger L’Hereault

 

“Chloe Huerta is an amazing example of fun in recovery and not taking life too seriously! Chloe always has a positive attitude and keeps the clients excited about their new life. Chloe is one of the most caring people I know – her genuine personality is recognized by clients and staff alike. Chloe is able to hold boundaries, express needs, and hold others accountable yet is also able to have respect from clients. She’s amazing.” – Ashley Bolen

“Chloe is a rock star! I had the pleasure of working with Chloe when we first opened up the Extended Care house and together we managed to make it work! I think the best part about her, other than her upbeat bubbly attitude, is her ability to roll with the punches and take things as the come. (There was a lot of that the first year!) She has strong passion for helping people and I feel she truly cares about the young teens we work with. It’s a pleasure to work with her and she brings a lot of fun to the table too!” – Jennifer Garrett

 

Chloe!  You have come such a very long way, and we are so proud of your journey!  Chloe is a Visions’ alumni who came to work for us as an overnight PA.  She moved to days and was eventually promoted to Assistant Manager of the Extended Care program.  She has helped so many girls with their early stages of recovery because she truly relates to their struggles and issues.  Chloe is in school for her counseling certificate and is one of our brightest stars.  We are grateful for her work ethic and her ability to show up “no matter what.”  We love us some Chloe!!!  — Amanda and Chris Shumow

 

No staff blog would be the same without our 10 questions. As I thought, Chloe doesn’t disappoint:

1: What is your Starbucks order?

 Iced  Dirty Chai or Iced Green Tea (no water)

2: Sand or Sea? Why?

I’m afraid of sea creatures but I love being in the ocean

3: Favorite literary character?

 Pippi Longstocking

4: Are you following your dreams?

I have a lot of dreams but I’m on the path to following my current dreams.

5:  What is your greatest joy?

Spending time with my younger brother

6: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would that be and why?

Floranopolis, Brazil. It’s supposed to be beautiful, I am obsessed with the culture and a few of my friends live there.

7: If you could have dinner with anyone (alive or dead), who would it be and why?

Hellen Keller!

8: Cake or pie?

Cake–pie is for Thanksgiving.

9: Dogs or Cats?

I’m all about the pups! 

10: Why do you choose to work for Visions?

I’ve always wanted to give back to the people who saved my life. I looked up to the tech, counselors, and therapists when I was a resident and I hoped to help someone at such an important time in their life.

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