Darlene Pessein, MSW, LCSW. Director of Aftercare & Milieu Therapy Bio: Ms. Pessein received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Portland State University. She assisted in the development of specialized programming for at-risk youth in this community. Ms. Pessein went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Social Work, graduating from Portland State University in 1988. She has worked in a variety of agency settings and also in private practice, specializing in the treatment of trauma. This focus was evident in her individual services, her published writings on the topic as well as her participation then and now in the training of future interventionists. This includes the treatment of children and adolescents as well as their families. Ms. Pessein has served as the Program Supervisor at North Idaho Behavioral Health’s Youth Residential Programs. These programs provided a valuable resource not only to local communities, but Ms. Pessein coordinated intensive assessment of adolescents with multiple treatment failures and complicated transition needs. As the Program Supervisor of this 36-bed resource, she helped to expand the delivery of residential services to adolescents and their families within the community health organization of Kootenai Medical Center. Often these students would require comprehensive transition assistance from her staff, which included educational specialists, group and individual therapists as well as psychiatric consultants. This broad base of experience allows Ms. Pessein to bring her knowledge, clinical expertise and enthusiasm to the youth and their families who will be served at Innercept. Not only is her professional experience of tremendous value to our programs, but her emphasis on the balance between diet, exercise, and leisure activities is a strong example to adolescents of the philosophy behind Innercept. |
