Jessica has always gone above and beyond for every client that walks through the door at Odyssey House Adolescents. Having gone through the program herself, she shares a unique insight into working the program and fighting addiction everyday; an insight that I see truly impacts and transforms how each client approaches their own recovery journey. Every day I've watched her make an active effort to reach out to every client, ensure they feel heard, and ensure they have what they need to feel safe and move forward with their treatment. Jessica runs a bible study every other Sunday, organizing this amazing group completely on her own time and of her own volition. The group is completely voluntary and every time attendence is high; I've loved watching how many of these kids have found stability in faith, something they wouldn't have discovered without Jessica's efforts. It's blatantly clear how much trust exists between her and the clients, and it's inspired me to be the same kind of person for these clients.
Not only is she an amazing mentor to our clients, she's an amazing mentor to staff - I started 4 months ago with 0 working experience in the recovery space or with adolescents, and she has taught me everything I know. I've learned so much about de-escalation, building rapport with the clients, adjusting to and handling challenging behaviors, and on trauma-informed care. This can be a very intimidating position to get started in, and I don't know if I would've stayed and been able to adjust without her knowledge, her mentorship, and her constant encouragement. Jessica embodies the heart and soul of Odyssey House and the Adolescent facility wouldn't be the same without her!
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