I have spent the bulk of my time as a mental health professional working in community mental health for adults with severe mental illness and addiction. I have provided outpatient counseling services within a community wellness center, and intensive mental health and substance abuse treatment in a residential setting for those with dual diagnosis. In addition I have served children and adolescents suffering from anxiety, depression, conduct problems, and complex trauma as a school counselor and in the home as a behavioral specialist. Within my private practice I have predominantly worked with twenty somethings feeling lost and defeated, adults with longterm mental illness who do not wish to slip back into crisis, and caregivers who need help prioritizing their own self-care. In all settings I have found three main factors critical in my work; challenging problem-centered narratives, establishing concrete, positive goals and expectations for my clients, and connecting them to the powerful healing that healthy family and community relationships provide.