Skokie, Illinois, United States
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and MSW with expertise in counseling, case management and discharge planning in medical settings. Extensive experience establishing rapport with individuals and facilitating in group settings. Specialist in identifying and accessing community and private resources; strong background in end of life issues, care for older adults and physical rehabilitation. Educated in a number of evidence-based practices, including CBT, IFS and MBSR. Career has also included establishing and managing a successful and continuing outplacement consulting and executive coaching business, as well as management and editing in the publishing arena. Specialties: Counseling, Discharge Planning, Case Management; End-of-Life case management; Medical and Psychological Characteristics of Older Adults; VA Benefits; Medicare and Medicaid expertise; Grief and Trauma Counseling; Group Facilitation. Vocational Counseling and Executive Coaching
Plan and provide fee for service bereavement services in response to families/caregivers needs through the Community Counseling Program.
Counseled both Veteran patients/clients and caregivers during times of loss due to acute medical issues or end-of-life situations. Coordinated and monitored discharge planning activities among internal and external care providers, patient and family; ensuring that support systems were in place, referrals completed, and patient discharged when he/she had reached maximum benefit. Participated in VA-wide initiatives to deliver exceptional care to Veterans and their families • Provided social work services to patients of geriatric clinic practitioners including doctors, residents, fellows and nurse practitioners on a consult and walk-in basis. Included emergency placement, mental health assessment and planning, counseling for caregivers of patients who are diagnosed with mental illness and/or dementia • Identified resources and information and provided counseling to patients and families in end-of-life situations and to complete hospice referrals • Developed training materials for use in inpatient social worker training; materials currently being used by new hires; mentored new staff and supervised master’s level students during their nine-month internship • Completed mandated assessments, care and discharge plans, and progress notes in state of the art electronic records system. Assessments conducted in person, on ward, and by telephone. Care Plans completed in MDS. • Bring significant understanding of DOA and DORS referral process and available resources to discharge planning. Able to facilitate emergency/immediate services for at-risk patients through experience with Department on Aging Protocols for Case Management • Trained to facilitate CARES program for VA Employees; initiative specifically targeted at improving Customer Service throughout HVA within six months. Taught curriculum at least twice per month, while continuing to perform all regularly assigned duties
I am the founding partner of this career and executive coaching company, and my partner Jill MacFadyen is now working with most of our clients. Boutique career development and executive coaching firm providing a wide range of services to businesses and individuals. Corporate clients have included McKinsey & Co.; J.P. Morgan; William Blair & Company; Accenture; and Claritas, Inc. As President, oversaw two professional consultants performing client service work • Developed career strategies with clients by using a variety of assessment tools and executive coaching. Process includes clarifying priorities, identifying skills and talents, and work plan design and implementation • Provided job search training including perfecting a resume and other presentation materials, effective interviewing, negotiating offers, working with recruiters, and maximizing the assistance of professional and personal contacts to gather information and generate leads • Negotiated client compensation packages, consistently resulting in at least 20% increase from initial offer. • Effectively eased transition for outplaced employees, and protected employer, by using extensive experience with sensitive and/or confidential workplace issues. Participated in legal proceedings including depositions • Created extensive library of career planning and job search materials for client use • Developed and presented seminars and workshops on a wide variety of career and life planning topics to groups ranging in size from 10 to 200