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Alumni Spotlight: Amelia Teta

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Amelia Teta is from Boston and attended Mountain Valley in 2017. Teta was an active student-athlete at the rigorous Boston Latin School before suffering two concussions. After that, she struggled with anxiety and depression and ultimately received a diagnosis of OCD. When she felt like she was hitting rock bottom, her family found Mountain Valley. She successfully graduated the program, completed high school online, and will soon be a licensed occupational therapist focused on helping patients live to the fullest. 

What brought you to Mountain Valley?

When I started high school, my anxiety ramped up to the point where I felt like I was dying. I ended up faking more concussions to stay home from school and my parents enrolled me in two different day programs instead. The goal was for me to re-enroll in high school during eleventh grade but there was just no way, I was a disaster. I had my new OCD diagnosis that was barely managed through biweekly outpatient appointments. My family worked with an educational consultant who recommended Mountain Valley. My parents told me I got to make the decision—I knew it wasn’t going to be fun but that I had to do it. A week later, I was there with my bags.

Amelia Teta

What are you doing today? 

I just took my last final to complete my classroom work for my degree in occupational therapy. I got my bachelor’s degree in children, youth, and family studies at Lesley University, and I am finishing my master’s degree at the University of New England. Up next, I have two placements  in high school mental health and at an outpatient pediatric clinic.

When I attended Mountain Valley, the program didn’t have any occupational therapists on staff, and I didn’t really know anything about it. But I’ve always known I wanted to work in health, and one of my good friend’s moms is a physical therapist. She told me, “Amelia, I’ve known you since you were five. Go watch every video you can find about occupational therapy and tell me you don’t want to do that.” At Mountain Valley my biggest fear was suffering, and when I found out there was a job I could do to help people relieve any bit of suffering through things they love, that was life-changing. Occupational therapists can help people do anything they care about. 

How do you think Mountain Valley made a difference in your life? 

The question at Mountain Valley was always, “how are you going to build this worthwhile life?” It made sense in my brain and helped me have a checklist to stop the unorganized waves in my mind. My therapist told me, “You are here in this body, and you’re going to live your life. How are you going to make it so it’s worth the pain and suffering, and it’s worth it for you to do it?” 

So I focused on what I love and how I can achieve it, even if I can’t see straight and I’m depressed. Before I joined Mountain Valley, my OCD thoughts of “what if something bad happens” would keep me from doing what mattered. I decided that no matter when I die, I’ll do everything I can to help people around me, love them, and support them. Making that choice to fully engage in life is anxiety-provoking but it’s worth it for me to live out my values.  

What’s next for you? 

I have a fiancé and she’s been a huge support for me. She encouraged me to apply at the University of New England and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. If you had asked me three years ago if I could live away from home outside of my routine, it would have been my worst nightmare. She pushes me to travel and think outside the box. 

I think it would be cool to do some travel work as an occupational therapist, maybe in a high school or pediatric setting. The long-term goal is to work in perinatal health, from when someone gets pregnant to a year or two after their due date. As an OT, I can help work with them on building up confidence and good habits, go into the home and make their spaces more functional. After birth I get to hang out with the baby and do all the early intervention stuff that I love. That is the lifelong goal. 

Why do you think a family should choose Mountain Valley? 

It can be really scary think about dropping off your kid with a bunch of strangers, especially when it’s far away. But if it’s the best decision for your family and child, you know it in your gut. The joy I had doing the work was the most joy I’d experienced in a long time. It’s hard, it can be terrifying, and it works. 

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Staff Spotlight: Alison LaFollette

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Clinical Expertise in Every Setting 

Mountain Valley’s Clinical Director, Alison LaFollette, PhD, traded testing in the deserts of Utah to directing a clinical team in the woods of New Hampshire. She arrived on campus a little over a year ago and works alongside an excellent team of clinicians and staff to further the development of the clinical program. Before she made the big move, Alison spent 10 years in Utah, primarily focusing on comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological evaluations with adolescents and young adults.

Alison LaFollette

What brought you to Mountain Valley?

“In my training I specialized in working with anxiety and depression in young adults. During my master’s program I worked at a career counseling center, and in my PhD program I worked in community mental health and a university counseling center. For my postdoctoral work, I was at a psychiatric inpatient hospital treating acute cases of anxiety, depression, mood disorders. After that, I taught for two years at a liberal arts college in Salt Lake City, teaching master’s level clinicians in the mental health counseling program. I left that position to begin my work in comprehensive evaluations at wilderness therapy programs, therapeutic boarding schools, and residential treatment centers.

All that experience gave me a lens for examining complex cases with many co-occurring disorders. You need to think critically and carefully about clients and what would be in their best clinical interest over time. I think that experience applies well to Mountain Valley. While we primarily treat OCD and anxiety, often that’s not the only thing happening for the clients coming in. They might have co-occurring depression, trauma, or be on the autism spectrum. The various experiences I have had help me think about the clients that come to Mountain Valley in a unique way. I can apply that experience in different evidence-based treatments in a variety of ways with our clients.”

What do you like best about working at Mountain Valley? 

The residents that come to the program. We have some really interesting conversations together in therapy, but also just casually in the community. Most of the residents who come to Mountain Valley are working hard to figure out how to improve their functioning in a variety of ways, and they have a nice openness to different techniques. I think that’s a fun part of the job—while our program is heavily influenced by exposure response prevention (ERP) we also dabble in different evidence-based practices, like cognitive behavioral therapy, and residents get to find different things that resonate with them.

Watching residents apply their new skills or have meaningful exposure experiences in real-time is definitely the best part of the job. A lot of times in outpatient therapy, because of the limited timeframe, you don’t always get to see that change happening right before your eyes. But at Mountain Valley, you get to see that change from the time of their intake to when they graduate.

What is a typical day like for you? 

A typical day is quite busy. In my role as clinical director, it means that I’m spending a lot of my day trying to support the therapists that are on my clinical team. That might be thinking about their case and how to proceed with it or engaging in case conceptualization. I coordinate with the residential director and meet with the executive director to determine how to improve our clinical programming. Sometimes I’m in therapy groups during the day with the clinicians, and generally I’m checking on the overall health of the residents that are in our care.

What do you think is the biggest misconception around OCD?

I think when a lot of people use the word OCD, they use it in a very casual way to describe being organized or liking things clean or wanting to do things in a specific way. It’s not that those things can’t be OCD, but when its’s talked about in the mainstream it often doesn’t take the diagnosis seriously. The level of OCD a person has can really impact everything from getting up in the morning to their relationships.

Another misconception that OCD is very visible, but often it’s not. A lot of times the compulsions are happening mentally, and that can make it hard to recognize. It might look like someone is trying to control things, and when they’re told to let go, that’s the thing they’re fearing the most. You have to target it in a specific way to help them realize what happens when they step outside of things that are in their control.

What’s your goal for a resident when they graduate from the program?

In my mind, it is an improvement in functioning and living in accordance with their values. Sometimes the resident can function to a degree and it’s only because of the way that they’re engaging with their OCD. It’s not really in line with their values. They can’t have the meaningful relationships they want, or pursue academics in the way that they want, or go about the day in a healthy way. My hope is that when they leave our care that they’ve learned enough skills and gone through enough exposure work that they can tolerate distress and move toward their goals.

What’s been the biggest surprise about moving to the East Coast?

Coming from Utah, the proximity to bodies of water. In Utah there’s the Great Salt Lake, which is large, but you can’t really use it for recreation. It’s been fun to be in the East where we’re close to rivers, swimming holes, lakes, and the ocean. That’s been a nice surprise and not something I really thought about when moving out here. It’s been fun to add that into the outdoor activities I enjoy.

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Reflecting on Resilience: Insights from the 2024 Mountain Valley Alumni Reunion

Posted on by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

At Mountain Valley Treatment Center, we believe in the power of community, healing, and shared experiences. The 2024 Mountain Valley Alumni Reunion was a testament to this belief, bringing together over 30 former residents, their families, and our dedicated staff for a day filled with reflection, gratitude, and inspiration.

A Gathering of Courage and Connection

This year’s reunion was more than just a homecoming; it was a celebration of the incredible journeys our alumni have undertaken since their time at Mountain Valley.

The day began with a powerful exercise led by executive director Zack Schafer, where attendees were asked to collect sticks and gather in a circle. Zack read aloud a list of fears, and those who felt a connection to a particular fear walked to the center of the circle to place their stick in the fire pit. As the activity progressed, attendees began sharing their own fears, and others who resonated with those fears joined them in adding their sticks to the fire. By the end, the fire pit was filled with the collective fears of the community, ready to be burned during the closing ceremony. This symbolic act set the tone for the day, reminding everyone that they were not alone in their fears and that true courage, supported by a strong community, is essential in facing them.

Stories of Transformation and Hope

As the reunion came to a close, everyone gathered around the fire that had been built earlier in the day, setting their fears ablaze. With the fire crackling and a strong sense of togetherness in the air, Zack invited alumni to step forward and share their stories. The microphone was passed from one person to the next, and with each story, the themes of resilience and growth became more evident.

Molly, a former resident who attended Mountain Valley in 2018, was among the first to speak. She shared her journey from a 12-year-old overwhelmed by anxiety and depression to a thriving college student at McGill University in Montreal. Molly reflected on how Mountain Valley provided her with the tools not only to survive but to thrive—teaching her that she is more than her mental health struggles and empowering her to embrace her identity beyond anxiety and depression.

Hayden, another alum, recounted his arrival at Mountain Valley six years ago. He shared how his time here marked the end of a difficult chapter in his life, one filled with overwhelming anxiety and school absenteeism. Today, Hayden is a college graduate with high honors and has come full circle by returning to Mountain Valley to work as a staff member, helping others who are on a similar journey.

Olivia, who attended Mountain Valley from October 2021 to January 2022, recalled her initial reluctance to join the program. However, as she connected with others and engaged in the community, she discovered her love for the outdoors and built lasting friendships that continue to this day. Olivia’s story is a reminder that sometimes the hardest steps lead to the most rewarding journeys.

Wes, who arrived at Mountain Valley last year, shared his story of radical transformation. Initially withdrawn and hesitant, Wes gradually opened up, found his voice, and began developing meaningful relationships. His experience is a powerful example of how Mountain Valley’s supportive environment can help individuals rebuild their self-confidence, find a sense of belonging, and begin forging connections with others.

The Power of Perseverance

Each story shared during the reunion was unique, yet they all echoed a common theme: perseverance. Alex, who attended Mountain Valley earlier this year, spoke about how his time at the center helped him shed the mask he had been wearing for years. With the support of the community, he found the courage to face his fears and embrace his true self. Today, Alex is thriving in his new life, attending college and holding down a job.

Ivy, who joined Mountain Valley in May 2023, reflected on how the experience changed her perspective on the world. Despite the challenges she faced after leaving, her time at Mountain Valley gave her the strength to navigate life’s ups and downs with hope and resilience. Ivy’s words captured the essence of what Mountain Valley aims to instill in all its residents: the belief that hurt people can indeed help others, and that personal growth often stems from life’s most difficult experiences.

A Journey that Continues

As the reunion came to an end, it was evident that the bonds formed at Mountain Valley are profoundly deep and transformative. The stories shared were not just about overcoming anxiety or depression; they were about discovering community, finding purpose, and uncovering one’s true self. Each alum who spoke embodied the courage and resilience of the Mountain Valley community, embracing the challenge of making “fear less” so they can live more fully.

We are immensely proud of our alumni and deeply grateful for the privilege of being part of their journeys. The 2024 reunion was a powerful reminder of the impact we can create when we come together and confront our fears.

If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety or other mental health challenges, remember that hope and help are available. Mountain Valley Treatment Center is here to support you on your path to recovery.

Stay Connected

For more stories of resilience and recovery, be sure to tune in to the Fear Less podcast, where we continue to share the voices of our community. To hear a live recording of the fire ceremony mentioned in this article, check out Episode #40: “From Fear to Freedom: Inspiring Stories from Mountain Valley Alumni.”

Thank you for being a part of the Mountain Valley family, and we look forward to the next chapter in all of our lives.

Thank you for reading, and remember, it’s not about being fearless; it’s about making your fear less.

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