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Staff Spotlight: TJ Baumann

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Adventure Is Out There 

TJ Baumann is the Milieu Support Specialist at Mountain Valley, and uses his extensive background in adventure sports and education to help residents develop individually and in community. After years of travel and work across the country, TJ has made a home for himself and his family in New Hampshire. His passion for teaching led him to recently complete a master’s degree in child and adolescent developmental psychology at the University of Southern New Hampshire.

Tell us about your background?

I grew up in New Jersey. I wasn’t allowed in the house when I was a kid because I was a little rambunctious (laughter). I struggled in school because I would do what I was told, but it was never stimulating enough for me to lean in and lock in. I was smart but I didn’t really care. But I ended up making it through high school and spent the next 12 years living a bit of a vagrant lifestyle. I taught hang gliding and skiing all over the country, and I opened my own hang gliding school at one point in Utah. This is going to sound corny, but it taught me how to live. Growing up I was a kid who did what he was told but was never happy with the baseline of other people.

Through this process I had some great mentors who taught me a lot—how to care for myself and others in a healthier way. To take care of myself and use my strange gifts and the odd aspects of my personality for the benefit of others. I had one co-worker, Matt Paulson, who I taught with. His big thing was, “It’s not about you. You’re not the most important factor in this equation. Your role is more to facilitate than be a central figure.” Matt tragically passed away many years ago after a battle with mental health issues, but his message has always stuck with me.

TJ Baumann

How did you end up at Mountain Valley?

 I ended up back in New Hampshire to get my bachelor’s degree in adventure education at Plymouth State University. I took a job at Mount Prospect Academy—when I started the job, my son had been born two weeks before and I had never done mental health work. I had worked with some challenging individuals, but never to the extent of the kids there with trauma and intense behavioral issues.

I went for it, but it ended up being too much for me. The combination of a new baby at home and a challenging group of kids was not great. When I told my boss I couldn’t do it anymore, they told me there was another company where the clientele was a bit less intense. They referred me to Mountain Valley, and I ended up starting as a residential counselor in June 2018. It clicked because I found a lot of kids who were like my friend Matt. They struggled with similar things, and I realized I could help them and make a difference in their lives.

In 2019 I got a teaching job in Laconia and worked there for about four years. During that time, my wife and I had another child and I also decided to pursue a master’s degree in child and adolescent developmental psychology. Mountain Valley recruited me back and now I’m the milieu support specialist, with a focus on adventure and community development. I also enjoy mentoring and staff training.

Why did you decide to pursue a master’s degree?

Teaching has been a passion of mine for pretty much my whole life. I had my first teaching job in gymnastics when I was 16, and my jobs have had an instruction component ever since. The master’s degree helped me codify my understanding of how people learn and how learning functions. When I was teaching in the private school, I decided I wanted to better understand how kids develop. I have a strong passion for adventure and experiential education and feel like it’s something lacking in our current system. I’d like to expand the reach of that form of education as much as I can.

During my master’s degree program, I taught briefly as a lecturer and loved it. I love drilling down to the deepest reaches of a topic. I enjoy having the deep discussion and the process of discovery—I learn a lot through that process myself. My goal is to teach in a university system again eventually.

What’s most rewarding about working at Mountain Valley?

I love grad days, because it shows how the residents have grown so immensely. I can think of a couple examples of where I’m sitting there on grad day and thinking about the day the resident showed up, and it’s crazy to me the change they’ve made. It’s very rewarding to see the rectification that happens between parents and kids, especially since I’m a dad. Watching parents come to terms with what happened and re-engage with their kids in a healthier way is very meaningful.

Can you give us some examples of resident success stories?

 Three come to mind. One young woman had anxiety and OCD wrapped up in her self worth. She focused constantly on whether she was good or bad, what kind of person she was. The growth that she experienced throughout her time at MV allowed her to finally look in a mirror and say “yeah, that’s me.” She stopped trying to quantify every little action and realized “I am a person, and here I am.” That was huge for me and an immense change for her

We had another young woman with pretty intense autism spectrum disorder and anxiety tied in. She just couldn’t be flexible due to that. But at the end of her time at MV, she could say ‘”Yeah, this has to change in the next 30 seconds without warning,” and then reflect “That was really hard, and it also wasn’t the end of my day, I can improve it from here.” We had a great relationship, and it meant a lot to me when she graduated. It wasn’t easy but it was worth it—she took the help and got it done.

Finally, we had a young man who was so wrapped up in making everything perfect. His OCD was all about having everything just right. If a social interaction didn’t go well, that was the end of the world, because he craved social time above anything else. I heard from him after he graduated, and he was getting ready to lead a group trip and teach about foraging for mushrooms. The community he’s developed sounded like a good fit and what he needed.

What’s the best part about being a dad?

Honestly for me it’s the little stuff. I woke up this morning, the kids jumped in bed with me, and they were stoked to hang out since I didn’t have to jet off to work first thing. It’s restorative to be present with them. When we don’t have to rush to get out the door, it’s nice to take 10 minutes and talk to them about their day and the cool things we’re planning to do this weekend.

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Alumni Spotlight: John Wyetzner

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Can anxiety serve as a compass? If you’ve had the Mountain Valley experience, it can. John Wyetzner, LCSW, felt paralyzed by anxious thoughts, but his short time at MV was transformative. Today he’s accumulating expertise as a therapist specializing in OCD treatment, engaged to be married, and using fear as a motivator to make—not avoid—decisions.

John Wyetzner

Tell us about your background and how you came to Mountain Valley?

I grew up in Manhattan in New York City. I had anxiety from an early age, just in general. But as I got older it steadily got worse, never to the point where I couldn’t function, but just a constant part of my life. Eventually I couldn’t go to school. I woke up one morning and it felt too hard to do. That happened for almost a month, waking up, feeling super anxious, and not being able to attend school. I felt depressed and I didn’t know why I couldn’t push through it. It became a cycle—it went on for so long that it felt like it would be super weird for me to return, and it just compounded.

I had been in therapy, mostly talk with some CBT and ERP, but nothing super intense. At that point, it was clearly not enough, and I needed a higher level of care. It was 2012 and my parents found Mountain Valley, which was still a new program. It took a lot of convincing for me to go, because I didn’t think it would help. Eventually I realized I had nothing else going on and I should give it a try.

I remember the night we drove up, and I was terrified. But the next day I looked around, and it felt welcoming and warm, which was a new experience for me. I decided to try it out. It was my first time being around other people who had anxiety and felt comfortable talking about it. It was very reassuring to me to not have to hide it.

What was your biggest fear and how did you work through it?

I really worried about being anxious in front of others in public and not feeling like I had a safe place to retreat. My anxiety was often somatic, and it would show up as nausea. I would throw up sometimes and that made me feel very anxious. A lot of my exposure work centered around having a stomachache and what it would feel like to throw up. We also did a lot of social exposures, which included talking to new people and strangers.

Once I was there, I felt super motivated to put in the work. I turned the corner because I was around people who made me feel comfortable with vulnerability. I spent most of my time with eight other residents, which was certainly a big change from the city but also comforting. It was also helpful for me to get outside and get fresh air, even though I attended during the winter, it was good to just walk around campus to the different buildings.

What did life look like after Mountain Valley?

The plan was for me to return home and go back to school, but we decided that therapeutic boarding school would be a better fit. I managed my anxiety and was able to go to college after that. Since mental health had been such a big part of my life, I decided to major in social work. College went well and I didn’t have any big concerns, which was a nice change. After college, I went on to graduate school and got my MSW so I could work as a therapist.

How did you end up in your current practice setting?

Based on my own experience, I knew I wanted to specialize in OCD work. After a few years I got my higher-level license, and I wanted to move back to the city. I found the Child Mind Institute, and it was a perfect fit. We do a lot of outpatient sessions, parent work, and collaborating with other clinicians and schools. We also run an OCD intensive program.

I think I understand the issues well because I’ve been through them myself. It helps me understand my clients’ mindset and connect with them. If sharing my story feels appropriate, I’m happy to do that and talk about how I went through a similar journey but came out on the other side.

I think our exposure work is powerful because OCD is the disease of doubt. You get so stuck in your head problem solving that you’re on a mental treadmill. Exposure gets you out of that headspace by challenging you to test your thoughts. Once you do that, you see that what you thought would happen is often wrong and that OCD is lying to you.

Tell us about a success story you’ve had with a client?

One of my clients had OCD centered on perfectionism, especially getting good grades. She had a hard time turning in work if it wasn’t perfect, and she would catastrophize. We spent a lot of time talking about her feared outcomes and how they felt bad, but we didn’t know that they would happen for sure. And if they did happen, maybe they wouldn’t be as bad as she thought. For an exposure I gave her a short, timed writing assignment. She didn’t like doing it, but it was helpful. She saw that she could make a mistake and that it was still okay—she didn’t have to listen to that part of her brain.

How has your life changed since you attended Mountain Valley?

My time at MV heavily influenced who I am today. In my career, I want to continue helping clients and the public better understand OCD. The media and society tend to misrepresent it as simply a hyperfocus on cleanliness or symmetry. It’s so much more complicated than that, so let’s normalize the other ways it presents.

I got engaged recently which has been great, I’m starting to think about our future together. It’s exciting and nerve-wracking. But I’m so much better equipped to deal with my anxiety today. When I notice I feel anxious about something, like attending a party, that feeling tells me I should do it and that it will be a good exposure for me. It’s a good compass for me, even though I don’t always enjoy pushing through. But 95% of the time, it turns out better than I expected. Once I show up that anxiety almost always goes away.

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Staff Spotlight: Camille Wrege

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Healing Through Meaningful Activities 

At Mountain Valley, occupational therapy informs the treatment philosophy and the environment. Our program is intentionally designed to promote healing through meaningful activities, fostering a sense of community and belonging that is crucial for recovery. Camille Wrege, MS, OTR/L, leads OT programming at Mountain Valley and came to the Upper Valley from New York, where she obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Ithaca College. She’s passionate about tailoring purposeful sessions for residents that help them tap into identity and give them confidence to overcome daily challenges.

Camille Wrege

How did you decide to pursue a career in occupational therapy? 

I took a trip to Costa Rica in high school and worked with kids with developmental disabilities. They struggled to access the meaningful things they wanted to do, like education or just playing with their friends. I got to work front and center with these kids before I even considered an OT program, and it was really enjoyable. I wondered if there was a job out there that could continue to help people access the things that are the most meaningful to them.

My mom introduced the OT profession to me—I had never heard of it. She had gone to school in the area and knew that Ithaca College had an occupational therapy program, so I ended up there. I’ve also always been interested in mental health, so in college I started a mindfulness club for students who struggle with anxiety. As I got more into my coursework and started learning about the body and the nervous system, I really wanted to learn more, so I focused on neuro rehabilitation.

How did you end up at Mountain Valley?

After I graduated, I started working in several different settings to gain experience. These included mainly older adults settings, a nursing home, assisted living facility, and a hospital. I loved working with people who have neurological impairments, like stroke or Parkinson’s. Although I really enjoyed that, I wanted to explore some other populations. I did a 360 and worked with the early intervention age, kids from age 0-3. That was cool too because I was still working on neuro rehabilitation and the nervous system, but it had a lot more to do with developmental delays and regulating. The job was pretty inconsistent though, and I wanted something that was more team-based and collaborative.

I love the outdoors, so I started looking for OT jobs where I could be outside, maybe with animals since I grew up on a farm. When I was searching, I also had a mental health focus in mind and Mountain Valley popped up. I’ve been here ever since.

What does a typical day look like? 

I work closely with the residents in a mix of individual sessions and groups. I lead groups on Mondays and Fridays that have a lot of different themes, but they’re usually focused on engagement and meaningful occupation. We have wellness themes that focus on sleep, nutrition, and mood. We also have physical wellness groups, where we play sports like soccer and talk about the importance of movement. I really like to emphasize the importance of maintaining your health because that’s a huge part of regulating your nervous system and mental health in general.

Other groups focus on executive functioning, social skills, life skills, and connection. I do a lot of identity groups because this is a very important developmental stage for these kids, where they just aren’t sure who they are. It’s a lot of focus on who you want to be and how you want to present in the world. I usually average 10 or so residents in my groups.

Individual sessions can look a lot of different ways, but I try to keep them as functional as possible. I’m not a talk therapist and I try not to stay in the office too much—I like to go out and engage in functional activities and incorporate the skills and strategies we’re working on. For example, if I’m working on executive functioning skills with a resident, I might be coming into their room and helping them with the sequencing and problem-solving that goes into cleaning it up. I also love taking kids off campus to help them interact with strangers, people they wouldn’t normally interact with like cashiers or baristas.

It’s neat because you can take what they’re working on in therapy, like social anxiety, and combine some exposures with the hard skills from OT. I’m always collaborating with the clinicians and coming up with creative intervention ideas. But no matter what, I’m trying to relate it back to the individual based on what’s meaningful to them. Motivation is key.

Tell us about a meaningful experience you’ve had with a resident? 

Recently I worked with a resident who’s on the autism spectrum and really struggles with feeling like he’s not capable and his identity in general. A lot of times in OT I like to do arts and crafts, hands-on things for motor skills work. This resident struggled with some motor skills and giving up if he’s not getting it. It’s devastating to him—it creates panic symptoms, and he shuts down. He’ll ask to leave the activity and be alone.

I noticed that one day in group and was able to see what was going on. After group I talked to him, and he was fully in a panic attack. I walked him through what we call the zones of regulation, just a simplified way of discussing the nervous system and all the states you can be in. We talked about his current state and tried to help him build more body awareness in that moment. A lot of people on the spectrum don’t have the interoceptive awareness to name what’s going on in their bodies.

After we spent some time together, he was able to go back to the activity that caused the panic attack and complete it. He was able to recognize that he could feel very intense feelings and challenge himself to be outside of his window of tolerance. It was a good session and it felt more meaningful to me because it was very in the moment and functional. We were able to work through what was impairing him in the moment, and that’s what I love about OT.

How would you sum up occupational therapy in a few words? 

OT is very holistic, but the scope of the practice is so big that it can feel kind of confusing to define it. For me it’s about promoting engagement in meaningful occupations. That can look like so many different things. I’m always encouraging people to keep asking questions about how OT can be involved, the impact of it, and what it looks like in real time. I love promoting our field and the impact I get to make on a daily basis.

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Alumni Spotlight: Sara Fairbank

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Sara Fairbank is from McLean, Virginia and attended the Potomac School before joining Mountain Valley in 2019. After successfully completing the program, she enrolled at Georgetown University and completed a degree in nursing. Today she’s a registered nurse serving the D.C. area, with plans to pursue a graduate degree and make an even bigger impact in the field.

Sara Fairbank

What brought you to Mountain Valley?

I’ve always had anxiety, but my last year of high school I became pretty depressed, and my anxiety was much harder to manage. I finished out the school year but then immediately enrolled at Mountain Valley. I had a good experience—of course it was tough, but I was growing a lot and learning a lot more about my anxiety. I 100% think it was the best thing for me.

I think I challenged myself to grow, even though it was difficult to make it through and come out the other side. I had to use my new coping skills in an environment that caused me so much anxiety before. The relationships I made at Mountain Valley were very valuable and it was a great program for me.

What are you doing today? 

I’m a clinical nurse at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. During nursing school, I started working there as a student nurse technician and I’ve been with them ever since. Today I’m on the adult medical intermediate care floor, we see pretty much everything with adult patients but it’s one step below the ICU.

I’ve always loved science, but I also love working with people. Compared to physicians in the hospital setting, I get much more time with my patients. On my floor I work with three or four patients a day, and I get to have a personal connection with them.

Tell us about a memorable connection you’ve made with a patient? 

When I was still on orientation, we had one relatively stable patient. We were fully staffed and had extra time that day to talk. He shared with us that he’s an artist and loved drawing. To thank us for everything we did he drew me a cartoon of Spiderman that says, “Thank you Sara.” It’s a physical reminder of the impact I have, so I definitely want to frame it.

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

Mountain Valley gave me the tools to advocate for myself in a very important way. I had a lot of anxiety in nursing school, and while my time at Mountain Valley didn’t reduce my anxiety, it gave me the tools to work with it. I was able to communicate my needs with my professors to help me complete nursing school successfully, which was essential since I started during the pandemic.

What are your future goals? 

I’ve thought about becoming a nurse practitioner, but I think I’d really like to pursue teaching. I might go back and get my master’s in nursing education. I promised myself when I entered healthcare that I’d be relatively open with my patients, using therapeutic communication and relating to their experiences with anxiety. I’d love to get more involved as an alum with Mountain Valley and volunteer more of my time—my experience there was transformational.

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Staff Spotlight: Ashley Metz

Posted on by Sarah Shebek

Mental Health Matters

If you’ve been at Mountain Valley sometime over the last eight years, there’s a good chance you know Ashley Metz. As one of the longest-tenured employees with the company, Ashley is passionate about mental health and has her own inspiring story to back it up. After she felt her life crashing down during college, Ashley sought help, finished her degree, and ended up completing a master’s degree to become a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Ashley started working as a residential counselor and also served as residential supervisor and director before moving into her current clinician position two years ago. She credits Mountain Valley for helping guide her through her own healing journey—and she’s helped heal countless others along the way.

Ashley Metz

Tell us a bit about your background? 

I was born and raised in Western Massachusetts and went to college in Worcester. I was quite lost, and it took me six years to graduate with my bachelor’s degree. I ended up taking some time off for my own mental health.

My family—my mom especially—experienced trauma when I was growing up. In high school I was more depressed and coping with substances. I was smart and a good kid, so I scraped through, but when I went to college it all hit me. The anxiety was much more prevalent than I realized, and I was having panic attacks in class for the first time. I also have ADHD, but I wasn’t diagnosed until later in life.

I had a lot of anxiety around this need to perform—my mom always wanted us to do better. My sister and I have, and we’re very proud of that. But I struggle with this fear of failure every day, to be honest, and undergrad is where it all came crashing down. I was smoking and drinking a lot, and I wasn’t secure in myself. I got my validation from others. When I wasn’t getting validation I turned to extreme behaviors, and finally ended up being hospitalized for about two weeks.

That was a wake-up call. I moved in with some friends after that and they supported me through the next steps in a rehab program. I got to this point of “What am I doing with my life?” and met my husband Charles right after that. He helped save my life and he provided the secure attachment that I really needed.

How did you end up at Mountain Valley?

Charles got a job coaching soccer at Colby-Sawyer College. We had bartended together, but when we moved up to New Hampshire, I thought maybe I should try to be an adult. I stumbled on Mountain Valley and even though it was a long drive from our place, I was really intrigued.

I had done therapy myself at different levels and I decided to shadow there to see if it was a good fit. I was expecting very ill kids—instead I see these shy, nervous kids who are afraid to step outside. It was not what I was expecting. Then I saw my first graduation and thought “this is really cool.” I was so outside of my comfort zone. I started working at the old campus as a residential staff member, and now I’m here eight years later.

What has your growth process been like?

It’s such an interesting dynamic being on residential staff. It’s almost like an older sibling, in a lot of ways. Especially because when I first started, my younger sister was the age of the kids I was working with. I started to get to know the clinicians better and when we moved to the new campus in Plainfield, we were a tightly knit group.

The longer I worked at Mountain Valley, the more I realized that the clinicians were really cool people. I’d had this stereotype of what mental health professionals were like and they weren’t like that at all. They were people I wanted to hang out with. I decided to go back to school so I could become a clinician, but I was scared because of my experience in undergrad. Mountain Valley offered to help pay for some of it, which really impressed me.

When I started my graduate program, I found I actually liked my classes, and it made a world of difference. It’s a miracle I graduated from college, and then I got a 3.9 GPA in grad school—I was so proud. I think it also shows how important your mental health is when you’re doing these really big things.

I tell a lot of the kids I work with my story, “Dude, it took me six years to graduate because I needed to stabilize and get my feet under me.” My GPA shifted so dramatically because I was in a place where I wanted to be in school. I felt confident in school and secure in myself. I’d like to think Mountain Valley helped heal me.

Why do you think Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) works? 

I think it seems counterintuitive, like why would I do the things are the most triggering to me? But I love it because it’s applicable to literally anyone. Every single person on campus can do an exposure, all day, every day. I love that we as clinicians can model it in the moment with our kids.

For example, I love to travel but with all the media around plane problems, I started having panic attacks about flying. The exposure would be for me to fly anyway and sit with the discomfort that shows up. I brought that experience into work and into group, and shared it with my kids. There are real life examples all the time.

When it comes to severe anxiety and OCD, it’s really difficult. We’re asking them to face their biggest fears, things that I probably wouldn’t have done at their age. It’s so cool to see them face it and build that courage—it surprises me every time and they surprise themselves every time. More importantly, we debrief and reflect on the experience. That piece is so important, because what comes out on the other side is confidence and security.

What’s one of your favorite success stories as a clinician?

We had a recent resident who was really sick. She was so isolated and afraid of the world that she didn’t leave her bedroom for long periods of time. The only time she would leave for over a year was to go to the pet store to buy cat food. Getting her to Mountain Valley was a long road—it took years. She had become very paranoid and thought everyone was out to get her, including her parents. There was a lot of mistrust and she thought we were a cult, that we were brainwashing her. 

I like to think one of my top skills as a therapist is building rapport, so I can usually connect with kids pretty quickly. But not this one—she gave me a run for my money. She finally bought in and went from saying that she didn’t want any friends and wanted to live alone, to becoming the most popular girl on campus. It was her first time having friends, really.

When she left Mountain Valley she was proud of her experience. Now she has a part-time job, she’s starting her senior year, and she just got her learner’s permit. It’s so special watching such special kids learn to love life again.

What are your future goals? 

Before I became a clinician at Mountain Valley, I worked a residential supervisor and I loved the mentoring part of the job. It felt like therapy a lot of the time. I was program director for a little bit, then I moved to the clinical team. I’ve had all these different roles and being a therapist is my favorite, but I miss that mentoring piece.

I can see myself serving as a supervisor for unlicensed clinicians or even licensed clinicians. If I ever leave Mountain Valley, I hope to create the kind of community and support that exists here, because not a lot of therapists get that. I love teenagers a lot, but I could see myself shifting to serve more of a college-age population. That’s when I needed help the most, so I want to use my experience to make a difference.

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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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Meditation and Other Mindfulness Practices: How They Help Those Struggling with Anxiety

Posted on by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

Mindfulness practices, particularly meditation for anxiety, have gained widespread recognition for their effectiveness in managing anxiety symptoms—a condition that affects millions worldwide. These practices are increasingly recommended by mental health professionals, including those at Mountain Valley Treatment Center, where mindfulness for anxiety relief is a component of the therapeutic approach. Clinicians at Mountain Valley may directly assign daily meditation practices to residents as part of their anxiety treatment plan, recognizing the powerful role these practices play in reducing anxiety and promoting emotional well-being.

Understanding Anxiety and the Role of Mindfulness

Anxiety disorders often manifest as excessive worry, fear, and a constant sense of unease, which can significantly interfere with daily life. For those struggling with anxiety, these feelings can be debilitating, making it challenging to focus on tasks, engage in social activities, or even rest. Mindfulness meditation for anxiety offers an effective countermeasure. By encouraging individuals to focus on the present moment without judgment, mindfulness techniques help create a sense of calm and balance. At Mountain Valley, clinicians often prescribe daily meditation for anxiety to help residents break the cycle of anxious thoughts. This structured practice allows residents to step back from their worries, observe their thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed, and gradually regain control over their emotional responses.

Mindfulness meditation involves sitting in silence, focusing on the breath, and observing thoughts and emotions as they arise. For individuals with anxiety, this practice is transformative. It helps break the cycle of rumination, the repetitive, negative thinking that fuels anxiety. At Mountain Valley, residents may be guided through these meditation sessions by experienced clinicians who help them apply these techniques effectively. The practice teaches individuals to acknowledge their anxious thoughts and let them pass without attachment, a skill that can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms over time. This daily practice not only helps residents manage their anxiety during their stay but also equips them with tools they can use long after they leave.

Research-Backed Benefits of Mindfulness for Anxiety

The benefits of mindfulness meditation for anxiety are supported by extensive research. Studies have shown that regular practice can lead to structural changes in the brain, enhancing areas related to emotional regulation and reducing activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear center (Siegel, 2007). This means that individuals who practice mindfulness meditation are better equipped to handle stress and respond to anxiety triggers more calmly and with greater resilience. At Mountain Valley, clinicians understand the importance of these findings and often incorporate mindfulness exercises for anxiety into the daily routines of residents to maximize these benefits. Additionally, mindfulness has been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while improving overall mental health and cognitive functioning (Moore & Malinowski, 2009). These benefits are often a key factor in the treatment plans developed by Mountain Valley clinicians, who tailor mindfulness practices to meet the specific needs of each resident.

Mindfulness Practices at Mountain Valley Treatment Center

At Mountain Valley, mindfulness is more than just a practice—it’s a way of life. The center integrates mindfulness meditation into various aspects of its program, providing residents with multiple opportunities to cultivate this skill. Whether through structured meditation sessions, yoga, or moments of reflection in nature, residents learn to harness the power of mindfulness to manage their anxiety and other mental health challenges. Clinicians may assign specific mindfulness exercises as daily practices, helping residents build consistency and discipline in their mindfulness routines. This consistent practice is crucial for individuals dealing with chronic anxiety, as it helps them develop a strong foundation for emotional regulation and stress management.

Farming, Animal Stewardship, and Mindfulness

In addition to traditional mindfulness practices, Mountain Valley incorporates farming and animal stewardship into its mindfulness program. These activities require residents to be fully present and engaged, reinforcing the mindfulness techniques for anxiety learned in meditation. Caring for animals and working the land provide a sense of purpose and grounding, which is particularly beneficial for those with anxiety. At Mountain Valley, residents may participate in these activities daily, guided by clinicians who emphasize the importance of mindfulness in every task. These hands-on experiences help residents connect with the present moment, reducing anxious thoughts and promoting emotional stability (Louv, 2008). This holistic approach not only supports the residents’ mental health but also fosters a deeper connection to the natural world, which can be profoundly healing.

Supporting Parents Through Mindfulness

Anxiety doesn’t just affect the individual—it impacts families as well. At Mountain Valley, we encourage parents to engage in mindfulness practices to manage their own stress and anxiety. By incorporating mindfulness into their lives, parents can better support their child’s journey through treatment. This holistic approach ensures that both residents and their families are equipped with the tools they need for long-term mental health and well-being (Davis and Hayes, 2011). Mountain Valley clinicians may offer guidance to parents on how to integrate mindfulness into their daily routines, providing them with the same benefits their children experience. This shared practice not only reduces stress for parents but also creates a more supportive and harmonious environment for the entire family.

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