The Changing Face of Mental Health | Connections Wellness Group

Meet the Therapists Behind This Dynamic Mental-Health Team

Have you ever wondered why someone would choose a career in mental health? Recently, we sat down with members of the team at Connections Wellness Group-Rockwall to ask them that question—and a few more.

Why do you do the work you do?

For Abigail Bon, LMSW, her motivation to help others is in direct response to the help she herself received, during her college years. “An amazing therapist helped me develop confidence in myself and get my life back on track,” she said. “I knew then that I wanted to become a therapist to help others the same way I had been helped.” Abigail works with adults of all ages. “I admire their choice to take the first step for themselves to improve their mental health the way I did,” she said.

Cassey Amburn, LPC finds the same satisfaction in working with adolescents. “So many of them just need someone to believe they can be something more than their diagnosis or more than the things they’ve done,” she said. “We all need grace and mercy to be able to move through life, especially as adolescents. Being able to see these teens begin therapy down, depressed, anxious, and or with behavior issues and watch them grow into well-adjusted adults is amazing. It truly gives me hope for our future.”

What’s the atmosphere like at Connections Wellness Group-Rockwall?

All the therapists seemed to sum up their responses in one word—teamwork. But perhaps Dishawn Adams, LCDC, LPC-A said it best. “The clinic atmosphere is warm and loving,” she said. “You can feel the bond and connection within the staff. Often you can see others go above and beyond. Each of us is an integral part of this team and is valued as such.” Dishawn also praised what she called a client-centered energy that permeates the practice. “From top to bottom everyone is striving to provide exceptional service and an exceptional experience to whoever walks through our door.” Dishawn works with adults in a group therapy setting.

Cassey added, “It’s true. The adult side works with the adolescent side. The administration works with the therapist. We’re all just here to serve the clients and the community looking outside ourselves for the better of the people we serve.”

Why do you work with the programs you do?

“Because each client is unique and responds to different therapies or combinations of therapies, we offer a variety of programs”, said Jeremy Fields, LMSW who works with adolescents in a group therapy setting. “We offer a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) which is a treatment program that’s conducted during the day, typically five days per week and four to six hours per day with patients using their time at home, in the evenings, and on the weekends to practice skills learned in our program. Then we offer Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) which provides support and accountability while still allowing patients the freedom to carry on with their normal daily life. IOP is ideal for those who don’t need 24/7 residential care and those with family, work, or school responsibilities that make inpatient care unrealistic.” Connections Wellness Group-Rockwall also operates a private practice including medication management providers and individual therapy providers and is happy to offer same day assessments.

What are some of the positive outcomes your group has witnessed?

This is where everybody wanted to chime in. “I’ve seen clients come to us after a suicide attempt, barely able to leave the house and watched them work to the point where they are graduating, being able to get a job, enjoying a vibrant social life, and enjoying life as a whole. The work our team does is truly amazing, and I’m super proud to be a part of it,” said Abigail Bon, LMSW.

“It can be disheartening to have to keep a patient in treatment longer or even send them to a higher level of care,” Abigail said. “But it makes it all the more rewarding when that same patient perseveres through their struggles and finishes the program successfully. It’s beautiful to see these adults—no matter their age—put in the work to take back their lives.”

“I’ve encountered clients who didn’t want to leave the environment at Connections Wellness Group-Rockwall, because of the trust, knowledge, support, and empowerment they’ve come to expect from this group,” Dishawn said. “That makes me proud. But I’m also privileged to see the progress those same clients make and changes that will have a lifelong impact on their lives and the lives of those they love. Every day, I get to see the smiles on the faces of those who’ve continued their ongoing pursuit of recovery and I’m honored to be even a small part of that triumph.”

Jeremy summed it up like this, “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is receiving feedback from previous clients and celebrating their success stories with them. It makes it all worthwhile in the end.”

Mica Alexander, MA, MBA, LPC is executive director of Connections Wellness Group-Rockwall. And she can’t say enough about the therapists, registered nurse, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and talented coordinators, specialists, and clinicians who provide the services that set this practice apart. “Rockwall is truly blessed to have this dedicated team of clinicians working in their community,” she said. “Whether it’s the PHP/IOP therapist and medication management providers following up with patients’ clinical treatment, or therapists working to build rapport with other clinicians and bridge the gap, each and every staff member does whatever they can to advocate for their patients to get them the care they need.” Find out more about this dynamic team of mental health providers at ConnectionsWellnessGroup.com/Rockwall.