New Yorkers in Behavioral Health — Natalie: Associate Executive Director with a non-profit organization focused on digital arts and youth development

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Tell us about your career path. How did you start out and what steps did you take to grow and advance in your profession?

Upon graduating high school, I earned my bachelor’s degree with a double major in Theater and Psychology. After learning about the field of Drama Therapy and realizing that there was a way to utilize my love of theater to help people, I pursued a master’s degree in Drama Therapy at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. During my time there, I had two separate internships, one at a school for the blind and another at a residential drug treatment center for adolescents. After graduating, I moved back to NYC and got hired at an intensive prevention program for adolescents as a Case Planner. Deciding that I wanted more clinical experience, I then moved to working in a hospital setting as a Creative Arts Therapist, first at an inpatient psychiatric facility and then at an outpatient psychiatric day treatment program. Within 2 years of working in the field, I earned my NYS license in Creative Arts Therapy (LCAT) and national credentials in Drama Therapy (RDT).

I then shifted to the non-profit sector and worked part-time as a Drama Therapist and Teaching Artist at a school-based organization while also working part-time as a Drama Therapist at an organization that uses digital arts technology as a therapeutic medium and workforce development tool. Eventually, my role at the latter organization turned into a full-time position. While facilitating groups, I also had the opportunity to support the planning and implementation of new programming. Through this process, I found my passion for leadership and got promoted to Workforce Development Manager and then Program Director, which offered me a breadth of experience in program development, management and staff supervision. I then moved into my current role of Associate Executive Director.

Were there any obstacles, unexpected circumstances, or hardships you had to navigate while pursuing your education and career goals? How did you handle these challenges?

The choice to move away for graduate school in another country proved challenging once I returned to New York and started the job search. I hadn’t been able to make as many connections in NY and had to start from scratch to build a network. In order to overcome this, I set up multiple informational interviews with individuals working in the field I was trying to pursue in order to develop relationships and learn about opportunities in my area. It was also a challenge to navigate through multiple different jobs in various mental health settings in order to find where I wanted to be. I also experienced a sense of burnout at an early point in my career, as I didn’t have as many internal resources for managing stress while working in acute settings with limited support. Ultimately, these challenges were valuable learning experiences that I am grateful for in retrospect.

What contributed to your success in creating a meaningful career?

My success is due in part to my own perseverance and willingness to leave jobs that I didn’t feel aligned with my passions and strengths. If I did not take risks and step out of my comfort zone, I would not have discovered the setting or role that brings me the most fulfillment. I also took the initiative to seek out external supervision from individuals that were more closely aligned with my field, as I did not always find adequate supervision in the settings where I worked. My personal support system has also been invaluable in their unwavering encouragement and advice of following my own happiness and fulfillment. Joining the National Association for Drama Therapy and attending annual conferences was also very helpful for me in creating a professional community.

Are there any education, training, or career goals you are still pursuing?

I am continuing my professional development in the field of non-profit management through workshops and courses on management, development and strategic planning.