Jessica Robinson, 27
LCSW, RPT, Therapist & Interim Clinical Director | Family Haven
Was there a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today?
Interning at Family Haven when I was in graduate school honestly changed my life. Before Family Haven, I didn’t believe that I wanted to be a therapist. Working at Family Haven helped me see how absolutely beautiful this work is. I was also so excited by all of the ways Family Haven helps families to heal. It’s not just therapy! Family Haven provides respite care to families, parenting education and abuse prevention education in schools and the community. This agency is social work, and finding it and being lucky enough to work here has made all the difference in my career and life.
What advice do you have for other young professionals?
It’s okay if your priorities in career and life are different than someone else’s! As a non-profit employee, I recognize that I may be less financially motivated than some other young professionals. For me, a big paycheck was not a priority when finding where to work. I was much more motivated by the populations I am able to serve, the mentors I’ve been able to learn from, and the work-life balance that my agency supports. That’s not to say that being motivated by money is bad! I just hope that all young professionals working to find their place know that it’s okay if your perfect job doesn’t look the same as someone else’s, or doesn’t look like what others think you “should” be doing. Ask yourself what is most important to you in the work you want to do, and don’t settle until you find that.
