New ! Meet the FellowsA series of interviews by Howard Sak. Photographs by Barry Braman
From left to right: Clare Gibson, Cheryl Seifert, Danielle Marinucci, Amanda Marsh and Nicole Streeto.
Clare
Howard – What are your duties at the Errera Center?
Clare – I am a PSR Fellow, a member of Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM)/Community Support Program (CSP), and I help facilitate groups.
Howard - What education and training do you have?
Clare – I have a PhD in Clinical Psychology and I have experience as a clinician at the VA and mental health clinics.
Howard – Which sports did you enjoy while you were in school?
Clare – I participated in Track and Field and Cross Country.
Howard – What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve while here?
Clare – I am hoping to learn how to work with Veterans from a Recovery perspective.
Left to right: Howard Sak and Clare Gibson
Howard - What hobbies and interests are behind your decision to undertake this endeavor?
Clare – I am interested in psycho-social treatments for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
Howard - Is there anything that you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Clare – I walk my dog and enjoy jogging.
Howard – Do you have a favorite musical or theatrical entertainer?
Clare – the Dave Mathews Band.
Howard - Do you have any special food that you enjoy while dining out?
Clare – I like Indian Food!.
Howard Do you have any favorite quotes by entertainers, intellectual, literary or political science people?
Clare – From Hamlet: “Nothing is good nor bad, thinking makes it so.”
Howard - What is it about your duties that makes you happy?
Clare – Helping Veterans work toward recovery and building relationships with Veterans.
Howard - Is there anything that you would be proud to have a Veteran here know about you?
Clare – My grandfather was in WWI and awarded the silver and bronze medals and a purple heart .
Howard - Can you think of any program or routine you would like to start at the Errera center that may be rewarding for most veterans here?
Clare – I would like to start a self stigma group.
Nicole
Howard – What are your duties at the Errera Center?
Nicole – I work as a Vocational Specialist in the CWT program, helping Veterans find jobs.
Howard - What education and training do you have?
Nicole – I possess a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and completed an internship at the Bedford VA.
Nicole Streeto
Howard – Which sports did you enjoy while you were in school?
Nicole – I played small forward on my high school Basketball team and middle hitter for my high school Volleyball team.
Howard – What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve while here?
Nicole – I want to help veterans find meaningful employment roles. I like meeting new people and hearing their different stories.
Howard - What hobbies and interests are behind your decision to undertake this endeavor?
Nicole – I think employment is an important part of who we are and I wanted to find a way to help people achieve their dreams.
Howard - Is there anything that you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Nicole – I enjoy listening to music and singing, including blues and soul. I enjoy playing basketball as well.
Howard – Do you have a favorite musical or theatrical entertainer?
Nicole– I enjoy classic rock like Queen and Led Zeppelin.
Howard - Do you have any special food that you enjoy while dining out?
Nicole – Anything Italian!
Howard Do you have any favorite quotes by entertainers, intellectual, literary or political science people?
Nicole – “wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” (Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book)
Howard - What is it about your duties that makes you happy?
Nicole – I like that every day is different and exciting.
Howard - Is there anything that you would be proud to have a Veteran here know about you?
Nicole – My grandfather, a WWII Navy veteran, has a bench at the hospital dedicated to him.
Howard - Can you think of any program or routine you would like to start at the Errera center that may be rewarding for most veterans here?
Nicole – To try to start a Vocational group.
The VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS) offers the Interprofessional Residency Training Program in Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR), a therapeutic approach that encourages individuals with severe mental illnesses (SMI) to develop his or her fullest capacities through learning and environmental supports.
While the contents of this site have been developed in cooperation with VA personnel, it is not an official site of the Department of Veterans Affairs. | Meet The Fellows (continued)
Danielle
Howard - What are your duties here at the Errera Center?
Danielle – I spend much of my time with HUD-VASH helping Veterans find housing. I also facilitate groups in CRP and on the Inpatient Psychiatry unit.
Howard - What education and training do you have?
Danielle – I possess a Masters degree in Social Work and I have experience at the VA.
Howard – Which sports did you enjoy while you were in school?
Danielle - I enjoyed Volleyball.
Danielle Marinucci
Howard – What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve while here?
Danielle – I hope to gain a better understanding of working with Veterans in the community.
Howard - Is there anything that you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Danielle – I enjoy baking and spending time with my friends.
Howard – Do you have a favorite musical or theatrical entertainer?
Danielle – Joshua Radin and Paul Simon.
Howard - Do you have any special food that you enjoy while dining out?
Danielle - Indian food.
Howard Do you have any favorite quotes by entertainers, intellectual, literary or political science people?
Danielle - “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think”, from A.A.Milne (author of Winnie The Pooh).
Howard - What is it about your duties that makes you happy?
Danielle – Helping people get tools to make them independent.
Howard - Is there anything that you would be proud to have a Veteran here know about you?
Danielle – Many of my relatives have served in the military, including uncles who served in Korea and Vietnam, and my PopPop, who was a POW in WWII.
Howard - Can you think of any program or routine you would like to start at the Errera center that may be rewarding for most veterans here?
Danielle – More fun activities on weekends.
Amanda
Howard - What are your duties here at the Errera Community Care Center?
Amanda – I am a Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Fellow
Howard - What education and training do you have?
Amanda – I have a Masters in Social Work (with a concentration in interpersonal practice and mental health).
Howard – Which sports did you enjoy while you were in school?
Amanda – I enjoy rugby.
Howard – What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve while here?
Amanda – I want to work with Veterans to help them achieve their goals.
Amanda Marsh
Howard - What hobbies and interests are behind your decision to undertake this endeavor? Amanda – I am interested in the Recovery movement.
Howard - Is there anything that you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Amanda - I enjoy spending time outside in the sunshine.
Howard – Do you have a favorite musical or theatrical entertainer?
Amanda – The band Keane.
Howard - Do you have any special food that you enjoy while dining out?
Amanda – Yes, sushi.
Howard - What is it about your duties that makes you happy?
Amanda – Seeing how happy others are!
Howard - Is there anything that you would be proud to have a Veteran here know about you?
Amanda– I come from a family of people who proudly served in the military.
Cheryl
Howard – What are your duties here at the Errera Center?
Cheryl – I am a member of the CTI Team and the HUD VASH Team.
Howard - What education and training do you have?
Cheryl – I possess a PhD in Clinical Psychology from SUNY Albany and completed an internship at the West Haven VA.
Howard – Which sports did you enjoy while you were in school?
Cheryl – While I did not participate in sports, I was active in the Student Council at school. Howard – What are your goals and what do you hope to achieve while here?
Cheryl – Learning more about community psychology and how to work with Veterans.
Howard - What hobbies and interests are behind your decision to undertake this endeavor?
Cheryl – From the time I was 18 years old I was interested in psychology.
Howard - Is there anything that you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Cheryl – I am reading Harry Potter right now. I also love to tutor early grammar school children in reading.
Howard – Do you have a favorite musical or theatrical entertainer?
Cheryl – I like listening to the Dave Mathews Band and have attended five of their concerts.
Howard - Do you have any special food that you enjoy while dining out?
Cheryl – Thai food is my favorite.
Howard Do you have any favorite quotes by entertainers, intellectual, literary or political science people?
Cheryl – “You can’t change the wind. But you can adjust the sails.”
Howard - What is it about your duties that makes you happy?
Cheryl – Working with people and being comfortable and accepted by Veterans and Peers at the Errera Center.
Howard - Is there anything that you would be proud to have a Veteran here know about you?
Cheryl – Mt grandfather served in the Navy during WWII. My dada is a Vetnam Vet who served in the “brown navy” (riverboats).
Howard - Can you think of any program or routine you would like to start at the Errera center that may be rewarding for most veterans here?
Cheryl – Perhaps a Gambling support group.
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