As the Program Director/Clinical Director of Tender Touch, Mary Jo is responsible for the daily management and operations of Tender Touch. She provides administrative/clinical supervision to the program staff to ensure all services are delivered according to local, state, and federal laws and comply with contractual requirements. In that, she does a little bit of everything here; including answering questions (about a million times a day 😊), taking phone calls, assuring staff has everything they need to do their jobs, and collaborating with the CEO and Office Manager to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible for our clients.
Her goal is to ensure the quality of care for all behavioral health clients by focusing on making sure everyone gets the same opportunity to work on their mental health and receive respectful care. As a therapist, she believes everyone has the right to be heard and work on their problems the best way they know how- by demonstrating that it is her job to greet them with a smile and humor to help them when they walk through her door. She stands on the phrase, “kindness changes everything.” She is sincere, blunt, and kind, and she believes that sometimes there’s no way to sugar-coat the truth.
Mary Jo has over 30 years of expertise in mood disorders and behavior modification, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She is a solution-focused therapist with expertise in relationship counseling, conflict resolution, grief and loss, depression/anxiety, and reality therapy. She helps with assisting clients in developing adaptive coping skills, stress reduction, and effective communication. She is strengths-based, with a strong commitment to her clients and their needs.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Social Work at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Minnesota, in 1994. I then moved to Detroit, Michigan, to earn my master’s degree in Social Work from Wayne State University, graduating in 1997. I remained in Detroit for five years and then decided to move to Indianapolis, Indiana, to be close to my family. While there, I worked for a behavioral health center for ten years and then collaborated with three other partners to form a private practice serving adults and children. This proved successful and was a satisfactory experience. When my family informed me, they were moving to Atlanta, and I was immediately on board. Warmer weather, beautiful people, and just the best place to be!
Email Me: [email protected]