| Introducing Ashley Schehr, LCPC, Clinical Services Manager |

The mission of Sertoma Centre is to provide opportunities that empower individuals with disabilities to achieve personal success. This mission is carried out through many different programs and services, but without the staff dedicated to supporting our Consumers, these successes could not be achieved. Today, we would like to introduce you to one of these staff members, Ashley Schehr, LCPC.

Ashley is a Clinical Services Manager supporting staff and consumers in our clinical programs at Sertoma’s Community Mental Health and Counseling. Programs include adult services in PSR and Outpatient Therapy Groups, START, and Private Practice. She has been with Sertoma for six years and is passionate about helping others achieve their treatment and recovery goals. She finds it rewarding that her work can help Sertoma develop client-centered programs that reach more people in our community.

“Sertoma staff do a wonderful job of looking at our clients’ mental health from different perspectives to assist them in their recovery and help them reach their goals. The consumers and staff are a big part of why I like my job so much,” says Ashley.

She just wishes others understood that she and her team are working to change the narrative about mental health. “I am passionate about working with people who share the same passion in helping others reach their treatment and recovery goals. We are continually developing programs to reach more people in our community. To be able to look back and see everything we built in the program and to have consumers successfully transitioning out of services is a great feeling,” says Ashley proudly.

She developed a true love of psychology in college and began working in this field after completing her master’s program. She admits she never thought about working with individuals with disabilities, but after interviewing and starting at Sertoma, she has never looked back. “It’s funny how you think you have a plan for your life, and it ends up in a different but better place.”

One clinical program that Ashley manages is the Supporting Treatment and Recovery Together (START) program. START is a specialized psychosocial rehabilitation program supporting people with an intellectual or developmental disability AND a mental illness. She explains that programs like START are so important because it is one-of-a-kind. “So many people get excited about our program because of the number of individuals that need these supports. We built a program desperately needed in our community.”

“Do the things you might be scared to do; take the risk because you usually end up happier you did”
believes Ashley

To know Ashley is to know she truly likes to have a positive outlook on life and believes you should do the things you might be scared to do; take the risk because you usually, end up happier you did. For instance, in her free time, she likes to kayak – going by the kayak name Teeka the Trailblazer – and to travel. Tennessee is one of her favorite places to visit for the wonderful food and people and spectacular views. But she also would like to go to the countries of her heritage: Germany, Wales, and Ireland! She is all about living life to the fullest because life is short.

And if she had a superpower? “I would really like to be able to fly, so I could see distant friends and family quicker but also travel easier to faraway places! I can be impatient in traffic and at airports!” she admits.