“Hearing from clients that I influenced them or was there for them in big moments helps reassure me that I am in the right position.” – Kelly
When Kelly Fox graduated with her Master’s in Social Work, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, or who she wanted to work with. She just knew she wanted to help people.
Kelly got a part-time job at Highfields and realized that she wanted to work with at-risk children and families. When a full-time position opened up, she jumped at the opportunity.
“At Highfields, I’ve been able to help families in so many different areas, like substance abuse, domestic violence, child welfare, and building healthy relationships,” she said.
Kelly is a Family Counselor in Highfields’ Family Maintenance Program, a home-based program designed to prevent the occurrence or re-occurrence of out-of-home placements. She works alongside families, helping them discover their strengths and reach their goals.
“The reunification process is my favorite time to work with families because it’s exciting when you’re near the end of everything, and get to see the children come home and renew that bond that may have been lost,” said Kelly. “Just seeing the progress they made is such a rewarding experience.”
Kelly works with 5 families at a time, averaging 3 hours of counseling per family every week. Along with meetings, traveling to and from families’ homes, and paperwork, it can be a lot to manage. Thankfully, the positives outweigh the negatives. When Kelly hears feedback from clients about how she has helped them through big moments, it reassures her that she’s in the right position.
“I had a client recently tell me that I was the voice running through her head,” said Kelly. “That made me feel really good because my advice stuck with her, and not only did she remember it, but she implemented it and she was successful.”
It’s those kinds of rewarding experiences that motivate Kelly every day.
“I can say and do things for clients, but it’s really about how I make them feel that’s going to make a lasting impact,” said Kelly. “I think that’s a good inspiration for me.”