Alison Behm-Daponte

For clients, the big picture is getting clean, finding a home, and a job.  But it's the simple, every-day life skills that allow a true transformation to take place.  Alison Behm-Daponte worked with clients to help them obtain the critical skills they needed to live independently - how to do laundry, make decisions, prepare a meal, problem solve, manage money, and so on.

Alison found that many clients lacked self awareness. "Clients don't know what their limitations are and, at the other end of the spectrum, what they are capable of." They needed help with time management and with realizing how much they could or could not accomplish in a certain time period.  "Understanding how to use their free time was very difficult because in the past it was spent drinking or abusing drugs. Clients had to rediscover activities and think about what they enjoy doing. I would spend time with them exploring their interests and searching for free events, concerts, or park activities to engage them."

One of her most rewarding moments was when her client L.W. wanted to go to Jones Beach.  They came up with a plan and mapped out how he could make this a reality.  "After the weekend, L.W. told me how he went to the beach and how much he enjoyed it...he followed through and that was very rewarding. The pace is glacial.  It can take so long to see such a big improvement, but when you do it is monumental - for the client and for the therapist."