Heather Avena

Heather is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. She has an undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Brigham Young University and has worked in the social services sector for several years in different capacities. She is passionate about working with individuals and families in bettering their lives through therapeutic means. She has a firm belief in simultaneously working on oneself to become stronger and also allowing oneself to be vulnerable by utilizing a strong support system to achieve the best outcomes. She recognizes great value with a strengths-based approach and knows there is great fulfillment in empowering self and others. 

Heather loves working side by side with people in individual sessions, group sessions, and getting creative with recreation to help clients meet their therapeutic goals. She has worked with families raising children with special healthcare needs, from the children themselves, to the parents and siblings, as well. She has also worked with refugees, and immigrant teens in foster care, and their foster families. She has worked on an inpatient unit working with teens and women with eating disorders and other mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. 

Heather speaks Spanish fluently, has lived in Latin America and thoroughly enjoys traveling and learning from other cultures.