Jaime Bregante
When did you begin working at CALM/ How long have you been at CALM?
I began working at CALM in August 2016.
What is your role at CALM?
I am a licensed Marriage Family Therapist currently working on the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation team. As a consultant I have an opportunity to work in several pre-schools to support teachers and caregivers in promoting the social and emotional development of children. Through a reflective practice approach and in the moment coaching the teachers and staff have an opportunity to process feelings and examine their work and interactions in order to create healthy and successful classroom environments.
Please share one of your best CALM experiences (a time you felt like you really made a difference).
When I walk into a pre-school and I am greeted by the teachers asking me to come visit their room and can stop and have a casual conversation with a parent in the hall, I think to myself that this is what successful collaboration feels like. Trying blend mental health into a school setting can be a tricky thing. I think sometimes there still is a strong stigma about mental health services and as consultants we are able to break some of these barriers so that administrators, teachers, and parents can feel good about reaching out for support when they need it.
Finish the sentence, “If I could do one thing to make kids’ lives better, I would….”
If I could do one thing to make kids’ lives better I would make sure that every child has a safe place with a loving caregiver to discover, play, and grow into confident and emotionally intelligent adults.
What is one thing you wish people knew about CALM?
I wish that people were aware of the variety of programs and families we serve. There are so many great resources available to the community and you may be surprised where you find CALM staff working.