Monica Ziebell, ‘19
Why did you choose to come to UMR? I chose UMR because of its opportunities and connection to Mayo Clinic and its small, intimate class sizes. I had the ability to ask my professors questions and meet with them for extra clarification or "mini lessons" through JustASK which allowed me to get the most out of my educational experience.
What did your Capstone experience at UMR involve? For my Capstone experience I interned at Generose W-1 (Mayo's Acute Pediatric Psych Unit) which gave me the opportunity to facilitate a music group and observe morning rounds. Being able to intern at Generose solidified my desire to be in the mental health field. It reassured me that I was going into something that I was passionate about.
How did your Capstone experience prepare you for the future in what you are currently doing? My Capstone experience showed me the prevalence of co-occurring disorders which made me turn my attention to substance use disorders (SUD). Without understanding all parts of mental illness, addiction included, the revolving cycle cannot be stopped. Seeing children at Generose struggle with SUD led me to pursue a Masters in Professional Studies in Addiction Counseling at the University of Minnesota.
Was there a faculty member that positively impacted your time at UMR and how? Yuko Taniguchi and Jared Bright greatly impacted my time at UMR through their mental health and resilience course. They were some of the best professors I have ever had because I felt like they wanted me to learn. They were both as passionate about mental health as I was which continues to impact me today.
What are you currently doing? In June of 2021 I graduated from the University of Minnesota with my Masters in Professional Studies in Addiction Counseling and received my License in Drug and Alcohol Counseling (LADC). Since then I have been employed at NUWAY in Rochester, Minnesota as a LADC. I run an ASAM Level 2.1 Intensive Outpatient group for SUD Treatment. I have an average caseload of 16 clients whom I see everyday in group, and then once per week for individual therapy sessions. Since I enjoyed the therapy aspect of addiction counseling so much I decided not to go to medical school and instead pursue a Masters in Social Work at St. Mary's University of Minnesota which I hope to complete by June 2023.