Chan Henry

I've been working in my field for about 5-6 years, and I'm currently an office manager and marketing associate at a mental health center, a position I started last year. Before this, I spent about 5 years with Urban Pathways helping unhoused individuals in New York City, and prior to that I worked at a smaller nonprofit called Building Skills where I was a training and employment specialist helping New Yorkers find employment. I originally planned to go through my master's and PhD to get my PsyD to become a licensed psychiatrist, but that didn't really happen and I kind of just fell into the roles I fell into. My main area of expertise is in the social service or community aspect with a community-centered focus. At the center where I work, we want to make sure that we're making mental health services available and more understandable to people, because sometimes we have a bias when it comes to mental health, so we're trying to make it more acceptable and accessible to individuals in the city. My typical day really depends on what's going on - sometimes I have an early start in the mornings or sometimes a later start depending on the needs for everyone involved. I typically address clients' concerns when it comes to therapy and what it is that they're really looking for, and I also connect with other mental health centers in the area and try to make partnerships. I'm passionate about mental health because I have a family history with it, and even with services out there for individuals, there's still blockage when it comes to insurance, paying out of pocket, and not finding the right help. That was one of my main motivators.