Many of the students who come to Gateway have low self-esteem. My job, in part, is to personally connect with each individual, and through our relationship, help them see and believe in their potential. By the time they leave, they believe in themselves and can see a future filled with opportunity. I love playing a role in that transformation.
Rebecca Garfield
B.S., C.M.H.C.
Executive Director
Credentials
Master of Science, Mental Health Counseling, University of Phoenix
Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Westminster College
Experience working with youth in residential treatment centers since 2002
Philosophy
Rebecca knows adolescents are in a fascinating stage of self-discovery. At that age, Rebecca understands that for many young people, the world is spinning a little too fast, and that it can be difficult to find a healthy path. Traditional therapy often takes place in a vacuum. At Gateway, Rebecca and her team take the opposite approach. Gateway students learn to build healthy relationships within a community of peers and mentors. Moreover, as Executive Director, Rebecca works to provide students with the positive and vital experience of interacting with the community outside of Gateway. Rebecca knows that such contact makes the transition back to the larger world infinitely easier and more successful.
Professional
Rebecca's passion is working with youth. Before being promoted to the position of Executive Director, Rebecca worked as the Program Director and as a Residential Manager. Prior to Gateway, Rebecca worked as a youth detention counselor, lead staff at a residential treatment center, and was a case manager for a YWCA teen home. To motivate and provide the students at Gateway a sense of purpose, Rebecca helps them identify their own passions, and then productively pursue those passions in the community outside of Gateway.
Personal
Rebecca has a strong commitment to friends and family, personal learning and self-discovery. She loves cooking at home and being by the ocean. Rebecca also has a creative artistic side, and is always searching for unique and imaginative items for her home.
Creating Student Success
After hearing one student describe his dream of becoming a firefighter, Rebecca worked to set up his service project at a local fire department. Each week, he observed the firefighters in action, learning the various components of their jobs and participating on rides. Rebecca realized the transformative power of the experience. Upon his departure from Gateway, she saw him walk out, prepared for service, with the demeanor and behavior of a responsible young man and firefighter.