Today we’d like to introduce you to Sharon Volner.
Hi Sharon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I wanted to be a therapist as a means of caring and advocating for those struggling with mental illness and addiction. I initially fell in love with the law; I found it to be a strong place for advocacy. Ultimately, it was the caring relationship between a therapist and a client, that magical transformation that takes place through close empathic connection, that led me down this path.
I love working with families, helping them differentiate between the addiction and their loved one, between the mental illness and the person they know. I work to destigmatize and normalize conversations about everyday people and their very real struggles.
Later, after going through a very difficult divorce and becoming a single mother while building my career, I found myself drawn to working specifically with women, showing them that they can overcome adverse situations and rise above. Throughout the last 25+ years of my career, I’ve worked with homeless populations, teens, maintained my own private practice, helped reunify families, and served as a national speaker, educator, and trainer for other therapists.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While today I am a strong career professional, behind the scenes I’ve had my share of struggles. From seeking help in therapy at domestic abuse centers, to becoming a practitioner myself and helping others navigate similar challenges. I don’t believe there are smooth roads in life. Rather, life is an open path, and we have to prepare ourselves for the challenges that come with it. My personal struggles have deepened my empathy and strengthened my ability to support others.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, I am the Chief Clinical Officer at La Ventana Treatment Programs, where I help people who struggle with mental health and/or addiction. We have a dedicated program for co-occurring disorders and addiction issues, as well as separate primary trauma-focused mental health programs.
There is something profoundly special about sitting with a person and helping their family understand that the person they once knew, before the trauma, the psychosis, the drugs, the alcohol, the anxiety, is still in there. They have been impacted, sometimes changed, but they are not forever lost. When families understand what their loved one is experiencing, the symptoms, the struggles, the disease, without judgment, they discover something vital: THERE IS HOPE.
Both the person and the family can learn to heal together.
Not all families know this or believe it. Our program has a meaningful motto: “Let our family guide yours.” At La Ventana, we offer that support. We are a private, family-owned company built on a foundation of people helping people and maintaining those values.
I also use my love for law and advocacy to take on difficult, complex situations and work closely with judges and attorneys to help those struggling with addiction in complicated legal cases and mental health diversion programs such as ours. We work to expand our services to everyone in the community the doctor, the nurse, the teacher. Mental health and addiction do not care about socioeconomic status, education, or background. They affect everyone, and our mission is to help everyone in our community feel whole again.
I bring both personal and professional experience to this work, and I aspire to share my story to inspire others who may be facing their own challenges.
How do you think about happiness?
Being of service brings me such joy, having the opportunity to lift others and helping them shine is where I find my strength. I also find empowerment in being an active part of my community. Once a Girl Scout Mom to now serving as volunteer on various local organizations such as co-chair of the Women’s Association of Addiction Treatment (WAAT) in Malibu, member of the Ventura County Bar Association, regular host on the Beyond the Window Podcast, and featured guest on The Meredith Show. Being a mother, having a second-degree black belt in martial arts, also bring balance and fulfillment to my life. An important part of my life is doing speaking engagements with my daughter and bringing our worlds together, helping the community by providing side-by-side educational talks as the mother-daughter team we are. On a personal level, I’m grateful to have built a loving partnership and blended family. After the challenges I have faced finding stability within love and watching our family grow together has been incredibly meaningful.
Pricing:
- varies
- Inn Network with most private insurance companies
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LaVentanaTreatment.com
- Instagram: @LaVentanaTreatmentPrograms
- Facebook: LaVentanaTreatmentPrograms
- LinkedIn: @LaVentanaTreatmentPrograms
- Youtube: @LaVentanaTreatmentprograms
- Other: [email protected]
