Gretchen graduated from Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis with a Master of Social Work in 2023.
Gretchen Oliver, clinical therapist at St. Joe’s, had aspirations of becoming a prosecuting attorney but changed course when she realized she had a gift for helping people cope with their difficulties. “After I graduated from college, I started working in a prison with adult males but found myself talking to them about how they could be better. One of them said to me: ‘You are the first person that has ever talked to me like I was a real person.’ I had a captain who had been there for a long time, and I asked him for some advice. He said, ‘They’re just inmates and you are the corrections officer, so they’ll be here 24/7 and you leave at 6 p.m.’ That was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” she said.
She transitioned out of law enforcement and began working with adults in the criminal system who had been dually diagnosed with a substance abuse and mental health disorder. “I found my niche in getting people to open up and allowing people to feel heard rather than just responding to them.” Since 2018, Gretchen has worked with children and families from juvenile probation or the Department of Child Services on coping and communication skills along with developing de-escalation plans for home or school.
In January, she joined the SJ team and will be working with clients in outpatient and foster care where she will provide individual and family therapy, manage intakes, set treatment goals, and help clients process different emotions. “I enjoy making others feel comfortable, and safe. I also like seeing clients making difficult changes and challenging their thoughts. I like being challenged as a clinician, learning things about different cultures, and getting to know others that I work with. I can’t be the super social worker and save everyone but even if I make a difference in one person’s life that makes it worth it to me.”
Welcome Gretchen!
P.S. Our Behavioral Health Outpatient Services is accepting outpatient referrals. Find out how we can support you and your family.
This post was supported by funds made available by the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Office of Health Equity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, under RFA-OT21-2103.
The content of this post are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of or endorsement by the Kentucky Department for Public Health or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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