Employee Spotlight

Natuasha Medellin

What is your Job Title / Role at RHS?

Human Resources & Payroll

How did you come into the Mental Health Field?

I had four young children and was looking for some kind of work that I could do while staying at home with them. There was an opening for a part-time position in billing and after some discussions we were able to come up with a schedule that would allow me to work both from home and at the office. My role in the company has changed throughout the years, but I am so grateful for a company that allows me to work while still taking care of my kids.

Who inspired you to pursue this career choice?

My husband

How important is it for you to work with our Southeast Idaho Community?

I have many family members in this community who have benefited from the services provided at RHS and I am so happy to be a part of that and grateful for the help they have received.

What is something someone might not know about you?

I am a licensed cosmetologist and also have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

What are some of your interests / hobbies?

I love to read. I love cheering for my children in their various sports and activities. I love spending as much time as possible at the beach or in the water.

What is the best advice you would give to someone just coming into this field?

Set and maintain good boundaries from the beginning.

The Importance of Taking Care of the Basics

Maslovs' Hierarchy

In order to become our healthiest selves, we need to take care of our basics.  All things in life build on top of each other, as shown in Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.  To move up the pyramid you have to first take care of the steps below. Here are some simple tips to help take care of our needs, leading to better mental health.

• Get a routine.  We do better with a routine.  It helps our bodies to know and prepare for what is coming.
• Create a regular and consistent sleep schedule.  We need around 7-9 hours a night.  We need regular bed/wake times.  This helps with the body’s rhythm.
• Eat Regularly.  We need 3-6 meals/snakes a day.  Having 80% of the food nutritional food and 20% play food.
• Exercise three times a week.  Exercise helps to get the brain chemistry flowing.
• Take meds as prescribed.  Regular meds help to keep the body healthy and in rhythm.  Taking care of our physical health has a major impact on our mental health.

Lastly be kind to yourself and remember it’s not where you’re at that counts, It’s the direction you’re heading.  Every step counts.   

Kristy Goodson, LCSW

Employee Spotlight

Dave Homer, LCSW

What is your Job Title / Role at RHS?

I am an LCSW and a Psychotherapist at RHS.  

How did you come into the Mental Health Field?

I went to a camp when I was 16 years old that worked with people with disabilities, and I saw how much the social workers there helped, which made me want to help others like I was helped.  I also wanted to be in the military but couldn’t, so I decided that becoming a counselor would be my way of contributing to my country by helping veterans.    

Who inspired you to pursue this career choice?

I have had several people inspire me in my life but early on when I was in Junior high there was a coach who took time out of his day to talk to me and ensured that I felt like I was part of something.  This also happened again in high school with another football coach.   

How important is it for you to work with our Southeast Idaho Community?

I was born and raised here in Southeast Idaho and love it here. I always knew that I would come back here after college because I knew this was home. 

What is something someone might not know about you?

 I’m not sure if it is something people don’t know, but I am determined in life to do almost anything especially if someone tells me I can’t do it.  I usually will look at them and say something like “watch me” and do it anyway just to prove that I am able to do what people have always thought I couldn’t do.  

What are some of your interests / hobbies?

My main hobbies are anything outdoors.  I love camping, fishing, and hunting. I’m also a video game nerd and love playing video games.   

What is the best advice you would give to someone just coming into this field?

The best advice I could give someone coming into the field always make time for selfcare to prevent burnout.  

A Clean Slate

The start of the new year seems to be a time that we set lofty goals for ourselves and then by the middle or the end of the year we have forgotten or given up on said goals.  How can we keep our goals and be able to better trust ourselves?  I find it funny that if someone asks me to follow through with something I do it with no questions, but a lot of times if we make a promise to ourselves we don’t follow through. Here are a few ways to keep those goals, enhance our personal integrity, and follow through to be our best self.

     First, make our goal or promise to ourselves simple.  An example might be to eat a serving of vegetables every night or do a 5 minute meditation.  Think about choosing something that is within your current power to achieve.  By doing this we can feel success instead of failure and continue moving forward towards our best self.  

     Second, plan for roadblocks and create a way that you can continue to move forward or work around them.  If we aren’t able to follow through one day doesn’t mean that we have to start again on Monday or at the beginning of the next month.  We can start again later that day or even the next.  Give yourself Grace!

     Third, celebrate small achievements and practice positive self talk.  This will help encourage more positive behavior or thinking.  Be nice to yourself and say things that you would to your best friend!  Be kind to yourself.  I hope we can find ways to try to be better each day on our terms maintaining our personal integrity.  Happy New Year!

April Moedl, LCSW