Welcome Newest Team Members!

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We'd like to welcome Robin and Rachel, two great additions to the team!

Robin Dawkins - Human Resources Manager

Rachel Brand - Hampton Roads
Location: Richmond, VA, USA

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How The Choice Group Counseling Program Leads To Employment Success

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At The Choice Group, the goal of counseling is to provide a safe, accepting, and non-judgmental place where individuals can explore issues in confidence. Our goal is for the therapist and client to become a team that explores the client’s strengths, values, fears, and difficulties together. Many of our clients are on the autism spectrum. One such client had been told by a previous employer that he was never going to be able to hold a professional position. Before working with The Choice Group, this individual didn’t have a job coach and was terminated from many previous positions due to challenges with interacting with female coworkers. When The Choice Group manager Shadi Zadeh first met this client about six years ago, he was in his forties, held a Ph.D., and had been working off-and-on for years. By working with our counseling program, he has held down a position as an engineer making $42 an hour with the opportunity for consistent raises and the trust to work from home. Our client ...
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Building Confidence, Skills, and Independence: Dexter’s Journey

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By: Billy Kraus, Employment Counselor Service Area: Virtual PEERS courses throughout Virginia When I first began working with Dexter in December 2024, he was a bright, kind, and creative young man with a goal that so many of our students share. He wanted meaningful work, real independence, and a chance to contribute in a workplace where he could thrive. What he needed most was support building his confidence and strengthening his communication skills so he could feel prepared stepping into competitive employment. Through several months of Pre-Employment Transition Services and Situational Assessments, we were able to better understand Dexter’s strengths, interests, and needs. From there, he participated in our PEERS Social Skills course. This turned out to be a truly pivotal experience for him. During the program, Dexter practiced social awareness, communication strategies, and real world interaction skills. Over time, I watched him gain confidence, find his voice, and begin to truly b...
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Experience and determination got Keaton the job he wanted!

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Keaton and his grandmother, Faye | Source  New River CC During the Fall of 2014, Keaton Hanks was a volunteer with a new and emerging consulting group in the Pulaski area of southwestern Virginia. Around that time, Keaton began working with his job coach at The Choice Group through Community Support Services. His objective was to gain employment as the consulting group's part-time administrative assistant by working on his customer service and administrative assistance skills with his coach, Caitlin Igor. Together they worked on phone etiquette, data entry, and in-person customer interaction skills while he was volunteering at the consulting agency. After several months of progress, Keaton was hired as the part-time administrative assistant at the consulting agency where he was volunteering! He and his job coach continued to work on reading and interpreting detailed instructions to complete data entry projects as well as advancing his already improved customer service skills. ...
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Jessica continues to soar!

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  In January 2020, The Choice Group introduced you to Jessica, an individual with a passion for counseling and a drive for overcoming barriers. Jessica has continued working in her human services position throughout the last year and endured many changes and challenges as office procedures and practices changed for the COVID-19 pandemic. She quickly adapted and has maintained her status as an important member of her agency. Jessica is steadfast in her pursuit of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor and as of September 23, 2020 has been approved by the Virginia Department of Health Professions to begin her residency program! Additionally, she has accepted employment with a private practice in the Richmond area providing counseling services. She looks forward to building her counseling skills, continuing to increase her independence, and achieving her next big goal – home ownership. All hats are off to Jessica who continues to be an advocate for herself and for others to ob...
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