Falling in love with an outdoor hobby may be a great distraction from addiction. Plus, getting fresh air is an important part of being alive. Even though you can live day in and day out at home or at the office, we live in a beautiful world that can remind us just how grateful we should be.
Here are some of our favorite photos of fall:
At Annie’s House, we believe that having outdoor hobbies is an important step to recovery. We hike, kayak, repel, paddle board, and more. Get outside today!
Co-Founder, Director
Annie has been with Steps Recovery Center from the beginning. Having the opportunity to open Annie’s House and work with women specifically has been such a rewarding experience for her. After her own drug addictions and trials, residential treatment and the 12-steps program is where she found her new way of life. She loves working in the residential industry and seeing people find hope and sobriety. She is passionate in helping addicts and their families find the help they need to live happy, healthy lifestyles free from addictions.
Clinical Director, LCSW
Gina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with twenty years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families. She earned a Masters of Social Work from the University of Utah and graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Family Science. Gina has worked with women and families most of her career and has extensive experience and specialized training in the following areas: women’s health, medical social work, trauma, addiction and treatment, criminal justice, domestic violence prevention including sexual assault, victim advocacy, child welfare, crisis intervention, family systems, the effects of violence of children, offender intervention, women Veterans and military culture. Gina directed the program for women Veterans at the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah as the Women Veterans Program Manager for over 7 years. She was the advocate and advisor for women veterans statewide and developed a holistic, trauma specific and nationally recognized program. Gina is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and has worked in both public and private clinical settings. She taught at the University of Utah as an adjunct professor. She presents regularly at conferences and workshop and provides professional trainings nationally. Gina understands trauma is the underlying reason for substance abuse and primary trigger for relapse in women. She is passionate about providing a trauma-informed environment, staff and interventions that are also gender-specific to help women through recovery, the healing process and to reach their full potential.
Medical Director
Dr. Keep has been in healthcare for 36 years. He was an advanced life support medic in central California for 5 years in the early 1980’s prior to attending medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY. He completed Internal Medicine Residency and Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplant Fellowship at he University of Utah followed by Cardiology Fellowship at the University of Arizona. He worked as a general and interventional cardiologist in Utah for 18 years. In 2008 his 7-year-old daughter Alissa died in a motor vehicle accident. Dr. Keep had to overcome grief induced medical issues as well as alcohol use while struggling to recover from the pain of his daughter’s death. Volunteer work as well as research, writing, and speaking on the medical ramifications of grief and loss, including adverse coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, were part of his recovery. He has spoken locally, nationally and soon internationally on the subject. It also led to working with alcoholics and addicts and becoming an Addiction Medicine specialist. He is board certified in Cardiology, a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and board eligible in Addiction Medicine. Sharing his experience, strength, and hope as well as training, medical knowledge, and research are part of his desire to “pay it forward” and help others to also recover from grief, loss, trauma and addiction.
Recreational Therapist, CTRS, TRS
Pam is a certified Personal Trainer, with experience in metabolic VO2/RMR testing and nutrition and has eleven years of experience working in Residential Treatment Centers. She has created and developed a recreation therapy program for adults with addiction, co-wrote and developed a girls adolescent residential treatment program and has worked within the school system developing adventure leadership programs locally and abroad in Zimbabwe. Pam graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors of Science in Recreation Management with a Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Emphasis.
Therapist, CMHC
Alison is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She has been working in residential treatment for addiction since 2012. She graduated from University of Phoenix with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, having also completed the Master’s program for Educational Counseling. Alison has specialized training in trauma, grief and loss, motivational interviewing, psychodrama and interventions. Alison also specializes in issues that impact the LGBTQ community. She believes that the key to addiction treatment, especially for women, is to develop a sense of self love, and learning to live life authentically. She also believes that trauma work is vital to the healing process. Alison utilizes many therapeutic techniques in addition to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Relationship Trauma Repair. Alison enjoys traveling, spending time in the mountains, and photography.
Therapist, LCSW
Amanda graduated with her Master of Social Work from Widener University in Chester, PA in 2006. She worked for a community mental health agency in New Jersey providing intensive in-home services to families involved with the Division of Youth and Family Services, as well as providing services to adolescents on probation in an intensive outpatient substance abuse program. Following this, she functioned as a case manager for a county SSI/SSD Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) initiative, helping individuals with co-occurring disorders apply for Social Security benefits. Amanda came to Utah in 2011 and began working as a mental health provider in a primary care setting for female Veterans at the Salt Lake City Veteran’s Administration Medical Center. Two years later, she moved to a position as a youth inpatient social worker at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute. In March 2016, she began her role as a therapist at Annie’s House. Amanda is also a licensed as a designated examiner for the state of Utah and a volunteer with the Utah Crisis Counseling Program.
Therapist, ACMHC
Denia-Marie “Dema” Ollerton received her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College. She has treated addictions, chronic mental illness, and behavior disorders. Using a social justice lens, Dema takes a particular interest in clients’ varied identities: i.e. race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, etc. For example, she was a member of the Institute for the Study and Promotion for Race & Culture (ISPRC) at Boston College 2010-2011 and has integrated the research findings from ISPRC with her current practice. In addition, Dema is learning Spanish and French and plans to provide counseling to native speakers in these languages. Dema also teaches in the Behavioral Science Department at Utah Valley University, where her practical experience and love of psychology come alive in the classroom.
Marketing & Admissions Coordinator
Chalyn received her Bachelor’s of Science in Health Promotion and Education with an emphasis in Body Image as well as a Minor in Nutrition from the University of Utah. Chalyn grew up dancing in jazz, ballet, and hip hop since the age of 3 and has been teaching dance to kids ages 5-18 years old for the last 8 years. Chalyn uses her education as well as her own personal experience to be a positive role model to those around her. Chalyn has a burning passion for helping girls- young and old- see what beauty from within is all about.
Clinical Director, LCSW
Jason Webb, a self-proclaimed addict of addicts, brings years of experience and training to Annie’s House as our Clinical Director. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Jason received his Master’s degree from the University of Utah after completing his undergraduate Family Science program at Brigham Young University. He is a Licensed Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor and is certified in Egala, a professional equestrian psychotherapy program, and in a powerful ropes course training designed to help addicts build self-confidence and decision making skills. He is also a certified mediator.
Jason has been helping addicts transform their lives since he graduated, serving as a counselor in the Utah State Prison Conquest program, as the Clinical Director of the Ark, another addiction recovery house, and eventually as the founder of his own Sober Living home in Midvale, Utah. He currently hosts numerous presentations in the counseling field and has also published a book, “The Reality of Perception,” that addresses how the perceptions we have impact many areas of our life.
Since joining the Steps Recovery Centers family, Jason has overseen four residential programs and multiple outpatient programs before helping our many clients at our addiction recovery house exclusively for women in Draper, Utah, Annie’s House.
Originally from California and Arizona, Jason lived for two years in Santiago, Chile as a missionary for his church. He and his wife have been married since 1996 and together they have seven children, five boys and two girls.
Case Manager
Kimberly (Kim) Day has a passion for helping people. She is currently going to school at Weber State University for a Bachelors of Science in Social Work with a Minor in Criminal Justice. She loves music and plays many instruments. She served a mission for her church to Milan, Italy for 18 months. Kim loves others and loves helping women in addiction to find their voice and learn to love themselves.
House Manager
Madison is the House Manager and Medical Assistant at Annie’s House. She is currently working on her Bachelors’ Degree in Social Work at Utah Valley University and plans to continue in her education to earn her Masters’ Degree as well. After losing her older brother and her father to their addictions, she has set her mind and heart on being an advocate and support of those suffering in addiction, as well as the loved ones that surround them. Madison loves spending time with her family and her young baby girl, as well as traveling and taking photos wherever she goes. Madison loves being a part of the change, growth and recovery that happens here at Annie’s House and seeing the strength and independence that women find here.
