Lupe Galbraith
I began my employment at the McNabb Center in 2013 as a Client Benefits Specialist at the Blount County office. When I started, I learned of a terrifying incident that just occurred prior to my employment. The traumatic incident involved an intoxicated client threatening and scaring other clients as well as staff. I was impressed and relieved as I sat and learned of the immediate right actions performed by staff. Staff did not hesitate to protect clients and staff and thankfully no one was physically hurt that day. The intoxicated Client was escorted away by law enforcement.
After learning of the recent trauma the clients and staff had to endure, I felt humility knowing I would be a part of a team taking the “immediate right action.” I stayed with McNabb until I returned to school in 2015. I enjoyed being on the training side for a few weeks, and felt privileged to train a new employee and most importantly empowering him as staff empowered me when I first started.
After graduating and becoming a new mother I found myself needing consistent employment and immediately thought of the McNabb Center. I knew I had to be a part of a team that would confidently be doing the “immediate right action.” After joining one of the McNabb Center’s residential facility’s third shift teams, I struggled, because while I loved the job itself, I had difficulty adjusting to the schedule with a young child. Fortunately, the McNabb Center had just implemented Compassion training, and I was able to internalize compassion for myself. I realized it was okay that third shift wasn’t working out for me since my three-year-old son was dealing with sickness a lot after being around kids for the first time post-covid. Of course, we are humans first and no one is perfect, but client care and compassion has to come first. Realizing my body’s limitations and voicing those to staff was the “immediate right action,” for myself at that time.
Soon after, I was able to join one of the McNabb Center’s financial services teams and was trained by an amazing woman who was retiring after 30 years of service. I love that compassion is a focus at the McNabb Center and the compassion is designed to extend from ourselves to everyone around us. The McNabb Center team I have been a part of for the last year has been one of my favorite teams yet. Coincidentally, I now sit across from the former Client Benefits Specialist I trained, back in 2015.
I love how far the McNabb Center attitude of “Well Mind, Well Being,” reaches as it’s always extended not just to Clients but ourselves as staff. Furthermore, like clients, if we have the courage as staff, to voice our needs compassionately, the McNabb Center will only continue to grow in strength and reach within our communities for another 75 years.
-Lupe Galbraith, Grant Reimbursement Specialist
