The First Voice You'll Hear at Ala Therapy Collective
Jessie Benjamen (she/her)
Hi, I'm Jessie. I'm the first person you'll talk to when you reach out to Ala Therapy Collective, and I want you to know that is not an accident. Shylah didn't hire a gatekeeper. She hired someone who genuinely gives a damn.
I spent 12 years working in veterinary medicine, most of it in reception, and what that taught me more than anything is that people who are scared and overwhelmed and advocating for someone they love need to feel heard immediately. Not after they've been put on hold. Not after they've navigated a phone tree. Right away. That's what I'm here for.
I've also been on the other side of this. I know what it feels like to reach out for help and not feel listened to. I spent a long time pushing through things I shouldn't have had to push through alone because I couldn't find the right fit. I eventually did. It changed everything. And that experience is with me every single time someone contacts us.
I'm autistic with OCD traits, and honestly those things that once felt like they were working against me have turned out to be exactly what makes me good at this job. The consistency, the attention to detail, the deep capacity to care about doing things right, those aren't bugs. They're features. I just had to figure that out the hard way.