Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriella Mullady Fink, MA, LPC, NCC, ACS.
Hi Gabriella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Set It Up began long before we opened our doors. When I was younger, my friends dubbed me the mother of the group, always anticipating everyone’s needs, being there to listen, and making people laugh when needed. When a friend was in need of someone to talk to, I was the one they called.When the time came to pick a major in college I settled on a BA in Psychology and dual certification in elementary and special education. It seemed like a natural fit for someone who loved helping others.
I started teaching elementary school and eventually felt the pull to help my students beyond the classroom. I wanted to know more about who they were as people, their family life, and the struggles that they faced. Before I knew it, I was enrolling in a masters program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. My internship site hired me before I graduated and I became a mental health counselor at an adolescent partial care program working with some of the most at risk youth in Bergen County. Through this agency, I began meeting with local hospitals, community partners, school districts, and other like minded individuals who wanted to help provide mental health support to the youth in Bergen County. I eventually transitioned from my role in partial care and became a school based counselor, and began merging my love of education with mental health support.
During my time as a school based counselor, I would search for resources for my students and their families. One of the areas I found lacking was social skills groups for the elementary school aged children. With encouragement from family and friends, I decided to start two elementary school groups. And since then everything has progressed naturally, whether it be our office locations, team members that have joined, and parents/schools recommending our programs. What started as two elementary social skills groups has developed into a full private practice.
While I founded Set It Up because my students were lacking a resource, Set It Up has evolved into so much more. We are a women owned and women run business, with many of our team members who are mothers. Set It Up provides me the flexibility to show up not only for our practice families, but for my own family. I have flexibility that I never could have had before if I remained in community agencies. I can be at school for any function and create a flexible schedule for not only myself, but my employees as well. Because why can’t moms have it all? And if you can’t find it, build it, and that’s exactly what we are doing here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While many areas of starting Set It Up have run smoothly, from finding our office space, hiring a truly amazing team of women, to the support we have received from the community, we have faced a few challenges along the way. Finding ways to stay ahead of the curve, setting our programs apart from others, getting the word out about our programs, and navigating the challenges that come with insurance companies.
As you know, we’re big fans of Set It Up. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Set It Up is a mental health collective fusing mental health and education to help you grow from within. Our practice specializes in working with people of all ages, from children and teens, along with their parents, and adult clients. Our team of group facilitators and clinicians all have current experience working in a school setting in various positions (school counselors and Child Study Team). Together, we are able to look at the challenges children and teens are facing in school and in the community and create programs to support their needs. Set It Up would not be possible without our team, they are the heart and soul of our organization.
Our clients are able to engage in individual therapy, sibling therapy, family therapy, and parent centered sessions. In person sessions are held in our Ramsey, NJ office. Virtual sessions are available for NJ, RI, and PA residents.
Set It Up also offers various groups for children, teens, and adults.
Social Success: social skills groups for ages 5 through 21
Set Her Up: middle and high school girls support group
Ready! Set! Stay Focused!: individual and group executive functioning skills development programs
Set It Up, Mama: The Mom Tool kit: monthly support groups for mothers, easy to use coping skills are introduced, practiced, and then we discuss the participant’s experience
Beyond the Bell: a support group for educators and school professionals by educators with more to come
Positive Parenting: parent trainings and workshops.
We also provide mental health consultation for private and public schools; workshops and trainings for students and faculty/staff.
Our website and social media accounts are updated with our current group offerings.
When asked what I am most proud of, it’s honestly the little things no one else would notice. The small touches our team have added to our offices: the plant in the window, a basketball hoop over the door for our teens, smile magnets on the fridge, new games showing up on the shelves. Or little changes each week as our clients spend time with us: the LEGOs that are mid-build, the notes from clients, signs that hang up letting others know if the room is occupied, pictures they have given us. Little touches to show that there is life here, how Set It Up has become a place they want to leave their mark.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters the most to us is that you feel like family when you walk through our door. Whether you’re a new client, a parent searching for help, joining a group for the first time, or joining our team, we strive for you to feel like you have a place here. A home away from home where you can rest, plant your roots and grow from within to conquer anything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.setitupinc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/setitupinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576518686415
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriella-m-fink
