MDT Highlight – Autumn Zerendow
February 10, 2021
The impact and support children and families receive at Children’s Cove is only possible by our partnership and collaboration with committed members of what we call the multidisciplinary team (MDT). They are the professionals who often work behind the scenes, and rarely get the attention or credit they deserve. Most of the time they don’t want it, choosing to work silently and diligently protecting and serving our children.
Autumn Zerendow, M.Ed, LMHC
Director of Adult, Child & Teen Community Based Services and Rape Crisis Program Services at Independence House
Autumn moved to Cape Cod three years ago, after completing a master’s degree program at Cambridge College in Mental Health Counseling. Prior to her role at Independence House, Autumn worked in a variety of settings, including a crisis stabilization unit, a mobile crisis team providing psychiatric evaluations, an adolescent eating disorders unit, and a residential treatment for transitional-aged youth. At Independence House, Autumn provides oversight to their community-based programs, such as the 24-hour hotline and their social media and chat services. She also supervises 12 team members who provide advocacy and counseling.
If a person feels heard and respected…that is a success.”
When asked how she keeps her energy and spirits up in this essential line of work, Autumn cited her belief that every person deserves to live a life free from the experience of domestic and sexual violence. This, she says, is a foundation to her work and drive. “We celebrate the small successes within our work here at Independence House, even during difficult times,” Autumn said. “If a person feels that they are heard and respected by our staff, that is a success. If they show up for counseling and advocacy, which can be a scary thing to do, that is also a success.”
When Autumn is not providing clinical services and oversight as a team member at Independence House, she enjoys photography as a hobby. She learned photography after taking time to travel for an extended period, visiting 6 of the 7 continents.
Every person deserves to live a life free from the experience of domestic and sexual violence.”
Autumn’s work in coordinating counseling services for Independence House’s teen, child sexual assault and children exposed to domestic violence programs has been incredibly important in our capacity to provide mental health referrals to the children, teens, and families seen at Children’s Cove. Autumn’s collaboration with our Mental Health Coordinator Kristine Monteiro has been an invaluable part of our ability to connect children and families with these essential services. Autumn also recently joined our CSEC steering committee. Our relationships with mental health providers like Autumn, and the counselors at Independence House, are one part of how we create a community where children are free of abuse, have a voice that is heard, and where they enjoy healthy, safe, and empowered lives.
