Erik Foss started his new position as the Division Director at Peaceful Spirit, October 2. Mr. Foss holds a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling and is both a Licensed Addiction Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Foss has lived and worked in Southwest Colorado for the past 13 years, including the communities of Alamosa, Cortez, Durango, and Pagosa Springs. His previous work experience in both traditional behavioral health disorders and substance use disorders involved providing services to and developing programing to meet the needs of people seeking help.
Foss has spent the past 11 years working for Axis Health System, where he started as a counselor and advanced to manager over regional programming where he supervised multiple substance use and behavioral health programs.
Outside of his professional interest, Foss enjoys being a father and husband. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys all that the Southwest has to offer, including: hunting, fishing, camping, winter sports, and climbing. Integrating his personal and professional passions is what attracted Foss to join the team at Peaceful Spirit.
In this new role, Foss is excited to get to know another community of Southwest Colorado and looks forward to supporting Peaceful Spirit in its mission to aid in the creation of a community dedicated to sobriety and recovery.
In addition to a new Division Director, Peaceful Spirit also welcomes three new residential counselors to the staff: Meg Dunn, John Oberly and Morrika Wolford.
Oberly earned his Master of Arts degree in Education at The College of Santa Fe. He has worked in a variety of settings in Colorado and New Mexico delivering family therapy, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence treatment, and trauma-informed care treatment. He utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Multi-Systemic Therapy, The Matrix Model, Mindfulness, the White Bison Medicine Wheel teachings, and the Seeking Safety model for addressing trauma and addiction.
Wolford earned her Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Naropa University. By combining mindfulness, transpersonal psychology, and nature-based activities, Wolford helps others return to a more natural and fundamental state of being and connectedness; and assists them in the process of healing, growth and empowerment.
In lieu of our annual Recovery Dinner celebration held in September, we will be planning an Open House later in the year for community members to meet our new staff members.
Meg Dunn MA, CAC III. Dunn holds her MA in Counseling Psychology. She is a Certified Addictions Counselor III. She uses person centered and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches to counseling.
Dunn joined Peaceful Spirit on September 18, 2017. She comes by way of Pagosa Springs where she loves enjoying all the seasons in the mountains with her husband and two children and their giant Malamute. Her interest in humanitarian and cultural studies has led her to live and work in various countries.
Meg is honored and excited to be immersed in Native American culture at Peaceful Spirit and to walk beside the people who have taken on the challenge of their addictions.
“The path of recovery is a steep and challenging way, and those that journey it cannot, not be changed for the better. That change calms and strengthens their spirit, which in turn strengthens their family and community. To me that is an honorable undertaking,” said Dunn.