5 Questions for Threasa Brittingham, Resident Manager

5 Questions is our ongoing feature where we introduce you to the people who make Brandywine Counseling run, spotlighting a different staff member every two weeks.

Name: Threasa Brittingham
Job: Resident Manager, Lighthouse Program
Time with BCI: 1 year


1. What’s your job at BCI?
I do everything! I try to guide the women in their daily task of taking care of their children, getting them on a schedule, just trying to get them to have a consistent schedule so they have a routine in their life. Sometimes they need to talk, they can talk to me, pull me aside. I’m constantly on the phone -- every doctor’s office, every court, every division of child support -- we are constantly on the phone! That’s basically what I do.

I usually work in the morning. I come in, I join in the morning meeting with the ladies. Sometimes I attend their groups. If they have an appointment, I usually take them to their appointment. Or I might have to go out and pick up needs for the house. I usually go over to lunch with them. Then in the afternoon, I usually do their afternoon groups with them also. I sit in, but also try to participate, especially when it’s parenting.

2. What made you want to do this kind of work?
I kind of stumbled across the job in the newspaper. I had been a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) for years, liked it but didn’t love it, and decided to try something new.

3. What would people be surprised to know about your job?
We probably know our clients more than their counselors do, because they spend a few hours a week with their counselors, but they’re spending 24 hours a day with the residential manager. So when thoughts and feelings come up, we’re always available to talk to, where maybe their counselor isn’t. With all the different personalities, we have changes constantly. So we know them very well, and our counselors appreciate us for that. They take our feedback very seriously.

4. Tell us your favorite client success story.
There’s one client -- and she actually left the program early. She had been in treatment before. And I saw her last week. She has, on loan, a new car. She’s gotten custody back of one of her children. She goes to school. She’s just doing awesome. So, seeing her lets me know that treatment does work.

5. If you had $30,000 to donate to BCI, what would you do with it?
Put in a second story on this house! I wish that we could help more than ten women. I wish that everybody wanted the help, and I wish we had a 100% success rate.