Article by Alyssa Riggs | Alyssa.Riggs@gdc.ga.gov
Tanisha’s journey with the Georgia Department of Corrections started three years ago, but her time as a counselor started long before that. Before working as a Behavioral Health Counselor, Tanisha worked for the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) as a Social Service Case Manager. During her time with DFCS, Tanisha was there for families by connecting them to different resources and reuniting them, but she knew that this was not her calling and she wanted to do something more hands on.
Tanisha started to look at more jobs in her field when she came across a teaching position with the Georgia Department of Corrections. She applied to teach at the Emanuel Women’s Facility because she knew that this would give her an opportunity to work directly with women and be able to help them obtain their GED’s.
While she loved working at Emanuel Women’s Facility, Tanisha still wanted more and wanted a job directly in her field. As soon as a counseling job opened within the GDC, she wasted no time applying. She soon landed a position as a Behavioral Health Counselor and quickly moved up to a Behavioral Health Counselor II and Program Facilitator. In her role now, Tanisha provides support to women by helping them reduce recidivism and live productive lives after incarceration. Not only does she help them become better grandmothers, mothers, sisters and friends, but also productive members of society. Her goal is to break generational habits and impact their lives in any way that she can.
While being at the GDC, she has undergone Addiction Certification Preparation Program training, Reduction Risk training classes and spent time observing the Substance Abuse Unit. Tanisha is now a certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and is able to assist others with addiction counseling and maintaining sobriety. Tanisha takes every training opportunity that the GDC has to offer in order to better prepare every person that she meets. She says it not only helps her at work, but her personal life too.
With her extensive background and training in counseling, Tanisha brings a lot to the Georgia Department of Corrections. She facilitates all of the program classes such as Moving On, Motivation for Change, Re-Entry Skills Building, Thinking for a Change, Moral Recognition Therapy, and Matrix. Tanisha also offers case management and counseling to offenders on her caseload.
Tanisha describes her job as hands-on, challenging but most importantly rewarding. The Georgia department of Correction is thankful to have such a knowledgeable and dedicated counselor on staff.
"My job is
hands-on, challenging,
but most importantly, rewarding."
- Tanisha Wadley
IMPACT GEORGIA MAGAZINE
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Counselor
Spotlight
Tanisha Wadley
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