Crystal Edwards brings a wealth of experience and a compassionate approach to her role as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Sunshine Community Health Center.
Crystal earned her BS in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from the University of Maryland in 2007, followed by a BSW in 2014 and an MSW in 2015 from Kansas State University. She has dedicated her career to helping individuals become the best versions of themselves through trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatments, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.
Crystal's diverse background includes working as a therapist at a maximum-security prison, where she specialized in crisis management and addressing acute and chronic mental illnesses. She also contributed to developing a Mental Health Diversion Program to reduce restrictive housing for inmates in administrative segregation. After moving to Alaska in 2019, Crystal expanded her focus to adolescents, families, and adults in both school-based and community mental health settings.
Her service includes being commissioned as a Social Worker in the Army Alaska National Guard in 2020 and working for the VA as a Behavioral Health Therapist, focusing on PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and addiction. Before joining Sunshine, Crystal served as a Psychological Health Coordinator for the Alaska National Guard, providing crisis intervention and facilitating access to care.
Outside of work, Crystal enjoys baking, gardening, hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, and volunteering, reflecting her love for Alaska's outdoors and her commitment to community well-being.
Sunshine Community Health Center
1-907-376-2273 (CARE)
*This article was written with the support of AI*