Something really good

This is the bio I submitted when I learned I had been nominated for 2011 Outstanding Alumni at Adler.  I was chosen!  Looking forward to a reception later this month.  

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Arena Mueller’s Psy.D. was conferred in October of 2006. For the first three years of her career, 

Arena worked for university counseling centers. She completed internship at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a clinical post-doc at the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Arena then worked for two years at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) as the Counseling Center Liaison to the College of Arts and Sciences. At BGSU, Arena provided individual, group and couples counseling, assessment, consultation and crisis intervention. She also supervised practicum students and psychology interns. In the aftermath of the shootings at Northern Illinois 

University on February 14th, 2008, Arena was a volunteer counselor and 

present for their "week of healing."Also at BGSU, she spearheaded the Couch Campaign, 

a unique and creative promotion to reach out to students across campus. Pictures of the 

Counseling Center group room couch were taken all over campus and used for outreach, 

advertising and art in the counseling center. To this day, these Couch Campaign pictures

decorate the BGSU Counseling Center website. Below, Arena is pictured with the 

BGSU Mascot, “Freddie the Falcon,” because “Counseling IS for the birds!”

In May of 2009, Arena moved home to Oklahoma and shifted her career focus by accepting a 

position at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In her position

as the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Abuse Specialist, she helps

dually diagnosed men and women manage their disorders. Her clients are from all eras 

including Veterans of the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, 

Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq War) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan.)

Arena’s position is heavily clinical and the bulk of her day is treating individuals, couples

and facilitating groups. Combat Veterans are a difficult and high risk population, but she 

has gained their trust and relies on astrong therapeutic alliance to engage them in 

evidence-based therapies. Arena worked under supervision to become certified in 

Prolonged Exposure Therapy and believes in the efficacy of exposure therapies for 

anxietybased disorders. She is currently working towards becoming certified in 

Acceptance Commitment Therapy to address depression, trauma and substance abuse.

In her free time, she volunteers for a Jog the Dogs program at her local SPCA and 

encourages Veterans toengage with dogs to assist in management of their disorders. 

She is an avid runner and cyclist, completing her first 50K run and a duathlon this year. 

While running has been a key for self-care and guarding against compassion fatigue, 

it has also helped her identify and connect with the Veterans she works with because 

sometimes when we, as individuals, push ourselves to our limits 

we feel the most alive and vital.