Staff Spotlight: Farah Mohamoud

What role does LEAP play in a client’s treatment?

LEAP plays an important role in a client’s treatment by creating space to explore what healthy leisure and downtime can look like. I often describe it as a “recess” type environment where clients can step out of a more structured clinical setting and engage in activities that feel enjoyable and meaningful.

I also like to share my own experience, doing telehealth therapy from home. I’ve seen how easy it is to lose touch with hobbies. Through LEAP at Skyland Trail, I’ve been able to reconnect with that part of myself by learning things like ping pong, piano, and crochet. I share that with clients to show that LEAP is a real opportunity to explore new interests or rediscover old ones.

LEAP supports treatment by helping clients build routines around joy, creativity, and connection, things that are essential for long-term wellness.

What does a typical day look like?

A typical day can look different depending on whether it’s a weekday or weekend. On weekdays, the LEAP team starts with a staff meeting to go over the day’s activity and assign roles, usually ending with our LEAP chant. After that, we run the evening activity, which could be volleyball, board games, karaoke, or an art activity. If you’re the “party host” for the day, your role is to move around the space and engage clients.

Weekends tend to be a bit busier and more active. Clients sometimes have more capacity for engagement since they haven’t just finished a full treatment day. Clients get excited about the opportunity to leave campus on one of our organized outings. We go to parks, libraries, and other community venues to unwind and have fun.

How do recreational activities and community outings contribute to recovery?

Recreational activities and outings are huge parts of recovery and wellness. Clients spend a lot of their day in psycho-education groups learning coping skills, but it’s through recreation and real-world exposure that those skills are tested, practiced, and internalized.

Recreational activities help reduce isolation and build connections in a low-pressure environment. These activities also support emotional regulation by giving clients safe outlets for stress and opportunities to reconnect with their bodies.

Outings take this a step further, in my opinion. They help clients confront social anxieties, navigate unpredictable environments, and build confidence in public settings. Outings give clients a meaningful break from the treatment environment while also reintroducing them to real-world settings while reinforcing independence and autonomy.

Recreation and outings create opportunities for corrective experiences. Clients aren’t just talking about change—they’re actively living it, building evidence that they can engage with the world in new, healthier ways.

What are your favorite things about working at Skyland Trail?

My favorite thing about working at Skyland Trail is definitely the people I get to work alongside. My coworkers bring a lot of energy, creativity, and care into the space, and that makes a big difference, not just for us as a team, but for the clients as well.

I also really value being part of clients’ recovery and wellness journeys in a way that feels engaging and human. Through LEAP, I get to connect with clients in a more relaxed, “recess-like” environment where growth happens organically. Whether it’s during a game, a community outing, or a creative activity, you can see moments where clients are laughing, opening up, or trying something new—and those moments are powerful.

Being able to support people while they rediscover joy, build confidence, and reconnect with themselves in those kinds of spaces is something I find really meaningful about the work.

What has been your most memorable moment at the organization so far?

My most memorable experiences at Skyland Trail have been getting to watch clients come in feeling closed off and timid, and over time, begin to open up. Seeing them go from hesitant to actively engaging in recreational activities, laughing, participating, and connecting with others really stands out to me. Also, seeing them connect with new hobbies or reconnect with old ones, and build comfort in those spaces really stands out to me. Those moments make it clear how meaningful this work is and how much growth can happen in these spaces.