Counselor at mental health program determined to improve lives of Long Islanders in need

A counselor at a Long Island mental health and addiction program gives it her all to help everyone she can.
Heather Berti has worked at Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling since 2013. Her job includes supervising 10 full-time social worker clinicians and overseeing activities on a day-to-day basis.
She says mental health services have been especially important during the pandemic.
“We've seen such an increase starting right away with isolation, substance abuse,” she says.
Berti says her passion to help people was sparked after seeing how addiction impacted a loved one.
“If I can get one person to get through this and change one life in any way, that would be the best thing to do with my life,” she says.
Berti is a single mother, and she says she hopes she can be a role model for her daughter.
“I want my daughter to look up to me and say, ‘Wow, look at what my mom does. She helps people,’” she says. “I think she needs to see strong women, and strong women making a difference.”