Ms. Heather Carlson is a licensed mental health counselor and substance use dependency professional in the State of Washington. She received her Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from Antioch University in Seattle in 1996 and her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in alcohol studies from Washington State University in 1991. She has over 15 years of experience working in incarceration facilities, which included working with patients at both the Mission Creek Correctional Center for Women (MCCCW) and the Washington Correction Center for Women (WCCW). During this time, she provided mental health and substance use treatment services and worked with incarcerated individuals who present with a variety of behavioral and emotional health concerns, including individuals who committed sexually motivated and other high-risk types of offenses. Ms. Carlson currently works at the WCCW with the Sex Offender Treatment and Assessment Program in Washington State. She continues to provide gender-responsive and trauma-informed care and works specifically with incarcerated individuals who identify as female and have committed sexually motivated offenses. She has dedicated her career to working in collaboration with patients and other professionals, including community-based and state law enforcement agencies, and continues to work closely with multidisciplinary teams, all of which share the goal of providing high-quality, evidence-based care that helps reduce the risk of re-offense and supports positive change; ultimately working toward a successful transition from the correctional setting to the community.