My name is Marie Preftes Arenz and I am a Deacon in the ELCA. I serve God’s people as a licensed mental health counselor and clinical supervisor for the Co-Occurring Residential Program (CORP) currently housed in a treatment facility in Sedro-Woolley and moving to our own facility in North Everett on July 1st. The clients I see experience both mental health and substance use disorders. Often, they are homeless, jobless and lack in significant support systems that are safe and stable. Almost all of my clients have experienced at least one traumatic event and the majority have experienced childhood abuse and/or neglect. A significant number started using drugs or drinking alcohol before the age of 18, and have participated in criminal activity due to their substance abuse. They enter our treatment facility at a low point in their lives but with hope and strength that astounds me. It is such an honor and privilege to work with my clients and to go to work each day. I often tell them that I learn far more from them than I could ever teach them.

For 12 years, I worked as a family therapist for families involved in the child welfare system. Doing this work, I learned about the cycle of poverty and how family patterns often follow from one generation to the next. This included neglect caused by mental health issues and drug addiction. Wanting to learn more about what causes and keeps individuals in addiction, I enrolled in classes at Skagit Valley College. When the position in CORP opened, and after prayer and discernment and (I must admit) a leap of faith, I decided to take the challenge of moving into this area. With God’s hand and Jesus by my side, I have been with CORP since December of 2019, and plan on many more years with this amazing program.  

Personally, I am the mother of two adult children. Dana, age 25, who is studying Medicine at the UW School of Medicine and is currently doing her internships in several hospitals throughout the state and even in Great Falls, MT. Shaun, age 21, is studying (Video) Game Design at CG Spectrum, a school based out of Australia (but he gets to attend classes from the comfort of his apartment in Seattle). You can see that I have one scientist and one artist but they didn’t get those skills from either parent! I have been married for 29 years to a wonderful man, John, who recently retired after 40 years as a lineman for the local telephone company, which is where we met. To round out our family, we have an obnoxious but oh-so-cute Chihuahua named Zander.

I am blessed to serve our community in the role as Deacon and mental health professional. It is inspiring, hard (and sometimes tragic), imperative, glorious work, and I am honored every day to fulfill it.  

May “the peace that surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen!

If you have any concerns about a loved one’s addiction or mental health, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 425-766-6019 or marie.preftes-arenz@p-h-s.com or any of these resources:

Crisis Line: 1-800-584-3578 or 9-1-1

NAMI Snohomish County: 425-339-3620 or visit https://namisnohomishcounty.org/

Washington Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511 or visit https://www.warecoveryhelpline.org/