Anchor House is excited to share that we are expanding our mental health services for youth and young adults. We are proud to welcome Victoria (Tori) Callahan Giger and Yuleisy Ortez as our new Therapists.
The need for expansion has been building for several years. In 2022, a single Therapist provided 806 counseling sessions—a 33% increase from the previous year and ten times more than in 2020. At the same time, demand for mental health care has continued to rise, both among the youth we serve and throughout the broader community. A recent Mercer County Needs Assessment identified behavioral and mental health services for youth as a top priority, while waitlists, transportation challenges, and language barriers prevent too many young people from accessing the support they need. With this expansion, we believe we can make a meaningful difference for both the youth Anchor House currently serves and others in the community who are seeking help. Recognizing this growing demand, Anchor House made the expansion of mental health services a key priority in our Strategic Plan.
Thanks to a Sunset Grant through the Bunbury Fund at the Princeton Area Community Foundation (PACF), this expansion is now possible. This transformational gift comes at a critical time, as cuts to mental health programs and uncertainty around Medicaid have made access even more difficult.
Our goal is simple: reduce wait times, increase access, and ensure that every young person who walks through our doors can receive the high-quality mental health care they need and deserve.
Our original plan was to become a Medicaid provider to sustain mental health services long-term and open doors for more youth who might otherwise go without support. With Medicaid currently in flux, those plans are on hold. That is why we are more grateful than ever for the Sunset Grant through the Bunbury Fund at PACF, which has allowed us to move forward with our expansion plans.
Anchor House also looked closely at the findings from the Mercer County Needs Assessment and from a feasibility study we conducted (funded by an earlier grant from the Bunbury Fund) to identify gaps in local mental health services. Based on these findings—and the increase in Spanish-speaking youth at Anchor House in recent years—we made it a priority to recruit a bilingual clinician, which we accomplished! We are also addressing transportation challenges by providing rides to and from appointments, removing yet another barrier to care. There are also no charges for any of our mental health services.
Below you’ll find interviews with our new Therapists, conducted by Alexus Twyman, a Bonner Community Scholar majoring in Communication Studies at TCNJ, who supported several Anchor House initiatives this summer. Thank you, Alexus!
Meet Our New Therapists!
We are so incredibly proud to welcome two dedicated mental health professionals to the Anchor House team! Their passion for youth well-being and commitment to providing trauma informed and culturally responsive care are already making a difference.
Meet Yuleisy Ortez, LCSW
Yuleisy Ortez brings both personal connection and professional dedication to her role as a Therapist. A proud alum of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and the Bonner Scholars Program—where her service site was El Centro—Yuleisy was inspired to enter the mental health field after observing how unhealed trauma can deeply impact a person’s life. She saw how unresolved pain and unprocessed experiences could lead to self-sabotage, especially when someone feels triggered, and that realization became a driving force in her decision to pursue this work.
Yuleisy joined Anchor House because of its strong community presence and mission-centered model. “Everyone is super welcoming,” she said, “and you can tell that they are experts in their field and are passionate about the work they do.”
Right now, Yuleisy is learning the structure and operations of Anchor House’s various programs—including the Anchorage, Connect to Home, and Shelter. She is taking the time to speak with staff who have been involved with the programs longer so that she can be informed about what to expect as she begins working directly with youth.
As part of Anchor House’s mental health expansion, having two full-time Therapists—instead of one—means services are now more accessible than ever, both in person and via telehealth. Yuleisy sees this growth as a way to reduce common scheduling barriers and meet the high demand for counseling. The goal, she says, is to provide “consistent and compassionate care” to every young person who walks through the door.
Looking ahead, Yuleisy hopes to see more group therapy sessions integrated into daily programming. She also wants to offer mental health training for staff—sharing practical tools like how to implement coping skills and de-escalate heightened emotions. “Anyone can use these tools, whether you are a licensed Therapist or not,” she says, emphasizing that these strategies can empower youth to manage their mental health in real time.
To youth, families, and community partners, Yuleisy offers this message: healing isn’t linear. “Anchor House is at the pace of the youth, and everyone has their own individual journey,” she explained. “We want people to be the best version of themselves, but it’s also about accepting how to work with your situation while focusing on what you can control.”
Yuleisy is just beginning her journey at Anchor House, but her commitment to compassion, equity, and resilience is already making a difference.
Meet Victoria Callahan Giger, M. Div, LMSW
Victoria “Tori” Callahan Giger brings to her role as Therapist at Anchor House years of experience supporting healing, addressing trauma, and strengthening community connections.
Her journey into the mental health field began while serving as a Chaplain at Penn Medicine Princeton Health’s Eating Disorder Unit, where she saw firsthand how deeply eating disorders were connected to underlying trauma. This experience sparked her growing interest in therapy and emotional wellness. At the same time, while working part-time as an Associate Pastor, she felt increasingly drawn to direct mental health work. Inspired by the therapists she collaborated with, Tori pursued a master’s degree at Rutgers University, specializing in interpersonal violence—a focus that continues to inform her practice today. In her role at Anchor House, Tori combines clinical expertise with her background in spiritual care, viewing therapy as a space for connection, empowerment, and holistic healing.
Tori was drawn to Anchor House after several years of working in Trenton, where she became familiar with the organization’s deep commitment to youth. What stood out most to her was the agency’s collaborative approach and its passion for empowering young people. “I wanted to be part of a team that’s truly involved in the community,” Tori said, “and that shows up not just professionally, but personally.”
Since starting, Tori has been impressed by the culture of collaboration among staff. She’s noticed the “all hands on deck” approach—whether it is staff walking together to support the Anchor House Foundation Ride for Runaways or cutting bread to deliver for a movie night for the community at Rescue Mission. These moments, she says, reflect a team that shares expertise, gives freely of their time, and works together across programs. “It feels like being part of something meaningful,” she adds.
Tori provides both in-person and telehealth sessions, offering both individual and family therapy. She specializes in trauma and various forms of violence—including domestic abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and neglect—but supports youth navigating a wide range of challenges: anxiety, depression, family conflict, grief, school-related stress, peer issues, and more. She also affirms that Anchor House is a welcoming and supportive environment for LGBTQI+ youth.
Tori believes that having in-house therapy strengthens the entire support system at Anchor House. With therapists embedded in the team, she sees greater opportunities for collaboration between Case Managers, Support Staff, and Clinicians—fostering deeper understanding and better outcomes, particularly in residential programs.
Outside of work, Tori loves to travel—she’s visited 46 states and enjoys road trips, trying new foods, and exploring restaurants. She spends a lot of time outdoors hiking, walking, and swimming, and she shares her life with her two dogs, Milo and Posey.
To youth, families, and community partners, Tori offers a simple message: help is available, and it’s free. “We can get together and talk,” she says. “You don’t have to be in crisis to come in. Therapy is truly for everyone.”
Read more about the Sunset Grant through the Bunbury Fund at PACF that made this expansion possible.
