00:00:00 – 00:00:27
 Ken Huey: Welcome to the Voice of Hope, where bold leaders and healers share how they're building hope. Not just talking about it. I'm Dr. Ken Huey. Let's meet the change makers transforming lives from the therapy room to the boardroom. Today's guest is Dr. Damir Erson, president and CEO of Horowitz Health.

00:00:27 – 00:00:43
 Ken Huey: Drawing from your journey from direct practice into executive leadership, you bring a thoughtful perspective on healing, accountability, and building sustainable systems. Damir, thanks for being with us.

00:00:43 – 00:00:45
 Damir S. Utrzan: Thanks for having me, Ken.

00:00:45 – 00:00:55
 Ken Huey: Absolutely. So I always like to start with kind of a Simon Sinek question: why this slice of life? Why would you pick this to hang your hat on?

00:00:55 – 00:03:53
 Damir S. Utrzan: [Explains his journey from graduate school to leadership, blending clinical practice and research, accidental path into executive roles, and the “scientist-practitioner” model.]

00:03:54 – 00:04:10
 Ken Huey: Absolutely fascinating. I went to Purdue for my PhD in marriage and family therapy and felt the same—realized the university life wasn't for me.

00:04:10 – 00:04:46
 Damir S. Utrzan: [Discusses systems thinking in marriage and family therapy and how operational decisions cascade into clinical implications.]

00:04:46 – 00:04:58
 Ken Huey: So merging family therapy and systems thinking, how does that impact leading a behavioral health care organization?

00:04:58 – 00:06:12
 Damir S. Utrzan: [Shares insight about leadership, mentoring, communication, and applying therapy principles to executive decisions.]

00:06:12 – 00:08:02
 Ken Huey: Let's talk about ACEs. In your research on Adverse Childhood Experiences, what insights have most influenced your approach to mental health and clinical care?

00:08:02 – 00:09:30
 Damir S. Utrzan: [Describes his research, the importance of perceived control, resilience, and translating personal ACEs experience into clinical and leadership insights.]

00:09:30 – 00:12:43
 Ken Huey: How has your own ACEs score impacted your ability to work with clients?

Damir S. Utrzan: [Discusses how his high ACEs score shaped empathy, seeing strengths beyond the surface, role of positive relationships, and impact of teachers and mentors.]

00:13:02 – 00:15:55
 Ken Huey: Can you share an example of doing less and having a greater impact than doing more?

Damir S. Utrzan: [Talks about restraint in leadership, allowing others to operate effectively, modeling behavior, and avoiding reactionary decisions.]

00:15:55 – 00:18:58
 Ken Huey: What lessons from being a grief therapist or disaster responder shape your executive decisions today?

Damir S. Utrzan: [Emphasizes grace, patience, listening, and leading by example in high-stakes and trauma-informed environments.]

00:19:13 – 00:20:59
 Ken Huey: What gives you hope in this field right now?

Damir S. Utrzan: [Finds hope in committed colleagues, leadership that shields teams from unnecessary stress, and the resilience of providers navigating challenging environments.]

00:21:01 – 00:21:36
 Ken Huey: Thank you for spending time with us today.

Damir S. Utrzan: Grateful for the opportunity. Encourages breaking free from self-imposed limitations to maximize impact beyond degrees.

00:21:38 – 00:21:47
 Ken Huey: Thanks for joining us on The Voice of Hope. Remember, hope isn’t just a feeling—it’s a force.