The heart of support: Interviews with two direct support professionals
It’s Direct Support Professionals Week, Sept. 7-13. North Dakota Health and Human Services wants to express our gratitude to about 125 professionals who provide direct support to people with disabilities at the Life Skills and Transition Center in Grafton. These professionals support people through coaching, hands-on assistance, and meaningful learning opportunities that encourage growth and success in work, leisure and community activities.
Direct support professionals play a vital role in helping people with disabilities live as independently as possible and support self-advocacy to achieve their personal goals. The work is both rewarding and challenging.
It takes people with caring hearts and a desire to make a difference in another person’s life. Carely White and Jonathan Farm have been identified as two individuals whose caring nature is woven through their work. Learn more about what it is like to be a direct support professional below.
Carely White, Direct Support Professional at Dakota East
How do you see your role making a difference in the lives of the people you support?
I make sure to teach each person to do things for themselves, even if it takes longer or frustrates them. In the long run, this helps them to be independent, confident and ready to move out into the community.
How do you hope the people you support feel because of the work you do with them?
I hope the people who I have supported feel proud of themselves and what they are capable of overcoming. I hope they see in themselves the ability that I see in them.
Has there been a time when the person you supported taught you something unexpected?
Yes. A nonverbal person I supported years ago when I first started as a direct support professional. He was usually angry at everyone and everything. I felt he needed some way to feel seen to feel better.
Each morning, I helped him and his roommates get dressed, as if I was helping a family member dress for their Sunday best. Before leaving to go to work at the Day Program, I’d tap his hand and look him in the eyes. I wanted him to know it would be OK, and he could relax. I wasn’t sure he understood — he would move his hand every time — but I never gave up.
One morning, I was not feeling well and brought my personal life to work. I got everyone dressed quickly and didn’t tap his hand before heading to the Day Program. Instead, I told him, “Let’s go, we will be late.” He stood by the door and would not move. So, I tapped his hand and he still would not move.
Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and tapped it, as if knowing I needed that more than he did. I wasn’t expecting that and burst into tears because I felt he was telling me I was going to be OK and relax. He looked me in the eyes, smiled and walked off to the Day Program.
What did I learn that day? Even the smallest gestures can impact a person’s life, whether you realize it or not. Nonverbal doesn’t mean unaware. People feel the energy you give them — good or bad. Always be kind to everyone and treat them with respect and love.
What do you want people outside of this field to understand about being a direct support professional?
I want people to understand how important a direct support professional is. We work one-on-one with people, empowering them to live a full, independent life. We encourage people to participate in community activities. We advocate for them, provide emotional support and encourage independence and empowerment. We also help create and maintain a safe environment for them. If you put your heart into this job, it is very rewarding.
Jonathan Farm, Direct Support Professional at Cedar Grove
What first drew you to becoming a direct support professional?
While I was a student at Grafton High School, I had the chance to see some of my peers receiving support services. I was drawn to how genuine and joyful they were, and I really enjoyed getting to know them. That experience stuck with me — it opened my eyes to the impact that support can have on someone’s life and how meaningful those connections can be. From then on, I knew I wanted to work in a role where I could help others in a hands-on way and make a real difference in their daily lives.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is being able to help people transition back into their communities. Seeing individuals build their independence and confidence and watching them achieve goals that allow them to live more fully, is an incredible feeling. It’s not just about the big milestones either — even the small steps forward matter and knowing I played a role in helping someone move closer to the life they want is what keeps me motivated.
How do you hope the people you support feel because of the work you do with them?
I hope that the people I support feel safe, respected and genuinely cared for. My goal is that they look forward to seeing me because they know I am there to listen, help and walk alongside them in whatever they are working on. More than anything, I want them to feel that they can trust me and that their lives are a little brighter because of the support I provide.
Has there ever been a time when the person you supported taught you something unexpected?
Absolutely. There have been many times when a person I support has shown me a simpler way of looking at things. It might be approaching a task in a way I hadn’t considered or reminding me that patience and perspective are key. These moments have taught me to slow down, analyze problems differently and to not automatically assume that challenges require complicated solutions. The people I support often remind me of the value of looking at life through a different lens.
This work isn’t always easy. How do you keep going on hard days?
Like any job, there are good days and tough days. What helps me is keeping the right perspective — I remind myself to take life one day at a time. Breaking things down this way makes challenges feel more manageable and keeps me from getting overwhelmed. I also think about the bigger picture: the positive impact I get to have on someone’s life. Even on the hardest days, remembering why I do this work and who I’m doing it for gives me the energy to keep moving forward.
If you want to uplift lives, join us as a direct support professional. Visit the North Dakota Career Openings webpage to learn more.