A more personal look at who I am…..
I am blessed that you are here and consider it an honor that you have taken the time to read about the agency and who we are. I am a believer that if we desire to make positive change in our world, we must start where life begins. I am in continuous awe of our world and recognize that it can often be very challenging and complex for us as parents, mothers, and most of all, children, in todays world.
I am married and together we have 6 children ranging in age from 32 to 15 and have 3 grandsons. I have an extensive background in working with women and children. I spent 5 years working in and specializing in early diagnosis and services to children on the Autism Spectrum prior to leaving this field and opening my own agency in 2015. I have over 20 years of work in the birth field which began back in 1995 as a Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator. I have since completed my certification as a Lactation Counselor and am a trained Midwife Assistant through Mercy In Action Midwifery program. In addition to my work as a Mental Health Counselor, I serve our birthing community in both the home birth and hospital settings. I offer education services addressing birth, infant, and breastfeeding needs as well as a variety of parenting sessions such as Promoting First Relationships, an evidence based program addressing the birth to 3 year old relationship.
In addition to my private office, my agency is contracted with 3 local, rural, school districts to provide mental health and behavior services. I see students during the school hours that are struggling with either own mental health struggles or are simply struggling with their social emotional development. I teach social emotional development in the class for grades 3 through 7 and train staff on how best assist their students that may be struggling. By offering these services directly to the schools, children are often able to receive immediate services without waiting for the mounds of paperwork to be completed, as would be the case through any local community mental health agency. This means services are more readily available to both the student and the school. I appreciate that these schools have put such a priority on their students mental wellbeing and recognize its importance in addressing the whole child.
My agency has been operating since November of 2015 when I recognized the need for additional services in our area. Many of our families were driving great distances to receive services and were often unable to continue due to the cost and time associated with this travel. I also grew increasingly frustrated with the mounds of paperwork an individual went through in order to receive much needed mental health or behavior services for their child and then the frustration if they didn’t qualify for a recognized mental health diagnosis!! Often times children and families just need some additional supports as they navigate difficult or challenging behaviors. This is often times resolved in as little as a few sessions or could result in ongoing sessions while the child and parent navigate through a developmental phase. By opening my doors, I have allowed families to get the help they need, on their terms, that are not dictated by confusing documents and frustrating insurance claims.
I invite you to give us a call and lets discuss how we can help you in addressing your needs as an individual, mother, or for your child.