The past several years have brought us peaks and valleys …
My husband and I started HOPE – Child and Family Counseling in 2003, and our feet never hit the ground from that day forward. The need for counselors who specialize in child and family therapy was great.
The practice grew from 1 employee to 25, serving over 400 individuals and families per week. The energy at HOPE was amazing,
THEN… THE PANDEMIC HIT
Everything changed, people changed, managed care changed, and I changed. The losses were great; personally, professionally, and financially. The most painful loss was the death of my husband, who passed away in December 2021.
My mental health was not good during this time, and anxiety, grief, and despair crept in more often than I would like to admit. I knew I had to focus on my mental health if the business was going to stay open and if I was going to survive.
I became an active observer of myself, and I found the support I needed to get me to a better mental state. Through three long years of great hardship, I’ve discovered that resiliency is real, and the agency is more resilient than I ever imagined. HOPE is thriving and has weathered the storms. We have an incredible staff, and the family atmosphere is back. Our passion for our work and the people we serve at HOPE is incredible.
I encourage you to find where you are in your journey of mental health. Take care of yourself and find the support and resources to get you through the toughest times. No one is exempt from mental health; it’s not a good or bad thing; it’s a state of being and can be influenced by events, people, loss, and more. In your journey, please know that HOPE is here for you!