By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Jansen McDonald, LMSW, happened upon the counseling field in an unusual way. “I majored in psychology in college just because I love to be with people, but I didn’t know what that would entail for me,” he said. “When I really...

By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Brittney Dougan, LMSW, recalls a 7th-grade student she felt has made some of the most progress since Brittney started with Next Step in September 2020. “She was really angry, ready to fight people at the drop of a hat,” Brittney said. “When...

By Rebecca Smith Yvonnee Tatum always knew she wanted to be a counselor. “I was the kid on the playground solving people’s problems,” she chuckled. “That was me. Other people I’ve talked to in the profession, they have the same story. Then in high school, that’s when...

By Rebecca Smith Lori Dunaway smiled when she received a text from a former client who had just graduated. “She wanted to know if I was still at the school and if she could meet and talk to me,” she said. “She wanted to let me know...