By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Lauri Abernathy likes to put what she does in simple terms. “Every kid is a person, and every person needs to be cared for, validated, and supported throughout whatever they are facing in their life,” she said. “I am able to...
By Rebecca Smith Kerry Adamek became a counselor because he knew he needed more training to deal with the heavy burdens his congregants were bringing him at the church he pastors, Calvary Baptist Church in Talco. “A lady came to me who had been raped and molested...
By Rebecca Smith Working with children can make a Next Step counselor feel like a superstar. “I hear a lot from the elementary school especially that the kids enjoy coming to see me,” said Next Step counselor Don Neal. “There was one time I was sick and...
By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Dinah Nix believes growing up with substance abuse in her own family makes her a more empathetic counselor. “A family member would take me to AA, and I was supposed to stay outside, but I would sneak back in and hide...
By Rebecca Smith Brandee Grissett joined Next Step’s school counseling program in February 2020, shortly before schools closed under the COVID-19 pandemic. “I see a lot of anxiety, just from not having a social outlet and routine,” she said. “The first thing I always like to do...
COVID-19 has taken over the world in recent months, and experts are still uncertain as to when the pandemic will end. While the social distancing and shelter-in-place measures are a necessary step for the good of society, they have also placed a heavy burden on...
How to support your teen’s mental health during a pandemic Teens have plenty to be stressed about under even normal circumstances. Unfortunately, the social distancing that is required to deal with the coronavirus pandemic comes with its own set of new stresses, to say nothing of...
While many people may find suicide difficult to understand, it’s not uncommon; according to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death nationally. In 2016, nearly 45,000 people died from suicide, while 9.8 million adults seriously thought about suicide, 2.8...
Early detection, intervention and treatment can have a significant impact on the lives of children who experience mental health problems. However, too many children aren’t getting the proper mental health treatment they need. Of all the children they see, primary care physicians identify about 19 percent...
Out of all the health issues we face today, perhaps one that the public most misunderstands is mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mental illnesses are “conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia....