“I have been a private provider contractor for Healthy Minds Fairfax for about two years. The local high schools and middle school contact me when they have a student who needs mental health services but doesn't have insurance and/or adequate funds to pay for therapy. I then contact the family who is entitled to attend eight sessions with me free of charge to them.
“It can be difficult to start believing in yourself as a teen. Many of these children and youth have not known their own worth, being told they are a "useless" or sometimes, even more painfully, simply ignored. In our sessions, I see them, I hear them and, for some, this reality is completely foreign. They often don't know what to do when I emphasize their importance in the world. Instilling confidence and worth can be seem so simple, yet when you have been taught the opposite, it can be very tricky to reverse.
“After the eight sessions I work to ensure that the teens are in good mental health. Often, they are, and we terminate without a need for further services. Sometimes Healthy Minds Fairfax can grant a few more sessions to solidify the work that has been done. We also reach into the community to find other services that can help meet these clients' needs.
“This piece of my work has been unbelievably rewarding. Some of these children and youth have never had anyone to talk to. My ability to listen and believe in them can make an everlasting impact and for that I am so grateful.”
- Laurie Levine, LCSW
This testimonial is an excerpt from a blog post by Laurie Levine, LCSW, a Healthy Minds Fairfax provider.
