Counseling
When many people think about the holistic approach that On With Life uses to work with persons served, they think of the traditional therapies like physical, speech, occupational, music or recreation therapy. While these are three very important aspects to our holistic approach, we know that the impacts of a brain injury, stroke or other neurological event are much further reaching.
For most individuals, there are significant changes in their emotional, psychological, or behavioral functioning that also need to be addressed. That is why we offer clinical counseling in both our inpatient and outpatient programs.
“Many times, persons served and their loved ones are in ‘survival mode’ initially after an injury, stroke or diagnosis,” said Tawny Chamberlain, clinical counselor at On With Life’s outpatient clinic in Coralville. “It may be a few months until they realize the larger impact that has been had on their overall mood, wellness, wellbeing and mental health.”
Our clinical counselors work with persons served on a variety of issues such as adjusting to injury, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, emotional lability, neurobehavioral challenges and more.
In addition to helping our persons served find their “new normal,” they also work with families and care providers to address the changing role and relationship dynamics that often accompany a brain injury or new neurological diagnosis.
“Our services provide a safe space for persons served and their families to process the emotions they may be dealing with whether they are directly related to the injury, stroke or diagnosis, or additional stressors in their life that may impact the work they are doing at On With Life,” said Tawny.
According to Lindsay Vaux Eldredge, clinical counselor for On With Life’s inpatient program in Ankeny (pictured above), it takes a village to “journey with someone as they grieve the life that they once had, start to create a new one, and rediscover meaning and purpose.” That’s why feedback and collaboration with all disciplines at On With Life is essential for providing optimal mental health monitoring and services.
“I gain a tremendous amount from the reports and insights of my coworkers. Through this sharing of information, I can get a much more comprehensive picture of how a person is presenting emotionally and behaviorally, how they are adjusting to our facility and their current impairments, and how they are coping overall,” said Lindsay. “The collaboration at On With Life is one of the most beautiful features of our program and makes it a very unique and gratifying place to be a mental health professional.”