Connecting Clients to Resources and Individualized Treatments

Casey Sarafinas joins John on this episode of the Mind Itself. With fifteen years of experience as a licensed therapist, plus her own experience dealing with trauma and mental health, Casey is the clinical director of Wellness Connection. The Wellness Connection is a one-stop-shop that aims to connect clients to resources and different aspects of treatment. Casey shares her insight with treatments, co-parenting, divorce, and her struggles.  

One-Stop-Shop 

The Wellness Connection is called the one-stop-shop for more reasons than one. Not only does it focus on mental health support but offers a holistic approach to therapies and treatments. The best way to treat someone is by focusing on all aspects of who they are – the mind, the body, and the soul.  

From acupuncture treatments to yoga therapy, art therapy to pet therapy, and meditation to healthy eating, The Wellness Connection allows for clients to partner with the community to get the treatments that they need and that work for them. Both adults and children partake in the variety of resources that are offered.  

Evaluating Treatments 

Casey says they determine treatments by starting clients in a partnership with the clinicians. Getting to know the specific client and spending time with them can lead to discoveries for both of the parties involved. People can come into the Wellness Connection with one main issue and find out by talking and creating relationships with the clinician that there are other deep-rooted issues.  

That’s the journey of counseling – getting to the root of why people act the way they do based on a reason. Many people have deeper wounds from severe trauma or even something like being a child in a divorce. Counseling is focusing on partnerships and helping the client learn how they can better their own lives.  

Importance of Mindfulness 

In this day of age, there are a lot of extra stressors going on. Humans are constantly on the move, going and going until they reach a point of exhaustion. There is a need to make sure that individuals find ways to space-time in a calm, relaxed space to practice mindfulness. Getting in touch with the inner self and relaxation is important for mental health and self-care. Finding ways to be healthy inside of the body is just as important as taking care of the outside of your body.  

New problems are showing up because the new normal is different than before. Working from home and being inside all winter long without having anywhere else to go has taken a toll on the mental health of humans. Other stress can come from politics and society, the outside world causing internal stress. Being mindful of oneself can help create positive discourse and conversations about what an individual needs to feel happy.  

Co-Parenting and Long-Term Effects of Divorce  

When children watch their parents go through a divorce, it’s challenging for their well-being. Despite the relationship between the parents, the situation is never ideal. Children need nourishment and care. Different parenting views can cause conflicts and get in the way of making sure that all of their needs are met.  

Casey recommends keeping adult conversations with the parents, and not bring the child into the middle of things. Parents can cause lasting wounds on the child. Communication through the parents is key; the decision to have a divorce was already made, so there should be a bigger focus on the child and making sure that everything is going to be okay. Remember that children view parents as role models, how the parents treat each other is setting an example in which they will observe and practice later on in life.  

Coming to Terms with the Past 

People tend to believe that they can push things away, brushing them aside to forget about them because physically they feel fine. This will only go on for so long. What people carry around inside of them will affect who they are – no matter how many times they deny it. By not getting help, people are doing themselves a disservice of not feeling happy or living a healthy lifestyle. Semantic issues from these rooted problems will show up sooner or later.  

It’s not easy facing these problems either. It’s hard work to try and overcome situations. But all humans face emotional and mental stress. People are either in the middle of a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or about to walk into a crisis. Despite dealing with the problems that are happening, when an individual is stable and fine, it’s still vital for them to care for themselves.