Valley clinician advocating for making mental healthcare easier to access
>> IT’S TRUE. IT’S TRUE, ESPECIALLY MORNINGS LIKE THIS. THANK YOU, JAMIE. 5.46. NEW THIS MORNING. A VALLEY MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT OPENING UP TO ABC 15 ABOUT HOW THE DARKEST MOMENT IN HER LIFE LET HER TO HELP OTHERS AND HOW SHE’S CREATED A NEW MODEL THAT’S PAVING THE WAY TO HELP EVEN MORE PEOPLE. WE TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT MAKING YOUR MESS, YOUR MESSAGE. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SHE’S DOING. WANT TO BRING OUR JORDAN BONTKE SHARING HER STORY ALONG WITH MORE ABOUT THIS ONE-STOP SHOP TO FEEL BETTER. GOOD MORNING. HEY, GOOD MORNING TO YOU GUYS. YOU KNOW, IT’S COMMON TO GO TO A DOCTOR FOR PAIN, BUT THIS ONE VALLEY MEDICAL OFFICE, NOT ONLY DO THEY WANT TO TREAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF PHYSICALLY. >> THERE’S A COMBINATION HERE. THEY ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU AT THE SAME TIME UNDER ONE COPAY TO A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS. TAKE A LOOK. >> IT HAD SUCH A JOYOUS LIFE LIKE FROM THE OUTSIDE. ALICIA SHIPMENTS IS LOOKING AT OLD PHOTOS FROM WHEN SHE WAS A TEEN ALONGSIDE OR DAD CAN HAMMER YOU’D NEVER KNOW WHAT SHE CALLS THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD. WAS IT TIMES TROUBLED? HE ALWAYS WANTED TO PROVIDE THE BEST. I THINK HE FELT A LOT OF PRESSURE AND HE NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT IT AND HE DIDN’T FEEL LIKE TO TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT IT. >> I THINK HE ALSO HAD A FAMILY HISTORY OF TRAUMA. WHEN KEVIN WAS IN HIS EARLY 50’S, HE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE. ALICIA FAMILY IN SHOCK. I THOUGHT THAT IF I RAN AWAY FROM THAT IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, RIGHT? I WOULDN’T HAVE TO FACE THAT. DO DISBELIEF, ANGER AND SADNESS. SHE DID FACE THE REALITY OF LOSING A PARENT AS A TEEN. >> BUT THROUGH THE RECOVERY WITH A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, SOMETHING EVENTUALLY CLICKED FOR ALICIA ABOUT HOW MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CAN AND SHOULD BE TREATED TOGETHER. HE WAS IN PAIN. IT SAYS MUCH OF THE DISEASE HAS HEART DISEASE. TODAY ALICIA’S A CLINICAL MANAGER AT EVOLVED AND D WHICH INTEGRATES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES IN MODERN PRIMARY CARE. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE EXPLAINS A COMMON PATIENTS MAY SEEK PAIN MANAGEMENT, BUT THROUGH THIS CARE YOU CAN GET MEDICATION IN PATIENTS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO AN IN-PERSON THERAPIST ALL IN THE SAME VISIT WITH ONE COPAY WORKING WITH MEDICATION, WHETHER IT’S AN ANTIDEPRESSANT ANTI PRESIDENT ALSO CAN HELP YOUR CHRONIC PAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY. >> THE RATES EASING THROUGH HER DARKEST DAYS. ALICIA FOUND HER PURPOSE. SHE’S CELEBRATING HER 6 YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH EVOLVED. >> AND AS ALWAYS, IN PURSUIT TO HELP SOMEONE. >> IN NEED HONORING MY FATHER’S MEMORY. THINK YOU’D BE HAPPY. I THINK THEY’RE STILL MORE I CAN DO. BUT I THINK HE’D BE HAPPY WITH WHAT I’M DOING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. >> I THINK YOU WOULD BE DEFINITELY HAPPY LEE SHARED THAT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, IS STRUGGLING MENTALLY, TELL SOMEBODY THEY ARE PLENTY OF RESOURCES IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE’RE LUCKY FOR THAT. 9, 8, 8, IS ONE OF THEM. SHE EVEN MENTIONED TO US THAT YOU CAN WALK INTO AN EMERGENCY ROOM IF YOU’RE FEELING WHATEVER SORT OF WAY YOU COULD TELL A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL RIGHT THEN AND THERE AND THEY CAN GET YOU THE HELP THAT YOU NEED PUT SOME RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE AT ABC, 15 DOT COM UNDER THIS STORY. AND WE DO A STORY LIKE THIS GUY’S TISSUES. WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR PHYSICAL AND OF COURSE, YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL. THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT REALLY STARTED TO RAMP UP, RIGHT. IF YOU REMEMBER IN THE 2020 TIMEFRAME, ISOLATION IS KEY. AND THAT’S WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGHT? AND WAS JUST GOING TO CREATING THAT DIALOGUE. WHO KNOWS WHO COULD HEAR THIS? >> AND
A Valley clinician turned the darkest point in her life into her career in healthcare that aims to combine mental and primary care under one roof.
2 Comments
👌 So thankful for such an advocate!
We need better parenting. Kids now days think they are the only ones suffering puberty and hardships.
Talk to your kids, let them know life isn't always nice or fair but they are not alone, it extends to everyone who is alive regardless of your perception of them or their life.
We need to teach people to accept and move forward. Giving them better perceptions and abilities to handle life as it comes.
Life does get better if you want it to and do the work. Self reflection is good as long as you stop placing blame and take action. You control your life regardless of what comes at you. It's all in how you handle it.
The idea to stay in constant trauma mode and rehash it with therapy is causing far more harm then good. Medications are not the answer either for the majority only the most severely ill.