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Urgent Reasons To Provide Therapy To Those In Need

By Author
April 13, 2021

Urgent Reasons To Provide Therapy To Those In Need

Mental Health

For Vera Kurdian, CEO at Advanced Behavioral Health Inc. (ABH), innovation, authenticity, integrity, excellence, and inclusion are the essential qualities for any leader. “As a 16-year old Armenian Lebanese immigrant, she has seen war, devastation, and chaos.” Still, being a strong-willed woman and wanting to make a difference in peoples’ lives, she chose social work as a second career.

Her desire to inspire people has led her to pursue post-graduate education and, by the end of 2021, her organizational leadership doctorate. She states, “I love inspiring and assisting women in believing in their strengths and finding their passion.” Supporting, coaching, and guiding young professionals have allowed her to take ABH to new heights.

I ensure to assist women in believing in their strengths and finding their passion. Supporting, coaching and guiding young professionals to find meaning in their work. She believes in lifting each other up and striving always to be better.
Vera Kurdian, CEO of Advanced Behavioral Health

ABH was born based on the current needs of individuals suffering from mental health issues. There is a stigma associated with receiving mental health services, and many people struggle with having the means to get to an office. ABH wanted to bring the convenience of therapy to individuals’ homes and schools.

“We are about to celebrate our 10th anniversary and are very proud of the work that we have accomplished. Our compassion towards our diverse communities, collaboration with our partners combined with the expertise of our clinicians, have allowed us to be present in at least nine counties within Maryland with physical offices in five counties,” says Vera.

“We are an independent community-based service providing intensive wraparound services to children and families. We provide psychiatry, therapy, and life skills to adults and children. We also provide educational workshops for professionals working within the field. Our goal for our clients is to help “you and your family build the skills needed to be successful with the problems that you face.” We also strive to develop our clinicians’ skills to elevate their experience and knowledge to be the best skilled within their area of expertise.

Vera and her team of highly experienced Psychiatrists and Nurse practitioners provide a comprehensive approach to psychiatric treatment. Their Licensed Therapists team provides Off-Site Counseling Services in their home, community, and children’s school.

“Our clinicians are trained and experts within their fields. We custom tailor a treatment plan based on clients’ needs using evidence-based “interventions”. We use best practice guidelines and “CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited,” she adds.

“We have MOUs with various schools and are privileged to work with our community partners.” We also have clients who are more comfortable coming to the office.” “Of course, with the pandemic, we had to move our services to “virtual and now we are safely transitioning to in-person sessions. We were ready to practice on March 17, right after the Governor announced the state of emergency. We acquired the necessary software to ensure continuity of services with the least amount of disruption. It is our responsibility to find the best way to provide services.”

Numerous cases had a success story, but Vera shares one particular story: a young lady who came from an abusive household struggled with depression and anxiety. Through her commitment to wellness, she worked hard to make sure that she addressed her life obstacles. The young lady did not only get better, but she was inspired to get into the helping profession to help others.

Today she is a fully licensed clinician providing excellent service to families. “The work we do doesn’t just help people heal, but it also inspires them to help others,” adds Vera. “My goal is to make ABH a great place to work as well as a great place for individuals to receive treatment. We offer a wraparound approach to treatment. We believe in collaboration, communication, and excellence. These are ingredients towards achieving excellence that will lead to future growth and sustainability. As the CEO, I focus on making sure that my staff finds their “why” and promote their passion. If you love what you do, then the opportunities for personal and professional growth are unlimited.”

When you think of the well-being of a child, you first think of basic needs: food, water, and shelter. Once these needs are met, however, it’s crucial for a child to have emotional and social wellness as well. In this article, we will explore the impact social wellness has on the overall health of a child and great ways for children to garner social support in their lives.

It comes as no surprise that as human beings, we all need connection with others, no matter what stage of life we are in. In fact, having social support is a social determinant of health (SDOH) that significantly impacts the health of an individual. After spending the last few years in and out of isolation due to the Covid-19 outbreak, social support is more important now than ever before. Having social support means having family members and friends you can talk to and seek advice from when life feels challenging and overwhelming. Knowing you’re not alone in your life journey, especially as a child, creates a sense of belonging and empowerment throughout one’s life.

4 Types of Social Support

Emotional Support. This type of support lets you know that people care about you and have empathy for your experiences. Emotional support often looks like people checking in on you to let you know they’re thinking of you, and that they are there if you need anything. As a parent, make sure your child knows you can be a sounding board for them. If you have family members who can also show up for your children in this way, even better!

Practical Help. This type of support is when people give you something tangible or offer a service to help you out. This could be in the form of money, making food when you are sick, or helping to pack when moving. Having family and friends show up in this way shows your child what it looks like to be present for people you love.

Sharing Points of View. This type of support can often come in the form of affirmations and encouragement. For example, pointing out your child’s strengths to them and reminding them they can do anything they put their mind to. It can also look like sharing another perspective if they are being hard on themselves. For example, if they are angry with themselves after receiving a bad grade on a test, you can help them see it as a learning experience and a way for them to grow.

Sharing Information. This type of support is when someone shares what they’ve learned from their own life experiences. For example, if another parent has a child who struggles with socializing, they can share some tips and tricks they’ve learned to help their child find and create social support.

The Importance of Social Groups and Extended Support

Children who are connected to their family, friends, and people in their community have opportunities to learn how to speak, share, and get along with others. When your child feels connected to people in your neighborhood, it often allows them to feel physically safe which can alleviate stress and worry. Simply riding bikes, going on walks, and saying hello to neighbors with your kids can create this sense of security for them.

In addition to engaging with your neighbors, getting involved in local organizations can also create social support for your child. Signing up for a sports team, musical theater, art class or summer camp are all great ways to help your child meet new friends and learn important social skills that can carry them through their lives.

Tips for Helping Kids Make Community Connections:

Spend time outside in your neighborhood playing on the playground, going to a local farmer’s market, or scheduling a playdate with neighborhood kids.

Show your kids that connection is a two-way street. If your neighbors or friends go out of town, offer to get their mail, or water their plants and take your child with you when you go. This will show your child how you show up for people you care about.

Make sure you make time for socializing with friends as well. Your child looks to you first and foremost for how they should act and live their own life.

Encourage your child to step out of their comfort zone and do something they may be scared to do. As a parent, it’s your job to push them into something social for their own well-being at times.