Begin Counseling

04/19/2026

*NEW DETAILED EVENT SCHEDULE* Join us any part of either day. Free to attend. Sign up in comments. Keynote speaker: Travis Howze

Location: Bridge of Life- 14 S Potomac Street, Hagerstown, Maryland
Dates: April 24 & April 25, 2026

Friday, April 24, 2026
• Doors open: 8:00 am
8:00 am to 8:45 am Sign in and Light refreshments provided by Hagerstown Police Department
8:45 am to 9:05 am Opening remarks (HFD- Fire Chief John DiBacco and HPD- Chief of Police Paul "Joey" Kifer)
9:05 am to 9:15 am Chuck Hart with The National Law Enforcement and First Responder Wellness Center at Harbor of Grace Recovery Center
9:15 am to 10:15 am Begin Counseling-Karlee Davis, LICSW- Train for Trauma: Professional Counseling for First Responders
10:30 am to 11:30 am Thin Line Service Dogs
11:30 am to 1:00 pm LUNCH BREAK Great choices within a couple blocks downtown.
1:10 pm to 5:10 pm Erica Gaines TacMobility
Conference concludes: 5:30 PM
5:30 pm Friday Evening Social Hour **Antietam Brewery 140 Western Maryland Parkway Hagerstown MD. Food trays sponsored by Hagerstown Professional Fire Fighters Local 1605

Saturday, April 25, 2026
• Doors open: 8:00 AM
8:00 am to 8:45 am Sign in and Light refreshments provided by Hagerstown Police Department
8:45 am to 9:00 am Karlee Davis LICSW with Begin Counseling
9:00 am to 12:00 pm Travis Howze KEYNOTE Speaker
• Conference concludes: 12:00 PM

04/12/2026

“A Perspective on Law Enforcement Mental Health” Check it out on our Insights page! 🔗Link to the full article in the comments.

04/01/2026

Karlee spent the day with some of Hagerstown Police Department’s Peer Support and Wellness Team earlier this week. Begin Counseling values our relationships with local agencies to provide clinical oversight and consultation for peer support teams and specialized professional counseling designed for first responders, military, and those in high stress professions. We come alongside and support, yet are intentionally separate from any department. Client privacy and confidentiality are prioritized and protected. Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate in this way.

03/19/2026

We’re proud to share Begin therapist and law enforcement officer, Logan Hartsog, LGSW’s article in Police1. He brings a unique perspective and valuable insight to our practice and has availability for virtual sessions statewide in WV. Contact us to get started with Logan. Check out the full article— linked in comments. 🚨👏

03/17/2026

Karlee is out of the office today prepping for the Western Maryland First Responder Health and Wellness Conference. Are you going to be there?! Begin presents Friday 4/24/26 9:15-10:15 & 4/25/26 8:45-9. Free to attend, registration required. Link in the comments!

03/06/2026

Check out the Insights section of our website for more articles written by us!
https://www.begincounseling.com/insights/when-work-feels-heavy-burnout-or-trauma

02/27/2026

We are looking forward to the opportunity to present “Train for Trauma: Professional Counseling for First Responders” on Friday morning as well as an introduction of Begin Counseling (prior to Travis Howze 3-hour presentation on Saturday morning) including how we provide specialized services designed for first responders, military, and high stress professions in-person locally, and throughout WV, VA, and MD.

Our Clinical Team devotes our professional efforts to truly get, and provide genuinely helpful care for first responders. We hope to see you there; come say hello! We’ll be around both days.

Thank you Hagerstown Police Department and Hagerstown Professional Fire Fighters Local 1605 for inviting us to be part of this event.

Free event, registration required.

Erica Chadwick-Gaines TacMobility
Thin Line Service Dogs

02/17/2026

Check out the new “Insights" section of our website for the latest articles written by members of our Clinical Team. Start with this one for relationship insight that will outlast roses and chocolate.

Practice daily gratitude and honest communication to transform your relationship from a competition into a supportive home for both of you.

01/27/2026

Have you seen our billboard? We understand how high-stress professions impact families and life. Reach out to talk to us about our approach to professional counseling. We provide therapy for all individuals in our community, and throughout WV, VA, and MD.

01/23/2026

Thank you LVMPD Downtown Area Command for having Karlee ride along with swing shift earlier this week. The welcome and professionalism from everyone on shift was evident from start to finish. Karlee’s time with Las Vegas Metro LVMPD provided valuable conversation and insight. We are consistently learning and looking for ways that our practice can better serve first responders.

Special thanks to Sgt. Peshlakai and Ofc. Clark (pictured - at midnight, nearing end of shift) for their genuine care in their roles, responsibilities, and community.

📸 Photo credit: Lt. Winn - and thank you Lt. for setting this up for us.

01/11/2026

🚨Local first responder families 🥰 Snow Riders

🚑🚔FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT🚔🚑
This Thursday, January 15th!! First responders snow tubing tickets are FREE(must make a reservation still!) and all family members tickets are only $25!!

01/02/2026

Grateful while also anticipating what’s to come.