Advanced Practice Mental Health and Wellness

12/04/2025

Grateful for another year at Meet the Need with the Flourishing Families Conference! Today was full of connection, learning, and meaningful conversations—and we’re excited to be back again tomorrow.
At Advanced Practice Mental Health & Wellness, we believe in staying at the forefront of continuing education and in bringing forward powerful topics that support individuals and families in thriving.
Proud to do this work and even more proud of the communities we serve. 💚

09/28/2025

🗣Join Laura Crawford, LMSW, for her breakout session on Day 1: Protective Factors and Family Assessments. This session is for adoptive parents, adoption professionals, and clinicians.

Session Description: When working with families it is easy to see the crisis but sometimes hard to identify why. Join me through a clinical lens to see what we are looking for when asserting family dysfunction and strengths.

Flourishing Families of SC is an approved provider for continuing education by the SC Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board. Attendees will receive 1 CE hour for this session.

Adoptive Families can receive 1 training hour for this session.

Learn more about Meet the Need on our website https://www.flourishingfamiliessc.org/meettheneed

09/27/2025

🌟 Exploring New Paths in Mental Health 🌟

A new Ohio State University study highlights the long-term benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy for people living with depression.

📊 Researchers followed participants for five years after receiving psilocybin (the active compound in “magic mushrooms”) alongside intensive psychotherapy. Results showed:
✔️ 67% were still in remission five years later (up from 58% at one year)
✔️ Ongoing improvements in depression, anxiety, and daily functioning
✔️ Participants reported feeling more capable of positive emotions and engagement in life

The study also emphasizes that the therapeutic support surrounding treatment was just as important as the medication itself. While some participants tried psychedelics on their own, they found the structured clinical setting made the difference in long-term impact.

✨ Although not currently available locally here in South Carolina, we are committed to staying on the cutting edge of mental wellness. Our team will continue to follow this research closely so that, if and when it becomes available, we are ready to help our community access safe and effective treatments.

At Advanced Practice Mental Health & Wellness, our mission is to help people not only manage symptoms but also reclaim joy, connection, and resilience. 💙

09/26/2025

Please know that your safety is of our highest priority. As we keep and eye on the potential for significant weather impact in our area Monday and Tuesday it could impact your appointment. If we need to close You will be notified by our admin staff. We will also send out portal messages and announce it here.

09/16/2025

💬 Men’s Mental Health Matters

Too often, men are taught to “tough it out.” The truth is—mental health struggles don’t make you weak; they make you human.

⚡ 1 in 5 men will face a mental health challenge
⚡ Men are less likely to seek help, yet rates of depression, anxiety, and su***de remain high
⚡ Talking and reaching out saves lives

👉 Whether it’s stress, burnout, relationship struggles, or deeper pain—you don’t have to carry it alone. Reaching out is a sign of strength.

Ready to talk? Call 843-945-1452 to get scheduled with Advanced Practice Mental Health & Wellness.
Real strength is honesty, connection, and healing. 💙

09/15/2025

✨ Manifestation isn’t just wishful thinking — there’s real science behind how it can help shift your mindset & behavior. ✨

🔬 What research shows:
• A recent study out of the University of Queensland found that belief in manifestation (through practices like positive self-talk, visualization, “acting as if”) is linked to reporting higher life success, setting stronger aspirations, and feeling more likely to reach future goals. 
• Neuroscience offers up a concept called neuroplasticity: when you focus on your goals repeatedly, your brain starts to build new neural pathways, making you more attuned to opportunities and possibilities you might have ignored before. 
• Positive expectations, gratitude, clear intentions + taking concrete action are key. Simply thinking something won’t do much unless belief + effort + consistency are there. 

💡 So how to make manifestation work for you:
1. Get crystal clear on what you want — write it down, visualize it, feel it as if it’s already yours.
2. Set intentions & affirmations that are aligned with your values (not just external validation).
3. Monitor your mindset: when doubt or negativity creeps in, reframe or redirect.
4. Take consistent steps toward your goal — small wins build momentum.

⸻

“Don’t just visualise the change; be who you want to become, with every thought & action.”

09/14/2025

🧺 Why chores matter for kids

Research shows chores aren’t just about clean rooms — they build character:

✅ Responsibility & confidence – Kids who start helping at home early feel more capable and valued.
✅ Academic & social skills – A Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics study found kindergartners who did chores scored higher in 3rd grade on math, reading, peer relationships, and life satisfaction.
✅ Life skills for adulthood – Harvard’s Making Caring Common project notes chores teach empathy, persistence, and teamwork—traits linked to success later in life.

👉 The takeaway? Start small, start early. Even simple tasks like setting the table or feeding the pet give kids a sense of purpose and help them thrive long term.

09/13/2025

If you need help starting your next chapter, give us a call!

09/12/2025

Struggling to find your spark? Let us help you discover inner joy and peace.

09/11/2025

09/05/2025

After many years of dysfunction, hurt, and struggle, Oksana (aka Ksenia K.) decided to stop the generational cycle of chaos and seek emotional sobriety and health. Her newly found mission is to inspire mothers and fathers alike to look back to their family histories, recognize, acknowledge, and face anything that might negatively affect their own children and work on putting a stop to it, so that the future generations can grow up mentally and emotionally healthier and have happy and fulfilling lives.

In Rocky Road to Recovery, Ksenia K. gives you practical advice and steps on how to start the recovery process, which can be applied to any addiction. Having gone through the process herself, she truly understands the feelings and struggles that can come up and hinder the recovery process. The beginning is the hardest, but with the right support and guidance from God and others who have gone through the process, you will feel empowered, willing, and capable of winning the battle.

Oksana graduated from Liberty University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and Addiction Counselor. She is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Coach, EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques/Tapping) practitioner, and a Parent Coach. She is currently pursuing certifications in EMDR, Play Therapy, Soma Breathwork, and Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method. Her holistic therapy approach is based on getting to the root of the problem, processing traumatic experiences, learning how to regulate the nervous system, and being able to manage challenging emotions while addressing the well-being of the whole person.

09/02/2025

✨ Ever heard of neurographic art? ✨
It’s a relaxing drawing technique where you make free-flowing lines and shapes, then add color to create something beautiful. You don’t need to be an artist—just let your pen move and watch stress melt away. 🖊️🎨

Neurographic art helps calm the mind, ease anxiety, and spark creativity. It’s like giving your brain a reset while making something uniquely yours. 💛

Our very own Elena Huttenlocher, LISW-CP practices in office and presents at many different conferences!