Essential Touchstones

02/25/2026

New on the Blog from Essential Touchstones! ✨
Dr. Alyssa Killebrew breaks down the four main parenting styles, what they look like in real life, and what decades of developmental research tell us about how they impact our children.

From permissive to authoritative, this latest post explores:
✔️ Real-world parenting examples
✔️ Pros & cons of each style
✔️ The impact of yelling and power struggles
✔️ Why discipline should teach, not punish

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but understanding your approach can help you parent with more intention and less guilt.

📖 Click the link to read the full post:
https://essentialtouchstones.com/parenting-four-styles-real-world-examples-and-what-research-tells-us/

02/18/2026

2026 Mississippi Addiction Conference www.esstentialtouchstones.com

01/15/2026

We’re excited to welcome Stephen P. Sweeney, APRN, PMHNP-BC to the Essential Touchstones team—and he is now accepting patients!

Stephen is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of experience caring for children, adolescents, and adults across the lifespan. He brings deep expertise in medication management, complex mental health conditions, and personalized treatment planning, including the use of pharmacogenomic testing to help find the right medication fit.

Known for his calm, compassionate approach, Stephen partners with patients to create thoughtful, evidence-based care plans that support real stability, healing, and long-term progress.

If you or a loved one are seeking psychiatric care that truly listens and tailors treatment to you, now is the time to schedule.

📞 Call 769-231-9414 today to make an appointment.

12/24/2025

As the holiday season unfolds, we want to pause and extend warm wishes to our community. While this time of year can bring joy and connection, we also recognize that it can be difficult, heavy, or emotionally complex for many.

Wherever you find yourself this season, we hope you’re able to experience moments of rest, peace, and balance—especially as you navigate the challenges that may arise. Please know you don’t have to do it alone.

If offering support to yourself or a loved one feels like the right step, you’re welcome to reach out to schedule a session at 769-231-9414. Care, understanding, and healing are always within reach.

Wishing you gentleness and hope through the holidays and into the New Year.

12/16/2025

12/05/2025

Join us in welcoming Stacy Travis, LPC to our team!

Stacy has more than a decade of experience working with children, teens, and adults. She offers a calm, supportive environment where clients feel heard and valued while navigating anxiety, depression, stress, or major life changes.

Stacy works collaboratively with each client and draws from evidence-based therapies including CBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and mindfulness approaches. With children, she thoughtfully uses play therapy to help them express themselves in a developmentally appropriate way.

She is currently accepting new clients and eager to support individuals and families in building resilience and creating meaningful, lasting change.

10/16/2025

10/01/2025

One of the most powerful gifts we can give our kids is the belief that they are capable. Capable doesn’t mean perfect. It doesn’t mean they’ll never stumble or fail. It means they have the confidence to try, to keep going, and to believe in their own abilities.

When children feel capable, they learn resilience, problem-solving, and self-worth. They stop saying, “I can’t,” and start asking, “How can I?” That shift builds confidence that lasts a lifetime.

09/18/2025

We are excited to introduce the newest member of our team, Chris Sartin! Chris is a graduate of Colorado Christian University and has a passion for helping others navigate life’s challenges. He specializes in addiction, men’s issues, anxiety, depression, and trauma, offering support to individuals, families, couples, and adolescents.

With a focus on holistic methods, Chris walks alongside his clients as they work toward healing, growth, and lasting change.

Join us in giving Chris a warm welcome—we’re so glad to have him on board!

09/09/2025

Our children need our kindness. We need our firmness. Positive Discipline teaches us that we don’t have to yell or punish harshly — we can guide with love while still holding strong boundaries. That’s the sweet spot where growth happens, for both parents and kids.