While leading her private practice HeadFirst Counseling, child and adolescent therapist Laura McLaughlin identified an unmet industry need. “We were turning people away and giving referrals for people who couldn't afford to pay out of pocket,” she recalls.
“There wasn't really a solution that was matching people with experienced, quality therapists long-term or for as long as therapy was needed, and doing it at no cost to the families.” So, in 2022, McLaughlin launched HeadFirst Mental Health Initiative, a nonprofit that does just that. In addition to providing therapy sessions to children and adolescents, HeadFirst offers resources to parents. “We do a lot of parent education groups, which I think is critical, because if you really want communal and familial change, then you have to target the whole family,” McLaughlin says.
And the need has never been greater: fallout from COVID shutdowns, screens and technology, and social media has led to increases in anxiety, depression, suicidality, and ADHD, autism, and oppositional defiant diagnoses. “Everything really seems to be a lot harder for kids nowadays,” McLaughlin says. This year, HeadFirst Mental Health Initiative has provided more than 400 therapy sessions to families.
McLaughlin hopes to continue raising more funds and providing more services to the DFW community. In November, HeadFirst Mental Health Initiative is the nonprofit of the month at Lakewood boutique Roam Fine Goods, where it will hold a few family-friendly and mental health-centered therapeutic events. “There will be specific days where you can go shop at Roam, and 20 percent of the proceeds will be donated back to the nonprofit,” McLaughlin says.
“There wasn't really a solution that was matching people with experienced, quality therapists long-term or for as long as therapy was needed, and doing it at either no cost or very low cost to the families,” Laura McLaughlin