FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 , 2021
JENKSTRIBUNE.COM
SOU THSIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXTENDS REACH WITH TELE THERAPY SERVICE By Kyle Salomon Since COVID-19 gripped the world in early 2020, Southside Behavioral Health, a private counseling group in Jenks, has had to change the way it provides therapy. Jenks resident Amy Brown, owner and proprietor, said she and her team have found a service that allows them to provide therapy while not meeting face-to-face. “In the beginning, Southside Behavioral Health therapy sessions occurred in office only which is how I thought they would go and then COVID-19 happened,” Brown said. “In response to the pandemic, Southside Behavioral Health started offering teletherapy services. Through this expansion, we have opened the door to reach not only our clients in Jenks and the surrounding areas but also include those throughout Northeastern Oklahoma. Anyone with access to internet connection and a camera on their computer or cell phone can connect with the therapists at Southside Behavioral Health for appointments. What we have found, is that people have embraced teletherapy due to its convenience and effectiveness.” The counseling group’s mission statement reads, “Enhancing emotional wellness while restoring hope and fulfillment”. Brown had a dream of starting her own practice where she could help others improve their emotional health. In 2014, she realized that dream in Jenks with Southside Behavioral Health. “I was raised to believe I could accomplish just about anything if I made up my mind and was willing to put in the work,” Brown said. “I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so starting my own counseling group was natural for me and always the goal.” Brown is a fourth generation Jenks resident, so having the opportunity to start her own business in Jenks was a dream come true. “Jenks has been a part of my whole life, making it not only nostalgic, but a logical choice to establish my private practice here,” Brown said. “My family, the Parkers, have not only lived in the Jenks area, but have been business owners since the early 1900’s. The arrival of the other part of my family, the Jeffers in the 1950’s made it a complete and easy choice for me to continue to do business in our hometown.”
Brown said emotional health is as important as one’s physical health. It is the ability to address our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a healthy way while managing difficulty and stress in everyday life, she said. “Emotional wellness directly impacts our ability to form healthy and sustaining relationships as well as other personal priorities. Emotional wellness does not exclude one from experiencing challenges in life. It does however allow one to face those challenges, presiding over them through the implementation of healthy coping strategies, thoughts, and connections.” With anything else in life, starting a business is a learning process. Brown said she has learned a lot since Southside Behavioral Health opened its doors in 2014. “I have learned we as a culture are working towards doing away with the stigma of addressing mental health. People are concerned about themselves and their family’s emotional wellbeing. Most are more than willing to address it.” Since 2014, Southside Behavioral Health has grown. Brown has added six therapists to her practice. They have expanded their reach to not only the Jenks and surrounding areas but have been far more reaching with the expansion of teletherapy services. Brown said she wants to see her practice continue to expand. “My vision for Southside Behavioral Health is to continue to grow, providing professional and excellent care to those we serve.”