Community Spotlight: Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting
Are you struggling with painful memories that seem impossible to overcome? Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting offers hope through innovative therapies that transform lives.
Trauma can leave lasting scars, affecting every aspect of our lives. Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting aims to address trauma, a significant issue for many clients. “All the trauma that’s in your head, or just anything really, it’s like it’s in file cabinets. When it’s a regular memory, like maybe what you had for breakfast, that’s an easy memory to have and it fits in the file cabinet. When you have trauma, you try to put it into the file cabinet and it’s too big. It can’t fit in there. (Integral Eye Movement Therapy) reorganizes your trauma, allowing it to be more organized so now you can close your file cabinet,” Lakenya Mitchell, a Licensed Professional Counselor, explained. This technique has proven effective in helping clients process and move past their traumatic experiences.
Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting uses IEMT to help clients process and overcome traumatic memories quickly and effectively. Mitchell shares, “Within like four to five minutes, all of the physical symptoms that come when you rehash your trauma disappear.” This technique has transformed lives, helping clients move past their trauma and embrace a brighter future.
IEMT helps re-organize the way traumatic memories are stored in the brain. This process reduces the emotional intensity and physical symptoms associated with the memories, allowing individuals to gain relief from trauma, anxiety, and other emotional challenges.
IEMT uses eye movments and questioning to change negative thinking patterns. The technique involves guiding eye movements in specific ways, which connects to the part of the brain that stores memories and emotions. This process leads to the rapid release and relief of unwanted memories, flashbacks, and associated triggers.
“Sometimes when people talk about trauma, they start having panic attacks, flashbacks, and bad memories. (IEMT) makes the memories that are stressful seem like an everyday memory versus a traumatic memory,” she said.
Starting a Practice
When Mitchell decided to start her own therapy practice, she had no idea just how quickly it would grow and the impact it would have on the Cabot community.
Mitchell opened her first physical office in Cabot at 203 Plaza Blvd A about a year ago, having previously operated a virtual practice and a small office in Little Rock. “When we started here, we didn’t have any clients a year ago and within like two months, we were full,” Mitchell shared. This rapid growth speaks volumes about the demand for her unique approach to therapy.
Mitchell’s journey to establishing Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting is rooted in her diverse experience and innovative therapeutic methods. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and a hypnotherapist, Mitchell offers a range of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of her clients. “I use hypnotherapy to help clients with anxiety, sports performance, weight loss, and to quit smoking,” she explained. One of her success stories involves a client with debilitating anxiety who, after four sessions of hypnotherapy, was able to leave her house and reclaim her life.
Beyond individual therapy, Mitchell is deeply invested in community outreach. She participates in local Chamber of Commerce events and is proud to represent African-American women in the field of counseling. “As an African-American woman, being able to put a face to African-American counseling in this area, I think that’s also been helpful for people,” she remarked. Mitchell’s presence in the community serves as an inspiration and a beacon of hope for many.
Looking to the future, Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting is set to expand. “In October, we’ll be moving to a new location with six offices, and we’re looking to bring in more talent,” she said. This move will allow her to hire more therapists, including a nurse practitioner to manage client medications. Additionally, Mitchell wants to open another practice in Pine Bluff, further extending her reach and impact. Her vision includes creating themed therapy offices, each designed to create a therapeutic environment that aligns with the visualizations used in hypnotherapy. Her goal is to have theme therapy offices, with one in the mountains, one in Paris, so visitors get to feel like they are in a different place.
Mitchell’s personal journey has profoundly shaped her approach to therapy. Overcoming a difficult childhood and personal challenges, she found solace and direction in therapy, which inspired her to help others. Mitchell’s personal story is a testament to the transformative power of therapy. “I had a horrible childhood. But when I went to therapy I had a safe place and it helped me repair some relationships. It helped me be able to communicate and find my voice… Therapy has helped me be able to love myself and say ‘I’m important’,” she shared. This personal transformation fuels her passion for helping others. “I really wanted to be able to help other people to take control of their narrative and find their voice,” she added.
Balancing her career and family life, she ensures flexibility in her schedule to spend time with her eight children and support her husband. Mitchell’s dedication to her clients and family exemplifies her commitment to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
One of the most distinctive features of Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting is its commitment to community and client support. “I really want to focus on women because we hold the whole family together, and if we can get our mentals together, it’ll help with our husbands, partners, and kids getting it together,” Mitchell said. She plans to launch the “Superwoman Sanctuary,” a support group for women juggling multiple responsibilities. This initiative aims to provide women with communication skills, stress management techniques, and a supportive community.
Mitchell’s dedication to her clients and the community is evident in every aspect of her practice. Whether through innovative therapeutic techniques, community involvement, or personal resilience, she is making a lasting impact on the lives she touches.
As Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting looks to the future, the focus remains on providing high-quality, accessible care and making a positive impact on the community. Mitchell’s journey from a virtual practice to a thriving physical office in Cabot is a testament to her dedication and the effectiveness of her innovative therapeutic approaches. With plans to expand and introduce new services, Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting is poised to continue transforming lives and supporting the mental health needs of the community.
Featured Place
Mitchell Family Counseling and Consulting PLLC
203 Plaza Blvd
Cabot, Arkansas 72023
(501) 222-9382
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