Mental health is one of the most important aspects of a person’s life. It serves as the foundation upon which everything is built, the lens through which life is experienced. It acts as a guiding compass, directing an individual’s future. Nonetheless, it is a facet of the human condition that is fraught with confusion, misunderstanding and misrepresentation, and an area of conversation that is often avoided or stigmatized. It is for these reasons that mental health issues may go unnoticed and/or unaddressed.
Family Insight, PC is in the business of identifying, recognizing and addressing mental health needs of individuals within the community, ranging in age from four to 21, who are at risk of being removed from their homes. Whether the issue is connected to psychiatric hospitalization, the juvenile justice system, parents requesting help for a child in need or social service involvement, Family Insight’s goal is to “keep the family system together,” says Prell Gross, site director for the Hampton and Newport News office located in City Center.
Fortunately, for those seeking assistance, Family Insight offers a variety of services ranging from intensive in-home therapy to traditional outpatient counseling. Qualified counselors are available to go into the respective child’s home and work with the families in their own surroundings, teaching both the children and caregivers the necessary skills to deal with stress, trauma, crisis, depression and anxiety, domestic violence, suicidal tendencies and other difficult life circumstances impacting mental health.
Family Insight counselors spend a lot of time training individuals through talk therapy, behavior modification and mental health skill building in an effort to stabilize them in their homes and teach them healthy ways to understand and manage their social, personal, family and economic life. The objective, says Gross, is “to get people to the point that they are no longer a risk to themselves and to improve their situation so they can honestly share what’s truly bothering them.”
For some individuals, the intensive in-home services are not necessary, and they opt instead for the traditional outpatient counseling Family Insight offers. These people are seen on site, either weekly or bi-weekly, and treated based on need. While outpatient counseling is not as intense as the in-home services, many of the mental health issues remain the same — including everything from depression to PTSD to trauma to domestic violence and more.
Working from a holistic model designed to meet whatever mental health needs come their way, Family Insight strives to “provide a continuum of services to people so they don’t have to chase what they need. Rather, they can get all of their needs met in-house,” Gross says. Regardless of where these individuals might be throughout Virginia, Family Insight works to ensure there is no interruption to services. “We are a very person-centered agency,” Gross says, “and we are dedicated in our support of community to meet people where they are.”
Located behind Gross’s desk is a beautiful tapestry of a lion with icy blue eyes, enveloped in a montage of floral beauty. As someone who adores lions, Gross says he sometimes uses this imagery to spark conversation with the person seated across from him. This strategy reinforces the person-oriented perspective of Family Insight and illustrates clearly Gross’s assertion that “Family Insight approaches people where they are and not where they need to be — even if we see other things,” Gross says. “We begin with individual goals.
TO THE POINT:
Family Insight, PC
Address: 11835 Fishing Point Dr., Ste. 202, Newport News, VA 23606
Phone: 757-243-1033
Business: Family Insight, PC
Contact: Prell Gross, LPC, site director
Website: www.familyinsight.net
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