When Healing Is the First Step
Before we can build something new, we often have to grieve what’s been lost. In Week 2 of our Becoming Whole series, discover why slowing down to acknowledge loss is not weakness—but the first courageous step toward true restoration.
What Is Mental Health Counseling?
What is mental health counseling, really? It’s a question we’re asked often—and one that deserves a thoughtful answer. In this post, Dr. Gantt shares what counseling is (and what it’s not), offering clarity, encouragement, and a warm invitation to take a next step toward healing and personal growth.
Becoming Whole: The Courage to Change
Becoming whole isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty, healing, and the courage to grow. This six-week blog series walks with you through the highs, lows, and deeper invitation of lasting change.
A New Chapter, Rooted in a Shared Story
As I begin serving as Executive Director at New Hope, I’m mindful of the story that’s already unfolding here — a story shaped by many leaders, staff, and community members over nearly three decades. I’m grateful to join in that work, helping steward New Hope’s mission of hope and healing as we look ahead together.
Finding Beauty and Strength in the Rebuild
What if the cracks in your story weren’t something to hide, but something that could shine? In this reflection, Executive Director Sheila Derr shares a personal moment of connection, a powerful image from Japanese art, and a gentle invitation to see healing not as erasure—but as transformation.
Why Stories Matter in a Fragmented World
Why Stories Matter in a Fragmented World
In a time when disconnection feels all too common, stories remind us what holds us together. At New Hope, we believe stories are sacred—whether they unfold in counseling sessions, thrift store conversations, or whispered prayers.
This reflection explores how stories bring healing, foster belonging, and weave the unseen threads of community.
“We are not as fragmented as we thought.”
A New Chapter of Hope
As I begin this new chapter at New Hope, I’ve been listening closely—to the stories, the vision, and the faithful work that’s brought us here. From the Counseling Center to the Community Closet, this is a community shaped by compassion and shared purpose. Whether you’ve been part of this journey for years or are just discovering it, I invite you to reflect on where your own gifts might fit into the story that continues to unfold.
Belonging Isn’t an Accident: What Makes a Community Feel Like Home?
When people say they want to “feel at home,” they’re not just talking about comfort or familiarity. They’re talking about… safety. Connection. Welcome without condition. And while it’s tempting to think of belonging as something that just “happens,” the truth is—it doesn’t.
Belonging is built.
It’s cultivated, moment by moment…
Lessons Learned From a Frog
In a study by researchers at Penn State, the average person reported “3 to 4 testable worries per day” (Gillihan, 2019). Some feelings of worry can be healthy in that they can push us to discover solutions to problems. For example, some “worry” about one’s health may lead to healthier eating. But chronic worry can take a toll on one’s mental and physical health. Excessive worrying can make individuals more vulnerable to anxiety or depression.
A Message from Dr. Ann Gantt
My name is Dr. Ann Gantt. I would like to introduce myself as the new Counseling Supervisor here at New Hope. This is like a second…or should I say third coming for me as I have previously served at New Hope twice. My most recent departure was due to a family tragedy. It was important to me that I took the time that was needed to be alongside my family even more. I recently came across a newspaper clipping that I had held on to for all these years. At the time, I was the counselor sent by Family Service (now Pressley Ridge) through a partnership the agency had with New Hope. Pictured with me were former executive director Ken Zieber (whom I have maintained contact with throughout the years) and Dr. Jim Johnson (counselor sent by Shepherd’s Touch Counseling Ministry, now Upward Call Counseling Services). In the brief time since my return to New Hope, it has been no surprise to me to find the same warm and caring environment that I had left. The compassionate and skilled counselors that are here play a huge role in making that so.
Fear and Excitement: The Same Reaction
Our minds are powerful tools that we often allow to hide meekly behind our reactionary feelings which can often bully for control. I want to remind you and encourage you that even though you may not be able to control your body, you are ALWAYS able to control what you think and how you act. When you use your brain to help you, you will find that your body response follows more what you think to be true. I know this has been my practice as I wrap up my time with New Hope. I will miss this place and this community, however, “I know that I can be present in very hard situations, and I am excited to be there for struggling parents and their children.”
Feeling Insignificant?
Have you ever been in conversation with someone and the message you received was “you are not enough?” Or maybe you hear this in your own mind, a self-narrative that shouts “I messed up,” or “I have nothing to offer,” or possibly “I don’t matter.” The results of these messages, especially coming from our interpersonal relationships, can truly affect how we feel and act.
Adult Involvement in Child Therapy
Discover why involving adults in child therapy is crucial for success. Learn how to introduce counseling to children, commit to the process, and support your child's emotional growth. New Hope counselors provide expert guidance.
The Myths About Mental Health
May is Mental Awareness Month. Our goal at New Hope Counseling Center is to take the mystery out of therapy and to be a vehicle to provide hope and restoration. Read our Blog to learn more about the most common myths of mental health.
Setting Healthy Boundaries
“If only she wouldn’t take my boundaries so personally. I have them so I CAN spend time with everyone over the holidays and manage my own kids’ schedules too.” My client was close to tears as we sat and discussed how she is planning to navigate the upcoming holidays with extended family.
The Story of a Wedding Gown…
A wedding gown is designed and created to be worn on a day that is full of love and happiness. Some gowns are lovingly saved by families and used by generations of brides. But sometimes, marriages fall apart. Or someone decides they no longer want their wedding dress. Sometimes they sell the dress. Sometimes they donate the dress. The Community Closet Thrift Store has had many wedding dresses donated to them over the years. I want to share the story of one of those dresses.
