When someone is dealing with a mental health issue, every second counts. That’s why Catholic Charities’ Mental Health Services team is developing innovative new solutions to provide a wider range of care to more people, at a time when waitlists are only growing longer.
With support from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Millstone Fund, Catholic Charities recently hired a new Mental Health Specialist focused on therapeutic behavioral services, behavioral coaching, and case management.
Onexi Alvarado, a Venezuelan native who earned her bachelor’s in psychology in Mexico, works primarily with Spanish speaking clients to help them “make some of the changes they want to make for themselves,” says Laura Hershberger, Mental Health Services Director.
That includes teaching mindfulness and stress-tolerance skills to help people manage emotions in the moment. Onexi’s approach is goal-focused to support long-term behavioral change.
Onexi is also piloting an anger management course made possible by a grant from the Community Leaders Institute.
The new services allow Catholic Charities to take a more comprehensive approach to providing care that meets the different levels of need within the community. For people who don’t need therapy or who are on a therapist’s waitlist, behavioral services give them practical tools they can use to live better and foster healthy relationships. For those who are already in therapy, behavioral coaching complements that work.
In one case, a client came to Catholic Charities struggling with anxiety and anger. The therapist who assessed the client didn’t have availability, but Onexi was able to step in in the meantime. She helped the client with deep breathing, noticing and naming their anger, identifying triggers, and understanding the impact of alcohol use. Once the therapist’s schedule opened up, the client was in a better position to focus on processing the past traumas that had led to the emotional and behavioral issues they had been experiencing.
“Behavior coaching is helping people make change; therapy helps people understand why things are going on,” Laura says. “It works well together.”
As our community’s needs grow and change, Mental Health Services is committed to providing new opportunities for neighbors to strengthen their mental and emotional health. Your support helps ensure every individual and family has what they need to thrive.