Wasatch Family Therapy, a new Provo clinic, is celebrating its grand opening this week by offering free therapy for new clients who bring in a non-perishable food item.
All food will be donated to the Provo Community Action Food Bank.
“One of our strengths is that we really work with the whole lifespan,” said founder Julie Hanks.
Hanks said students especially can benefit from therapy as they are in a time of transition.
“Young adulthood is such a crucial time in the development of yourself,” Hanks said. “One of our strengths is that we have a lot of LDS therapists who are grounded in their faith, and also open-minded. They really understand that life brings everybody very difficult challenges, and we want to help people through those challenges while supporting their faith.”
Hanks said being a private clinic enables Wasatch Family Therapy to work openly with clients.
“An advantage of being private is that the therapist and the client can really decide what the clients need,” Hanks said. “There is a lot of collaboration with our clients, and we like doing that without anyone from the outside dictating what that looks like.”
Kate Hofer, a licensed professional counselor at Wasatch Family Therapy, feels a strong purpose in helping young adults.
“Even though they’re legally adults, they’re not adults emotionally,” Hofer said. “I love helping them discover their true self, find their strengths, and become who they are.”
The clinic’s website, Wasatchfamilytherapy.com, said the organization’s mission is to provide compassionate, confidential and professional therapy services.
“It’s very accepting and very warm,” Hofer said. “It’s like a sanctuary that’s cozy and very safe, emotionally safe. There’s no judgment or criticism. It’s like having a soft place to live when life is hard.”
Mike Morgan, an associate marriage and family therapist at Wasatch Family Therapy, said it is important to address problems as they arise.
“I think mental health is similar to any other, physical health and spiritual health, the longer you wait to fix things, the more difficult it is,” Morgan said.
Morgan said marriage issues are especially important to address early.
“How you get started kind of determines how your marriage goes,” Morgan said. “Those first couple of years are formative. It’s like going to the dentist. It would be easier to go in and get a cleaning than to wait and get a root canal. If you wait and wait, it can seem painful and impossible to fix.”
Wasatch Family Therapy is located at 363 N. University Ave., Suite 108 A. The food exchange for free therapy sessions will last until Friday. Appointments can be made online or by calling.
“I think it’s awesome being able to help people out in difficult situations, because everyone has them, but it’s nice to help people find solutions,” Morgan said.
