thepsychologicalwellnessclinic

Support our patient financial assistance program

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:45:08 GMT

Your support helps more than you know!

Since its founding, The Psychological Wellness Clinic has remained committed to providing high-quality, compassionate mental health care to everyone we work with— including those facing financial hardship. Through reduced and sliding-scale fees, along with flexible payment options, we have worked diligently to ensure that cost is not a barrier to receiving essential care.

However, as we move through 2026, we are seeing a significant increase in financial strain among our patients. Many are experiencing job loss or reduced hours, rising insurance copays, unexpected medical expenses, and other life challenges that make continuing therapy feel out of reach. For individuals already navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, or other mental health concerns, financial stress only deepens the burden.

If it were possible to offer free care to every person in need, we would do so without hesitation. Yet delivering ethical, evidence-based, high-quality mental health services involves unavoidable operational costs that allow us to sustain our clinicians and the care we provide.

To meet this growing need, we are establishing a Patient Assistance Program funded entirely through donations. Every dollar contributed will go directly toward providing reduced-cost or fully funded sessions for patients who would otherwise be unable to continue treatment.

Your support has the power to ensure that someone does not have to choose between their mental health and their financial stability. Any contribution, of any size, makes a meaningful difference. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and for partnering with us in expanding access to care for those who need it most.

Herald Article "Clinicians, Faith Leaders Discuss Grief, Healing"

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:25:39 GMT

Emphasize Need for People To Support One Another In Handling Loss
January 15, 2026

B y Maryellen Apelquist

Grief never ends; it’s ever-changing. The wound created by the loss of a loved one heals with time, but not wholly, usually becoming less raw as it reshapes who we are.

We go on as best we can. There are bad days, and better days. Days when “we can carry grief and joy,” explains Nancy Kenyon Richardson, a licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC) who lives in Randolph Center.

“I have learned that grief and joy can walk together. People are so complicated. We can carry opposing emotions at the same time.”

The therapist, who owns the Psychological Wellness Clinic in Stowe, also speaks from personal experience. Richardson lost her son, Kevin Kenyon, when he was 25 years old, killed by a train as he took a shortcut along his walk to work. Wearing noise-blocking earbuds, Kenyon didn’t hear the locomotive coming.

This past Christmas, the 11th since her son died, marked the first one Richardson and her family were able to spend at home.

“Grief is hard—it’s hard even when you’re a professional,” she said during an interview earlier this week.

Richardson talked about grief as someone once described it to her: “If you put a ball in a box and everywhere that the ball touches the side of the box—it barely fits in— it’s touching it all over, everywhere, it hurts so badly, the grief. Over time, the ball gets smaller, but every time it rolls and touches one of the sides, it still hurts just as much.”

The conversation with the clinician came after multiple deaths by suicide across the White River Valley, all unrelated, over the span of a few weeks, and as community members have come together to mourn. She said connection is key to supporting each other and our community “during the grief process, but also to prevent further tragedies like this.

“The biggest protective factor is connection.”

Having a “trusted adult is huge for anyone, youth or adult, to feel seen, believed, and to not have their feelings minimized.”

Richardson, also a deacon at Bethany Church in Randolph, emphasized the importance of routine check-ins, having a predictable structure, and making safe spaces to talk.

Suicide, she said, is a public health and community issue, “but it’s very rarely about a single event. It’s this interaction between vulnerabilities and it’s often mental health, neurodivergent, trauma depression, all those kinds of things.”

Richardson explained that, after a suicide, grieving people may search for answers and point to environmental stressors, such as bullying or isolation.

“But there’s almost always these other things involved— trauma, depression, other mental-health issues—so when we’re looking at the grief process, we have to consider all of that for the community,” she said.

The clinician noted that because loved ones want answers, they can “latch onto one of the factors” and “unintentionally increase guilt in peers,” creating “a misleading narrative that suicide is a reaction rather than seeing it as a preventable crisis.”

One of the most difficult parts of the grieving process, Richardson noted, is facing the unanswered questions, especially among adolescents, and that “we want to make sure we never frame bullying as the only cause.

“That can end up leading others to make that same choice. We want to make sure that we’re getting messages out there to counter that. Adolescents are still developing impulse control and emotional regulation, so they’re at a higher risk when someone is lost by suicide in their sphere, whether that’s an adult or another child. The prevention is very possible and really the key factor.”

Randolph resident Tom Harty, a funeral director with Day Funeral Home and longtime pastor of the United Church of Bethel, has for decades helped individuals and families as they grieve. He’s also lost a loved one, his brother, to suicide, and has spoken openly about his personal experiences.

Like Richardson, Harty emphasized the importance of human connection. He also noted that we each experience grief differently, and therefore “need to talk and feel our way through it.

“And that means you cannot do it in isolation. You simply cannot do it in isolation.

“The other thing that I always worry about, especially in cases of tragic death, young death, is that the persons involved— oftentimes it’s a parent—just cannot come to terms with it,” he said, “so they want to do things like not go through the motions, not have a service, not bury the ashes. They want to create a shrine in their home, or they keep a bedroom the same. Their fear is, usually, ‘I don’t want to forget them, therefore I have to put them in priority every day,’ and that’s dangerous territory.”

Harty said we might look to how people grieved a century ago, when small towns and church communities provided not only an outlet for feelings of grief, but also a way to help community members understand those feelings.

“Because they were taught the stories that humans had used to adapt to grief and to pain and to suffering. We have less of that societal understanding now. We’re more individualistic, and so that affects” how we grieve, he said.

Harty also spoke of the season.

“Nobody should be alone at this time of year. It’s cold, it’s dark, and then all it takes is a complicated incident or the kind of grief we’re talking about, and we have people that decide to, you know, end their lives. And that creates for those families an even more complicated grief, especially in light of social media.”

He said that as a global society, in general, “I think we feel [grief associated with such tragedies] more so because we haven’t yet developed the societal norms not to, or the physical norms not to, or the tools to use not to feel overwhelmed.”

Provider Perspective

Courtney Riley, a pediatrician at Gifford, likewise brings personal experience to the conversation about grief. She lost her 23-year-old sister five years ago, to a heart attack, and knows intimately grief’s nonlinear nature.

“It spirals and circles and feels heavy at times and lighter at times, but it never really goes away,” wrote Riley in an email to The Herald.

The doctor covered ways everyone can support each other through grief: by talking about the person who died, and by being present.

“Sometimes people shy away because they don’t know what to say. You don’t have to say anything at all. Just being present helps the person know they’re not alone in a dark hole.”

The doctor also suggested avoiding phrases like “reach out to me if you need anything.”

Rather, identify a way to help, and follow through.

“Drop fresh groceries off at the front door or come in and do the dishes and laundry,” she said. “Stay as long as the person wants, or you can, and then leave. It’s so hard to ask for help and not everyone will even know what to ask for or want to ‘burden’ other people.”

Like Harty, Riley noted the importance of not avoiding grief: “Ride the wave. Feel the feelings as deeply as they are for as long as it is present. When we try to suppress the feelings, it can come out in other ways.”

She likewise emphasized giving feelings the time and space they need. “There’s no timeline you have to meet, or no right or wrong way to grieve. We put unnecessary pressure on ourselves sometimes to ‘move on.’”

When unsure what to do next, she said simply, “drink water.”

Grieving with Kids

Riley talked about the importance of letting children see us cry, “to see adults feel their feelings.”

“What a powerful lesson it is for our children to see us fall down to our knees in grief, be fully present with a feeling, and then be able to stand back up!”

She also provided the following guidance for speaking with children during times of grief:

• Be open and honest. Children pick up on what’s happening around them, and they are trying to figure out what’s going on.

• Use simple, direct language.

• Answer questions as directly as possible.

• Emphasize that they are safe, you are safe, and that you will take care of them.

• Validate their feelings by saying things like, “It’s OK to cry. I miss them too.” Statements like “Don’t cry,” or, “They wouldn’t want you to be sad,” do not help children process.

• Consider an activity, such as drawing pictures or writing letters, that can help you and the child feel connected to the person who died.

Riley reminds us that children may ask the same questions, over and over.

“This is how kids process things, and they are sometimes trying to verify the responses,” she said.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, Vermont operates a suicide and crisis hotline at 988, which can be reached by phone or text message.

Do I have ADHD?

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:45:50 GMT

Understanding ADHD in Adulthood and the Power of Finally Having Clarity

Have you ever wondered why life feels harder for you than it seems to be for everyone else? Why simple tasks feel overwhelming, motivation comes and goes unpredictably, or you constantly feel like you’re falling short of your potential? You’re not alone, and it might be time to consider whether ADHD has been part of your story all along.

In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million U.S. adults had an ADHD diagnosis, with approximately half receiving that diagnosis in adulthood. This means millions of people spent their childhood—and often a significant part of their adult life—without understanding why certain things felt so much harder for them than for others. Undiagnosed ADHD can quietly shape a person’s life, contributing to depression and anxiety, career instability, burnout, risky behaviors, and ongoing struggles with organization, focus, relationships, and self-esteem.

For many adults, discovering they have ADHD can be both emotional and relieving. It offers a new lens through which to understand past experiences and opens the door to support, tools, and strategies that actually work for the way your brain functions.

Understanding the Types of ADHD

When considering whether seeking an ADHD diagnosis is right for you, it’s helpful to understand the three primary types of ADHD:

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: Often associated with restlessness, difficulty sitting still, impulsive decision-making, and a feeling of being constantly “on the go.”

Predominantly Inattentive Type: Commonly involves trouble sustaining focus, forgetfulness, disorganization, difficulty following through on tasks, and mental fatigue. This type is frequently overlooked, especially in adults.

Combined Type: A mix of both hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms.

Symptoms can look different from person to person and often change over time, which is one reason ADHD can go unrecognized for so long

Common Concerns About Seeking an ADHD Diagnosis

It may be too expensive.
At The Psychological Wellness Clinic, we aim to make mental health diagnosis affordable and accessible to everyone. For those with insurance, your assessment may be partially or fully covered by your plan. For individuals who are uninsured or out-of-network, we offer flexible and affordable pricing options for assessments and ongoing care.

It may be too time consuming.
An ADHD assessment at The Psychological Wellness Clinic typically takes two sessions, averaging 60–90 minutes each. After your assessment, your results are carefully reviewed and shared with you. We offer flexible appointment times on both weekdays and weekends to make the process fit into your schedule, not the other way around.

What If I Do Have ADHD?

Receiving an ADHD diagnosis can bring up a lot of emotions—relief, grief, validation, or even fear. While accepting the diagnosis can be challenging, it also provides clarity and direction. With a diagnosis, you can begin to understand how your brain works and take meaningful steps to manage symptoms more effectively.

The Psychological Wellness Clinic can connect you with a therapist who specializes in ADHD and can help you build practical strategies for daily life. We also support clients in obtaining workplace or academic accommodations, improving executive functioning skills, and strengthening emotional regulation and self-compassion.

What If I Don’t Have ADHD?

Not having ADHD doesn’t mean your struggles aren’t real or valid. Some symptoms of other neurodiverse conditions, learning differences, or mental health concerns can closely resemble ADHD. If your symptoms don’t meet the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis, the clinician conducting your assessment may recommend additional evaluations for greater clarity or offer guidance and support to help you manage your symptoms and challenges more effectively.

No matter the outcome, pursuing an assessment can be a powerful step toward understanding yourself better and getting the support you deserve.

Take the Next Step Toward Understanding Yourself

If you’ve spent years wondering why things feel harder than they should, you deserve answers and support. Seeking an ADHD assessment isn’t about labeling yourself; it’s about gaining clarity, compassion, and access to tools that can genuinely improve your quality of life.

At The Psychological Wellness Clinic, we’re here to guide you through the process with care, respect, and expertise. Whether you’re just beginning to ask questions or you’re ready to schedule an assessment, our team is ready to help.

Schedule an ADHD assessment today and take the first step toward understanding how your mind works and how to thrive with it. You don’t have to keep struggling alone. Support is available, and change is possible.

Addressing Recent Suicide in our Community

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:01:33 GMT

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Our hearts are heavy as we acknowledge the recent loss of a young life in our community. When a teen dies, the ripple effects are felt deeply by families, friends, classmates, teachers, and neighbors. We want to take a moment to honor this life and to hold space for everyone who is grieving.

This tragedy is a painful reminder that no one has to face overwhelming feelings alone. Struggling does not mean you are weak, broken, or a burden. It means you are human and help is available.

If you, or someone you love, is hurting, please reach out. Talking to someone can feel hard, but it can also be the first step toward relief and healing.

At The Psychological Wellness Clinic, we are here to listen, to support, and to help individuals and families navigate difficult moments with care and compassion. You matter. Your feelings matter. And help is always worth reaching for.

Please be gentle with yourselves and with one another.

Therapy Subscription Service

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:40:17 GMT

Prioritizing Mental Health Made Simple: The Psychological Wellness Clinic’s Therapy Subscription Service

In today’s fast-paced world, caring for your mental health is just as important as caring for your physical health. Yet, many people struggle to find consistent, affordable, and accessible therapy options. That’s where The Psychological Wellness Clinic’s Therapy Subscription Service comes in; a modern solution designed to make ongoing support both convenient and cost-effective.

What Is the Therapy Subscription Service?

The subscription offers:

Four therapy sessions per month with a licensed therapists
Flat rate of $240 per month
Additional sessions available for $50 each

Who Is Eligible?

This program is designed specifically for individuals with Medicare or Medicaid insurance . While The Psychological Wellness Clinic cannot bill these plans directly, clients may be able to seek reimbursement from their insurance provider for the subscription cost. This makes the service a practical option for those who want consistent therapy while still leveraging their insurance benefits.

Why Choose a Subscription Model?

Consistency matters: Mental health progress thrives on regular sessions. With four sessions each month, clients can build momentum and maintain continuity in their care.
Affordability: At $240 per month, plus the option for $50 additional sessions, the subscription provides high-quality therapy at a predictable cost.
Accessibility: The streamlined subscription makes it easier to commit to therapy without worrying about fluctuating fees or availability.

Benefits of Regular Therapy

Develop healthier coping strategies for stress and anxiety
Improve communication and relationships
Gain clarity and confidence in decision-making
Build resilience and emotional balance

One-on-One Peer Support Program

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:36:49 GMT

Adhd and Autism support program:

one-on-one peer and therapy services

Our comprehensive support program provides personalized one-on-one peer support, therapy, and engaging group activities for children, teens, and adults. We offer weekly sessions tailored to each participant’s unique needs—focusing on social skills, emotional regulation, executive functioning, and organizational strategies—along with fun, enriching activities like Dungeons & Dragons (13+), music sessions, and chess lessons to build confidence, connection, and independence. With flexible A La Carte options, families can easily customize their plan and add additional support as needed, creating a personalized experience that truly works for you

Core Components

1. Weekly Peer Support (Subscription-Based)

Type: One-on-one peer support sessions. In person or virtual

Duration: 60 minutes per session

Frequency: Once per week

Use of Support Time:

Body doubling (support during tasks)

Skill building (social skills, organization, emotional regulation)

Strategy planning (coping skills, routines)

Emotional support and validation

Assist and transitional time, ex. School to home

Pricing: $240 per month. Additional hours: $50 per hour

2. Weekly Individual Therapy & Joint Support Session

Type: Therapy + Peer Support Coordinator session

Duration:

53 minutes with licensed therapist

53 minutes joint session with both therapist and peer support person

Frequency: Once per week per session type

Cost: Covered by insurance copay or $75 if uninsured

Purpose:

Address emotional, behavioral, and organizational challenges

Coordinate goals between the therapist and peer support person

Provide real-time social, emotional, and practical guidance

Focus on skill application, behavioral strategies, and emotional regulation in a supportive environment

*Appointments must be with a therapist associated with TPWC

3. Support via Texting/ Messaging

Availability: During weekdays for brief check-ins, encouragement, or strategy reminders

Frequency: Replies within 48 hours, often sooner. Texts after 4pm on Fridays will be replied to on Monday.

Cost: Included in the subscription

Purpose: Provide immediate support, reminders, and social connection between scheduled sessions

Additional Activities & Add-ons

4. Weekly D&D Games
Type: Group D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) sessions
Frequency: Once per week
Duration: 2 hours per session
Pricing: Free for subscribers
Purpose: Social skill development, strategic thinking, creativity, and fun in a supportive environment

5. Music Lessons
Type: Individual music lessons
Duration & Pricing:

30-minute lesson: approximately $40

1-hour lesson: approximately $60
Frequency: Weekly
Purpose: Develop musical skills, enhance focus, and promote emotional expression

6. Chess Lessons
Type: Individual chess lessons
Duration & Pricing:

30-minute lesson: approximately $40

1-hour lesson: approximately $60
Frequency: Weekly
Purpose: Improve strategic thinking, patience, and problem-solving skills

A La Carte Services

(Customized, pay-as-you-go options for all services)

Peer Support Sessions: $75/hour

Therapy Sessions with peer support person: $75/53-minute session (For cash paying patients)

D&D Game Sessions: $50 for four weekly sessions

Music Lessons: 30-minute: $50, Hour: $70

Chess Lessons: 30-minute: $50, Hour: $70