Mental Health With Meredith Switzer

0:02Hi, and welcome to this week's episode of the Epic Entrepreneurs podcast where we are all about helping business owners just like you achieve success. So we don't do fancy smancy. We don't do flashing lights. We don't do a lot of things that a lot of podcasts will do. These are just real stories about real people and their entrepreneurial and business experiences. We go into their wins, their challenges, and their learnings. So we hope you enjoy it. Hey there, welcome to this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs, brought to you by Action Coach Growth Partners. I'm your host, Bill Gilliland, and in this podcast, you'll find three things.

0:46You're going to hear real stories from real entrepreneurs that will help you along your entrepreneurial journey. You're also going to get business tips to help you scale up faster, and you're going to get actual coaching to help you get better real-world results to be the best entrepreneur you can be. Hey, and if you like the podcast, remember to subscribe. And now, enjoy the show. Hi there. I'm Bill Gilliland. Welcome to this week's episode of Epic Entrepreneurs. We're going to take a little bit of a different take on things. Lately, we've been talking about all things Asheville Business Summit.

1:25And we have a nonprofit community partner. It's All Souls Counseling Center. And I've got Meredith Schweitzer here to chat about All Souls. And we really are big fans of what All Souls is doing in our community. It's an amazing service. I love the way they're elevating the, as she says, the normalization of mental health, or at least talking about mental health. It used to be something we just pushed. We didn't want to talk about it. We pushed it under the rug, and I love what they're doing in the community here. And so welcome, Meredith. Great. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Yeah. So tell us, I mean, All Souls is a lot.

2:07Y 'all are busy. You have a lot of things going on, and you're making a big impact here in Western North Carolina. Tell us some of the things that y 'all are up to. Great. Well, I'll start with just the mission of the organization. We are dedicated to providing quality mental health counseling for those who are uninsured and underinsured in Western North Carolina. We do that through primarily through counseling services, direct services for individuals, couples and groups. We also have an educational component where we will send a clinician into the community to address mental health issues, which is how we've gotten connected with this particular group.

2:49We're going to be doing some work with you all with an upcoming event. But we believe that it is so important to address mental health issues. And to do that, we've got to get everyone aware of what the needs are and get everyone talking about mental health and normalizing those conversations. Yeah, we've you know, everybody's got something. And we found it very hard to work with business people and business owners if they don't have their, you know, if they're not working on their mental health as well as their physical health. If they're just working, it just doesn't work. So, you know, and I love the fact that y 'all, I mean, I'm sure people can come and that they can pay.

3:30But there are, but y 'all do want to make sure that you take care of those who can't, which is, I mean, it just, I mean, how are they actually? Think about it, y 'all. If they're not mentally healthy, how are they even going to be employable? Or how are they going to keep their jobs? Or how are they going to be able to support themselves? I mean, it is a, you know, I would say, you know, in some ways, the pandemic was awesome, because it really did point out some of these things and made it super clear that we have, you know, you know, resilience is not, not everybody is resilient. Not every, you know, not everybody can deal with what's going on.

4:08So once again, love what you're doing. You guys are talk a little bit more about. All right. So so what happens? I mean, how does even someone even get to All Souls in the first place? Well, there are a number of ways they can access services here at All Souls Counseling Center. First of all, you don't have to have a referral. Unlike many other providers, we don't require any kind of referral from a health care provider, a primary care provider. If someone feels that they need services, they can call us. And we have a clinical manager who screens those calls and has conversations about individuals who may need services.

4:50and that said, we certainly do receive referrals from other community partners. For example, if someone, if a primary care physician at Mayhack or someone at a local private practice has a client who could really benefit from mental health services but can't afford it, they can call us and get us connected to that person. There are a number of ways to access services, but the primary way is for someone to call. They can also find out about kind of the type of services that we provide through our website. We have a lot of information there, but calling our primary number, which is 828-259-3369, is the way to actually talk to our clinical manager to assess needs.

5:35Do you find that, I mean, people will call? I mean, And will they I mean, it's it's an interesting one, right? Are they are people scared to call or do they, you know? Actually, we we have people call all the time. And lately we've had record calls. Oh, yeah. Because with with awareness being raised, which is a wonderful thing, we've got more people who are recognizing that we are a resource in this community. We've been around since 2000. But I think that and you referenced COVID a little bit ago. I think through the COVID pandemic, individuals recognized a need to really connect with others.

6:16And I think a lot of mental health issues were exacerbated during that time. And so we recognized that we needed to be more visible in the community and really needed to make sure that we were getting out into the community and sharing information on what we can provide. We now have a community engagement manager who actually goes to organizations and will present, shares flyers and brochures. We oftentimes will meet with community partners to create partnerships. So when they have individuals who present, for example, if Manna Food Bank has someone who comes to them for food support, but also could benefit from mental health resources, they might give them information on how to reach out to us.

7:02So we are always trying to share our message and our story in the community so that everyone knows how to connect with us. And yes, we receive calls every single day. Yeah, no, I think it's awesome. I mean, to deal with the stigma, I guess, that used to be, or maybe it's hopefully it's lessening now, that people were like, well, I don't want to call. I don't want to. So I'm glad the phone's ringing. I'm sorry that we had to go through COVID to figure that out. But I'm glad that people are actually reaching out at this point to do it. Y 'all are also pretty involved in holding events or getting involved in events.

7:43Tell us a little bit about that. Sure. Well, we have a couple events a year. I would say that probably our premier event where we convene community partners and community members to lift up mental health is what's called Mental Health Matters, the Walk Run for Awareness. That is coming up in September. and September happens to be Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. We feel like it's a really important time to get people actively engaged in getting together, to exercise, to meet people who work in mental health, meet other individuals who are passionate about mental health, and really de-stigmatize what it means to access services.

8:27That will be on September 7th at UNC Asheville. We will convene, start on the track at UNC Asheville. And there is a 5K loop that goes through the campus. Individuals can come out and walk or run. They can build teams. It's just a great way to come and get together with people who are really interested in this issue and really want to gather with people who feel the same way. Yeah, and walking and running, I think, is one of the best. I mean, for me, it's one of my mental health practices is just getting out walking and running, thinking about things, letting some, you know, getting some getting your getting your body moving, I think is awesome.

9:10So I think that I think that fits pretty well. You know, I mean, one of the you were talking about COVID and the lack of connection. I mean, that's actually how the Asheville Business Summit got started. and we actually started it two years ago and what and we were just coming out of of covid and it was just getting where people were getting comfortable getting back in groups and getting events and i i just got with the team and i said you know what we need to get people together we need to get them you know it people are ready for this now and it was still a little bit you know a little bit a lot of people wear a mask that's fine you can still wear a mask if that's what makes you comfortable That's no in a group.

9:50And so I just like we've got to get people connected to each other again. And I think people realize that Zoom is great, but it's not as great as you and I sitting in the same place and having a cup of coffee and chatting about things or or being in a room or getting the energy up or anything. So, I mean, there's sort of two sides to any nonprofit. There's the people you serve, and then there's the people who help you help those people serve. So how do people get involved with All Souls? How'd you like to learn from the best? How'd you like to network with the best? How'd you like to be the best?

10:32Well, the key to being the best is to hang around with the best and to learn from the best. And we're going to make that possible for you this August in Asheville at the Asheville Business Summit. I want you to stay tuned. We're bringing in speakers from outside. We've got a lot of good events planned. It's going to be amazing. We've got more information coming. But if you'd like more info on how you can be involved, how you can attend, or how you can be a sponsor for this event, It's going to be over 350 entrepreneurs in one place right here in Western North Carolina in Asheville. For more Info or to be a sponsor, I want you to reach out directly to Beth Limmel.

11:15That's L-E-M-M-E-L at ActionCoach.com. That's Beth Limmel at ActionCoach.com. We look forward to seeing you there. It's going to be amazing. So we have a number of opportunities for volunteers. I mentioned our Mental Health Matters Walk that's coming up in September. We certainly have a need for volunteers for that event. We also have a need for volunteers for other events that we have. Oftentimes, we'll have groups who want to help us put on those events and serve as greeters, connectors at the event. We also, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the incredible clinical team that we have who make this work possible.

11:58We have 18 contracted therapists who provide the services for us, and they all work varying hours. Some of them work four hours a week. Some work 10 hours a week. So schedules differ, and that's how we can have so many clinicians who work with us. And we also have a full-time therapist on staff. So we have clinicians who specialize in grief, depression, anxiety, life transitions. We also have clinicians who can work with those who may be struggling with gender identity, working with the LGBTQ plus community, just really being responsive to the needs in our community. And we have some some clinicians who spent 20, 30, sometimes 40 years in private practice or academia who weren't quite ready to retire but had so much to offer.

12:52And so they may give us some of their time each week because they feel so passionately about the mission. And so we are just incredibly blessed to have a very talented pool of therapists who are able to provide our services. And people may not know this, but you can't just be a therapist. Oh, no. You have to go through a rigorous education and rigorous practice. And you have to keep that up. I mean, you have to be, they call it supervision. You have to be supervised every single year so that you can continue to do this. And so that's a big commitment, particularly for someone who may be technically old enough to be retired, which I know some of yours are, not all of them, and it's probably a minority.

13:40But, you know, that's a big commitment that these people are making to our community. Yes. Well, and you're referring to the licensure. And so all of our therapists are licensed in the state of North Carolina and their supervision includes hours that they had to provide practice or provide therapy under the supervision of a licensed clinician. And what they have to do every year is they have to continue with, they have to secure continuing education credits for, you know, in order to maintain their licensure, which is really important. And to your point, you can't just decide that you want to do this and that it happens in a pretty quick amount of time.

14:22It's truly a calling and you have to be really committed to it because the investment of time and other resources is considerable. and I'm so grateful to have the the talent that we have within the organization I mean the you know it's hard work I mean this is very emotional work where you can't just do it for 40 hours a week that would they would burn out in the couple of weeks I mean it's not this is this is a I mean like you said this is a calling and this is a you know we always we have this thing where we say, all right, your first thing you have is a job, and then you have a career, and then eventually you have a calling.

15:05And so it's so nice. That's probably why it works. I mean, having 18 therapists, sounds like 19 therapists, that is a big thing to manage. That is a scheduling nightmare in a lot of ways. So I just want people to understand the scope of this organization and the impact they're having in the community. So yeah, that's awesome. I love that you're bringing connection in it and it's hard work and you need to know what you're doing. You can't just mess around with people's brains. It's dangerous. Yeah. It is. And certainly we want to make sure that all of our clinicians are well-trained And we're seeing, especially in the wake of COVID, we're seeing acuity much greater.

15:55We're seeing people who are coming to us with great loss and trauma. And certainly, we want to make sure that we have the highest quality clinicians who can respond to those needs. I wanted to highlight one of the programs that we have, one of the partnerships that we have, which is with Haywood Street Congregation. They're an organization who serve those who are unhoused and provide support services, whether it be meal support, medical support on site or mental health support. support. And so we are one of their providers. We actually have two clinicians who go there every Wednesday to provide therapy on site at Haywood Street Congregation.

16:40And we feel like that's a really important part of the work that we do because we recognize that not every individual can come to our center, physically come to our center to access services. And they may not be able to access them virtually. I mean, we can offer virtual appointments, but ideally for those who are most vulnerable, like those who are unhoused at Haywood Street, we want to provide services where they are. And so we meet them where they are in that setting. And that's proven very successful. And we're really proud to be able to provide this kind of support in collaboration with their team.

17:15Yeah, the Haywood Street is an amazing ministry. And if you haven't been down there, you can go. They have meals a couple of times a week and you can go and see what they're up to. They'll be happy to have you and just contact them. I've been down there. We took a youth group down there essentially to, hey, look, here's what's actually going on in our community. This is real stuff that they were unaware of. And frankly, I wasn't aware of the extent of what's going on. So, I mean, I love the sort of tentacles that you've got in the community out there. It's an amazing ministry as well, what you're doing at All Souls.

17:58So I always ask, well, I'll say always, I always ask people like, what is it that you wish you had known before that you know now? Well, you mean prior to just coming into this role? Yeah, or prior to, you know, your mental health journey or whatever. Yeah. Well, I think this role has really opened my eyes to how significant this work is and how it truly is saving people's lives. And we have people who come to us who are incredibly desperate. And quite frankly, some have really considered not continuing with their lives. And so when we hear stories from clients who've been changed by this work, it really affirms how important it is.

18:46And sometimes it's hard to see because not every client is going to come back and tell you what an impact it made. And oftentimes because of the nature of the work, there's confidentiality involved and they work with their therapists and hopefully move on with hope and healing into the community. But, you know, you don't always get those stories. And so when we hear those stories, it's so affirming to know that the work we're doing is really making a difference. And for me, that's really gratifying, but it's also motivating and keeps me committed to this work, recognizing that we're really offering people hope and healing that they didn't have before.

19:25Yeah, I love that. I love that. You know, at Action Coach, we're about changing lives through their business. You guys are actually changing lives, but you're saving lives. Right. I mean, you know, so this is like I want everybody to understand the scope of what you know what this is about. So I just I love it. And you're right. We can't talk. You know, it's it's it's one of the challenges in this field is it's we have to use the testimonials we get generally have to be generalities because we can't like we can't advertise or market, you know, for donors with stories because they're covered. under HIPAA.

20:05We've got, you know, it's the confidentiality is super important. So we haven't talked about donors, but donors have got to be a big part of this ministry. So what is it, you know, so how do people get involved if they want to, if they want to help out financially? You've talked about volunteers. We need volunteers, but, you know, we also have to have their pocketbooks as well. So to be able to run, I mean, 18 people, I know what that costs, you know, a full-time staff to keep running it. There is a cost to running a nonprofit and to making that impact in the community. Yes. Well, there's a significant cost and we certainly believe it's worth it.

20:46We don't accept any insurance, so we're not being reimbursed for any of our services through any type of insurance avenues. We fundraise. We have events. We have ticketed events. We receive private donations from individuals in the community, from private foundations. We do have a Governor's Crime Commission grant that we receive through the state of North Carolina, which pays for some of our services. And we've been very fortunate to have loyal donors who make this work possible. And even though we offer our services on a sliding scale, the amount paid, if someone does pay, could be anywhere from five to$20 a session.

21:30But the truth is that when people come to us, if an individual comes to us and cannot afford to pay anything, we will not turn them away. And so that's really important for people to know in the community that, you know, If someone desperately needs our services, we're going to provide that. We want them to know that we are that gap resource for them when they can't receive services anywhere else. Yeah, I think that's important. So for everybody to know, hey, look, if you know somebody or if you know somebody who knows somebody who needs this or you're in a position to refer people, just know that this is out there.

22:13It's available. You probably already know it if you're in that position, but it doesn't help to remind, it doesn't hurt to remind you of what's going on and where to send people. You know, this is a massive need. The 18 counselors sounds like a lot. It's not enough. I can tell anybody in there, you're not turning people away, but you're trying to figure out where to put them. because it's the demand is great. The work is great. The change, like we said, we're saving lives out here and changing lives with this thing. This has been wonderful. I want you to tell people how to get in touch with you all the ways they can get in touch again.

22:57I know you gave us a phone number again before. Sure, I will share all of that. We certainly have a social media presence on Instagram, on Facebook. You can find us easily if you Google us that way. In order to call us, you need to call us at 828-259-3369. That's our main number. And of course, you can always find us online at www.allsoulscounseling.org. We encourage folks to go and check us out on our website. There's so much information, not only about the history of the organization and our impact, but also ways to be involved in future events. Yeah, thanks, Meredith. We really appreciate this partnership that we have.

23:45And we've got something planned. I'm not going to tell you what it is. We're going to do a special short thing at the summit. So you're going to want to be there. If you're not signed up for the summit, it's WNCSummit.com. You can get your tickets there. If not, if you don't think you can afford to be there and you want to be there, we do the same thing. You just reach out to me. We'll figure out a way to get you there. So thanks, Meredith. We appreciate you being on the show. And until next time, all the best.

24:37business, just download my book, The Coach Approach. It's free for you at giftfrombill.com. That's giftfrombill.com. Hey, and if you'd like more info about growing your business and what we can do to help you grow your business, send me an email directly. Just send it to williamgilliland at actioncoach.com. That's my personal email that I read. No one else reads at first. It's not screened. It's my real email. Just send it to me. I can't wait to talk to you. Hey, and until then, all the best. Hey, thanks for listening to the Epic Entrepreneurs podcast. Here's three things that you can do. Number one, remember to subscribe to the podcast.

25:23It takes very little effort on your part. It's going to help you and your fellow entrepreneurs. Plus, you guys know how it works. The more subscribers we get, the more cool things we can offer to you. Second, to learn more about growing your business, just download my book, The Coach Approach. It's free for you at giftfrombill.com. That's giftfrombill.com. Hey, and if you'd like more info about growing your business and what we can do to help you grow your business, send me an email directly. Just send it to williamgilliland at actioncoach.com. That's my personal email that I read. No one else reads it first.

26:11It's not screened. It's my real email. Just send it to me. I can't wait to talk to you. Hey, and until then, all the best.