Stephanie Hawkins

I started in the field of recovery-focused treatment by establishing myself in the recovery community of Greene County after entering my own journey into a state of recovery. As my career began working in an inpatient substance abuse/aclohol treatment facility, I quickly found a passion for meeting individuals where they are in the present moment; not their potential or expectations, but giving my attention to this moment we are living in, right now. I practice the 'one day at a time' suggestions even if I have found that sometimes that seems to be too much for many of us going through a life-crisis, significant loss, or experiencing overwhelm. It may be that the individual is creating higher expectations of him/herself rather than giving the present hour, minute, moment, permission to be present and feel what they feel, presently. As I began working in the SAA field, I began to recognize patterns and subsequent relationship elements in individuals with genetic, environmental, and/or childhood traumatic events as being a significant factor to research and as such, that hunger to learn how to help the most vulnerable populations led to an opportunity after being accepted to the Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling under the umbrella of a Master's in Science degree, specializing in substance use and mental health, or co-occurring disorders. Arkansas State University was such an incredible experience, but especially the graduate program, where the friendships established behind the practicum doors created lifelong colleagues and friends. I spent my graduate years focusing my attention to recovery-based therapeutic approaches to the helping field. However, after graduating from AState, I began exploring the various methods available to teach, implement, and create trust and begin to establish helping relationships. I taught college students in the Intro to Psychology classes during grad school, which I dearly loved, and then later, teaching the Drug and Alcohol course offered in the counseling curriculum of the master's program, which was an incredible learning experience, as well. I found myself in need of trauma-focused approaches which led to certification in advanced TFCBT, working with therapeutic foster care children from the ages of eight years old up to the age of eighteen. I then completed first level training in the EMDR therapeutic approach and continue to explore methods and skills to improve my ability to help those who entrust their time with me as part of the healing process. I lead with a person-centered therapeutic orientation and I use an eclectic approach which means I follow the client's direction as the session unfolds, whether the focus is processing and healing from traumatic events or learning new skills to manage stress and anxiety, I feel it is important to have a good assortment of skill areas to best meet the individual needs of my clients. I absolutely love 'working' in the field of what I believe is my greater purpose and I take that very seriously. I am a mother of two adult children and I am an animal lover with a huge weakness for dogs, specifically. I am married and have been for the past nine years. I enjoy reading historical fiction, crime and murder mystery, suspense and comedy books on my Audible app and/or my Kindle device. I also love shopping and baking sweets with my daugher as often as I can. I would truly love to make a connection with you and allow you the opportunity to see if I can help you become the best you on the journey of improving your mental health.