Therapy Works opens in Lima

Nov. 4—LIMA — A licensed social worker who is employed by Allen East schools is providing mental health services after hours in her new office at 102 Devonshire Drive, Lima.

Heather Koontz says there's a big demand for these kinds of services and that Therapy Works of Northwest Ohio can help meet that need.

"We have such a big need to serve all of those who need mental health treatment because of depression or anxiety or family struggles in our community. It's a way to help everyone have wellness and help those that need it. We really had a difficult time having these kinds of services accessible to people that need it and that is one of the things that I want to try to be able to do is to provide immediate access and help for their mental stability," Koontz said.

Koontz held a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon at her office.

"One of the things that we continue to run into is that there was a long wait time in the community for services to be provided, especially for youth. It can take three to four weeks just to get in for a diagnostic assessment and then from there to get a therapist can take two more weeks. So by the time someone starts, it can be a month and a half to two months out and they just don't have time to wait," Koontz said.

She says that many times people wait an average of 10 years to come in for mental health care.

"There's so much stigma connected to mental health care that people are afraid to seek services because of that and so I wanted to be able to open up their ability to get to somebody faster so when there's an immediate need, we can work them in right away," Koontz says.

Right now Therapy Works is open 4 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and there are plans for Saturday and other evening hours.

To contact Koontz call her at 419-905-7556.

She also has a Facebook page — Therapy Works of Northwest Ohio.

Reach Sam Shriver at 567-242-0409.

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