NEWS & NOTES

In her short 11 years, Peyten has experienced a lot. She has been bullied at school. A fellow student threatened to kill her. And there have been family issues. “I know more things than an 11-year-old should,” Peyten said. Her mom, Jessi Benson, said Peyten, who is a fifth-grader, is very mature for her age. “I have to be the grownup sometimes,” Peyten said. It used to be that Peyten would keep her feelings bottled up inside. Then they would eventually boil over in fits of an

I believe that change is possible because I’ve experienced it myself, and I enjoy being a therapist because it allows me to be a part of the changes my clients create for themselves. When I was 26 years old, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was an extremely overwhelming experience and I was hit with many changes at a rapid pace. As I went through treatment, anxiety and depression became more overwhelming for me. I also experienced medical trauma, feared the unknown asso

Anna noticed that her daughter, Izzie, wasn’t acting like herself. She knew Izzie was struggling. Anna also knew Izzie needed help. That’s when she brought Izzie to Bert Nash. That was February 2018. “The kid you see sitting here now is not the kid who was sitting there when we initially started coming to Bert Nash,” Anna said. “She’s really improved on just owning her part, which is a drastic step from where she came from.” When Izzie, who is a freshman in high school, first

Cindy Sturm and Vince Wondrack started working together in 2016. Cindy was a Bert Nash client and Vince was a SEED (Supported Employment Education Development) specialist for Bert Nash. In his role, he works with clients to help them find and maintain a job or return to school. Now they are colleagues. Cindy became a Bert Nash peer support specialist in 2019. Peer support specialists use their own mental health experiences to help others. She calls it her dream job. “I’m so p

I love serving the community in which I live. As a Kansan and Douglas County resident I see the hard work ethic as a backbone to our identity. I want to be part of the change to help our residents feel comfort seeking mental health services. Walking through those front doors can be a big step. I want to acknowledge the bravery people show in asking for help. In my work with both kids and adults, I love being able to see people’s confidence grow in who they are as things get b