Show Notes
Mental health isn’t separate from physical health—it is health.
In Part 1 of this two-part series on the Erie Wellness Podcast, host Lauren Brunetti sits down with Amanda Wurst and Tabitha Steiner, co-owners of Solace Counseling here in Erie, Colorado, for an honest and empowering conversation about making therapy more accessible, approachable, and preventative for our community.
While we talk about the value of preventative care—treating therapy like an annual physical instead of a last resort—we also recognize that many individuals and families in our community are navigating very real crises and hardship right now. Support matters in both seasons.
If you’ve ever hesitated to seek therapy, this conversation helps normalize support as a healthy, empowering step—not a last resort.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why “mental health is health” — and what changes when we treat therapy like an annual physical
- Life transitions that often bring people in: parenting stress, trauma, divorce, diagnoses, recovery, relationship strain, or simply wanting clarity
- The truth that therapists don’t give answers — they guide clients toward discovering their own answers
- How families are systems — and when everyone does their own work and reflection, the entire system benefits
- Reducing the financial barrier to care through tiered pricing and the HEAL Grant (Helping Erie Access Light) — especially important for youth, where suicide remains a leading cause of death
Reflection Question:
If we treated mental health as both preventative care and essential support during crisis, what might shift in your life—or your family’s?
Stay tuned for Part 2 as we continue our conversation and explore neurodiversity — what it means and how it may be showing up in your family and/or in our community.
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