Therapist hopes to bring mental health treatment home to Wayne - Huntington Herald Dispatch

WAYNE — A psychotherapist hoping to de-stigmatize therapy and work with the community has moved into Wayne, and she is eager to get started.

Jessica Kirk-McComas, 34, is preparing to open her new psychotherapy center Patchwork Therapy and Growth Center beginning Wednesday, Dec. 1.

Patchwork will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays to begin and she will be offering both telehealth and in-person sessions.

"My hopes are Patchwork Therapy can be a relatable therapist center for people who want to come access services," Kirk-McComas said. "My hope is to do good work and do more trainings and that's kind of the goal for the first year while I build my client base."

Currently working at Oasis Behavioral Health in Barboursville, Kirk-McComas said she wanted to expand her coverage area by opening her own business to help more people.

She plans to continue working at Oasis Behavioral Center while she builds her client base and thinks it will give her the chance to do more trainings and get more certifications in her field.

Kirk-McComas, a licensed independent clinical social worker, said she grew up in Wayne, so when she was looking for a place to establish her new building, she liked the idea of bringing it home.

Though not completely set on the idea, Kirk-McComas said she got advice from community member Ella Marie Blankenship, also known as "Mousy," to check out the building she would eventually set up shop in, at 524 Hendricks St.

"I love Wayne, I feel really comfortable in Wayne and there's some kind of warmth to the streets. So I called around some places," she said. "A woman, she passed by my mother's house, and people called her Mousy, she's a local here. She told me to go up there and look at this spot. And I thought, 'Oh the place with the beautiful fireplace. And the coffee shop.' I knew it would be great."

Kirk-McComas said Mousy got COVID-19 and died as a result, but would always have a special place in her heart for helping her find a home for her new business.

Kirk-McComas said another goal of hers is to help end the stigma surrounding therapy, and hopes people understand her practice could be a place where people just come to talk.

"It's something that a lot of people think you only go to when you're sick, but you don't have to be sick," she said. "You may need to set goals, you may be someone who just wants to getting to know yourself a little bit better and why you react the way that you do."

Kirk-McComas said she can see any age range but most often sees individuals ages 10 and older. She is also currently able to accept Medicare and PEIA but is working to accept all other forms.