ABOUT EXISTENCE SERVICES

My name is Whitney Harris and I am the founder of Existence Services. I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Idaho. In my 14 years as a licensed counselor, I have worked in various settings including private group practice, schools, and in a substance abuse treatment program. All of this experience was incredibly valuable, but I found my true calling working as a counselor and forensic interviewer at a non-profit Child Advocacy Center (CAC).

 

For 6 of my 8 years at the CAC, I served as the Clinical Director overseeing all of the mental health services our agency offered, and providing clinical supervision to our staff, master's level interns, as well as other counselors in the community seeking out supervision for licensure. I spent these years specializing in evidence based, trauma-informed treatment models, and as I worked with clients from all walks of life, I recognized that whether or not an individual sees themselves as "traumatized," these treatment models are helpful for nearly everyone.

 

Having a trauma-informed approach is about moving away from trying to define "what's wrong with you?" and instead trying to understand "what happened to you?"

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During my time at the CAC, I had the opportunity to work very closely with a multi-disciplinary team tasked with responding to cases of child sexual abuse. Working as part of this team, I was rewarded with seeing how a group of people can come together to move mountains when all the right pieces are in place. 

 

While working in this capacity with both clients as well as other colleagues who were working along side me in various helping professions, I began to realize the vast need for more accessible and diverse trauma-informed services for individuals needing counseling. I also began to see the immense need for change at a higher level. 

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Through the COVID-19 pandemic, every one of us experienced a collective trauma. Since then, the need for counseling services has been in higher demand than ever, and the rate of burnout among helping professionals is staggering. It's a vicious cycle, and one that needs to be addressed. Right now, people need help more than ever. That includes individuals, families, children, adults, and community members. It also includes those with their boots on the ground who work day in and day out trying to provide that support for others.  

 

As we pan out and look at the big picture, it becomes more clear that a systemic response for these issues is the only way forward. A whack-a-mole approach for providing help and services is going to perpetuate the vicious cycle of collective trauma and burnout. This is what compelled me to start Existence Services.

 

At Existence Services, our mission is to promote trauma informed practices through prevention, education, response, and treatment. 

 

Existence Services is dedicated first and foremost to providing accessible trauma-informed mental health treatment and resources. However, we believe that in order to really impact change, we've got to address this issue on a bigger scale. We are developing innovative prevention resources, trauma-informed education for anyone who is ready to join the fight, and supporting a trauma-informed response for professionals who serve victims and individuals struggling with traumatic experiences.

 

Our vision is a world where the cycle of trauma is disrupted and broken by good people, not the other way around.

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