It’s time for the nation’s mental health checkup. Assess yourself first – how you are doing? If you note any issues, take steps to address them. Then, check in on your loved ones and those in your social circles, and encourage them to do the same.

That’s how Linda Jakes, executive director of Westerville’s Concord Counseling, sees the annual observance of May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

“It’s just like a tune-up,” and this month serves to remove the stigma of addressing your mental health, she said. “You might have a little anxiety, a little depression. If left alone, it can build instead of going away.”

Jakes also addressed the annual observance in this month’s Concord Counseling newsletter:

“May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since its inception in 1949, behavioral health professionals have been called on to erase stigma, offer support, and advocate for policies that focus on the well-being of individuals and families affected by mental illness,” she wrote in the newsletter.

“The general view of mental illness has started to change, but we still have a long way to go. As humans we come as a set of complex details that work together to bring about amazing results. Therefore, it is important that we take care of the whole body to assure a better tomorrow for ourselves, and for all who follow.”

Concord formed in 1972 from a group of volunteers that aimed to help local students deal with mental health issues. Today, its Westerville offices at 700 Brooksedge Blvd. house a staff of more than 100 certified mental health counselors and clinicians. Community members can enter the intake process for care with a simple call, to 614-882-9338, ext. 205.

Concord’s services range from community support for people with severe mental disabilities to drug and alcohol abuse treatment to counseling for those experiencing grief, stress, depression and anxiety. Treatment plans are formed to help clients meet goals and review progress.

Concord also is on contract to provide prevention services in the Westerville City School District. Any student or parent can talk to any school counselor, all of whom can make referrals for service at Concord.

Ellie Mental Health

A new kid on the mental health services block in Westerville, Ellie Mental Health opened in May 2023 at 450 Alkyre Run Road, Suite 250 – across County Line Road from the Westerville Community Center. The Ellie Mental offices feature nine therapy rooms for counselors, a playroom for children, and 10 full-time therapists – soon to be 12. Tele-health visits also are offered.

Ellie is a national franchise launched in Minnesota. Dave and Jyothi Cherry opened the Westerville location last year, and this week opened their second, in Worthington. It accepts a wide range of insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, and offers a sliding scale for the uninsured.

Ellie Mental is designed as a therapist-centric practice that takes care of its counselors – and focuses on finding the right counselor for each client. Through its Ellie Match program, “We insure you are connected to the appropriate therapist,” Dave Cherry said.

Whether you are struggling with anxiety, trauma, depression or other issues, the Ellie Match program is designed to match every client with, “the best therapist for them.”

“We match you with one you will really connect with, then you will have a good outcome” he said.

The Cherrys said their goal with staffing is to stay ahead of capacity. As of now, they have no waiting lists to see counselors. “We can usually get you in within a couple of days,” Dave Cherry said.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought a heightened attention to mental health, and huge demand for care left many practitioners themselves overwhelmed, unable to tend to their own self-care.

“It’s either a crisis now, or it’s always been a crisis. But we’re finally recognizing it,” Dave Cherry said. Ellie tries to provide a great place to work for those practitioners, offering flexibility, a good wage, a great facility, and strong back-office support. “A better experience for the therapist lets them meet demand,” he said.

The New Albany couple loves the focus of May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

“We want to make sure people are taking care of their mental health before it becomes a crisis … before it escalates,” Jyothi Cherry said. Counseling can “give people coping skills, to work through issues and avoid a crisis.”

The Ellie Mental Health offices are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, with additional hours by request. Reach them by calling (614) 705-2585 or filling out an online form here.

CAPTION (above photo): Dave and Jyothi Cherry at Ellie Mental Health, 450 Alkyre Run Road, Suite 250.