STACI HOOVER

My Story

Connecting with people has been central in my life since childhood. 

Growing up, I babysat and nannied and this fostered my appreciation of children and awe of their non-stop development and curiosity about this world. I then worked in a preschool for children with special needs and this opened my eyes to the challenges and the resiliency inherent in children with differing abilities. I found myself drawn to caring for children on the Autism spectrum and was trained in different behavioral approaches to meet the unique needs of these kids. These experiences also afforded me a candid view of the way families are impacted by having a child with special needs and highlighted how integral it is for them to recieve support, advocacy and respect. 

While working as an inpatient therapist for kids and teens affected by mental illness and/or experiencing crisis, I made family sessions a priority, being sure to provide language, tools and education for adult and child family members alike. This role also highlighted the importance of including teachers, outpatient therapists - sometimes even best friends - in the treatment plan so that the child or teen would be supported in all areas when they returned home.  This collaborative 

approach blossomed into  extensive family work, couples therapy, providing psycho-educational workshops, and support groups, when I was employed by a community-based mental health clinic. This  person in context  perspective continues to inform the way I practice therapy today. 

Throughout this journey, my own physical health was an ever-changing variable. Navigating this experience was pivotal for me; As I shared my symptoms and concerns with my doctors, they'd share bits of other patient's stories with me, and it quickly became apparent that we, the folks impacted by these chronic illnesses, share more than our diagnoses: We need to share the stories we have lived. We need to know those stories don’t end with our diagnosis. We need to feel empowered to write our next chapter. 

I feel perpetual gratitude for the intersection of paths that I have traveled thus far - both the ones I have chosen and the ones I have not, because they have led me to create this therapy practice. In this place, I have the privilege of serving as a resource and  support for folks as they live their own unique stories. I love this work and I believe in the resiliency of people. I bring this passion and confidence in our capacity for healing to every session, and I continue to be challenged, humbled and inspired by the stories folks share with me. 

I appreciate you taking the time to read through mine.