VALDOSTA — Clarissa Alderman, owner of Family Insight, has worked with adults and children in South Georgia to provide specialized counseling for trauma experiences for more than 20 years.

As a school counselor, Alderman said she wanted to offer additional services to the minority families in her service area. In 2007, she began Family Insight as a mobile counseling agency. Following the death of her mother in 2017, she left the school system for private practice, full time.

Family Insight, LLC is an outpatient counseling agency in South Georgia, which serves clients in the Macon, Tallahassee, Douglas and Savannah areas. Clients travel to Valdosta-Lowndes County for the specialized play therapy services.

Counseling services include individual, couples and family therapy using expressive therapeutic models of art, play and music.

“Counseling is subject to societal stigma and is often viewed as a social problem. Individuals with emotional needs are more prevalent in rural communities where limited services and support are available to support them,” Alderman said.

“My vision is to start a grassroots collaborative effort across professional disciplines (LMFT, LPC and LCSW) to counsel and offer therapy to more individuals and target lower social-economic populations in unrepresented counties throughout South Georgia.”

According to the National Traumatic Stress Network, “trauma occurs when a child or youth experiences an intense event or events that threatens or causes harm to his or her emotional and physical well-being.”

Family Insight serves youth in school, home, group home and the community. Parents have successfully reunited with their children due to the counseling services received at Family Insight, Alderman said.

Since its creation, Family Insight has worked with the Department of Family and Children Services, child placement partnerships and agencies, service to more than 213 families through psychological evaluations, and over 457 families served through play therapy in 2022.

In addition, Alderman has two published children books, which she has donated more than 500 copies to local schools in the last year. As well as, winner of a philanthropic award for her contributions to schools, organizations and programs.

Alderman said she continues to work with the community, school systems, and organizations to create avenues for children and families to thrive by providing youth mentorship and additional opportunities for mental health awareness.

“A lot of misdiagnosed individuals exist within African American culture. Mental health impacts over 56% of our youth and middle age individuals but what should they do, where can they go get help, does help look like them?” Alderman said.

“Consumers need to understand mental health as a disorder. More awareness to normalizing going to get help before feeling overwhelmed, depressed or suicidal thoughts occur.”

For more information on Family Insight, email familyinsight2011@gmail.com, call (229) 588-4291 or visit 3971 Inner Perimeter Road, Suite C.