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Mental health is not just for people in critical situations, and that’s why Kristy Yetman and spouse Desmond Smith of Landmark Counselling want to share with their community.
This month marks the launch of Landmark Learning Sessions, a series of free monthly workshops on topics related to mental health, which the couple will host at their Bay Roberts practice.
“It’s one of the ways we’re giving back to the community,” said Yetman.
The 90-minute, lecture-style workshops deal with various aspects of mental health. Yetman and Smith will facilitate the first three sessions, and invited special guests to present in the future.
From North Carolina to Newfoundland
Both Yetman and Smith were born and raised in Newfoundland, but their counselling careers began in Charlotte, N.C.
Kristy launched Yetman Counseling Services in 2016, and Smith joined the practice in 2017. In 2024, they moved back to Canada.
Yetman now holds a certified Canadian counsellor designation and Smith is a registered marriage and family therapist.
The decision to move home, they said, was motivated primarily by a desire to be closer to family, but it was accelerated by the changing political landscape south of the border.
“Jan. 6 flipped the switch,” said Smith. “I said by the time the next election rolls around, we’ll be out of here.”
New life in the ‘old Merle Norman building’
When the pair launched Landmark Counselling in April, they started with just the building at 15 L.T. Stick Dr. in Bay Roberts — also known locally as the “old Merle Norman building.”
Inside, they created a warm, inviting space filled with artwork and photography from around the province.
“Before we did any kind of marketing or any kind of outreach to the community, we put up a sign that had our name and our website,” said Smith. “It was amazing how quickly people saw it and started to reach out.”
Yetman said that made the duo realize there’s a need for counselling “around the bay.”
“There’s a lot of access in town, but around the bay it’s more limited,” she said.
Smith said there was an assumption that it would take a long time for people to get an appointment. But where the practice was brand new, they were able to see new clients quickly
“I think it speaks to the need in the community, that they saw the sign and immediately felt they needed to reach out,” he said.
Mental health care is for everyone
In addition to giving back to the community, Smith and Yetman hope the new monthly sessions will be a means of broadening the public’s understanding of mental health care. They said clients often come with inaccurate expectations.
What are some common misconceptions? Smith said he often has clients asking to be told what to do.
“I can tell you what to do, but it would be defeating the whole purpose,” he said.
“It’s about finding the answers and meaning and process that’s going to work best for you.”
It was amazing how quickly people saw it and started to reach out.– Desmond Smith
Yetman said clients often have difficulty talking to a therapist about a loved one who caused some harm.
“It’s hard for them to talk about it because they don’t want me to think ill of them,” she said.
“I always tell them, it can be both. It can be that this person or group of people may love you and have wanted the best for you but made some mistakes that were hurtful.”
In the big picture, their goal as counsellors is to help people understand that mental health care is not just for people in crisis.
“People will come in with some level of shame, thinking only people who are really ‘crazy’ or ‘messed up’ need to come to therapy,” said Smith.
“It’s important to know that you can treat it the same way that you would treat going to the gym. It’s about working on your strengths and developing new skills as much as it is healing or recovering from a past hurt.”
The first Landmark Learning Sessions workshop — communication for couples — takes place on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. NT.
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