PetraPlace - A Message from the Founder

A Message from the Founder

The vision for PetraPlace began in my living room on January 20, 2007. I think this is no coincidence because we do a lot of living in there. It’s the place where we gather, where we celebrate, communicate and where relationships are made and strengthened. PetraPlace is also a place where people come to find their place again and revel in living the life, the abundant life, that is set before them.

I have known the need and the desperation of a broken heart, mind and spirit. I started PetraPlace to help people reclaim their lives, to reconcile losses and to find redemption. It takes very brave people to seek healing. It is a journey with an unknown outcome. What I wanted most was to offer a place where voices are heard and where hope can be found.

Since that first vision meeting we have grown and found a ‘living room’ at the office building at 888 Long Pond Road. We have begun our third year serving people who are hurting and wounded by the trials that come in life. We bring hope and light into the darkness of pain and despair. We help people find answers and most of all we find truth. In the many stories told there we celebrate the victories and successes that have come to so many.

Our mission and vision continues to grow and so does the need for our programs and services. I have felt a great responsibility to the courageous men and women who come to journey through the healing and growing process. When I returned to school to do my graduate work I came to recognize the barriers that exist which keep people from seeking help. Making our serves welcoming and accessible as well as educating our community about mental health has been a major focus. I couldn’t be prouder of the staff and board of directors who are working to move PetraPlace forward each and every day. They demonstrate their commitment to reach out to our community and show how very much we believe that people matter.

Everyone heals and grows differently yet everyone needs to give attention to each part of themselves. We provide and encourage a holistic approach to therapy which includes the body, mind, spirit and social environment. As we give attention to each of these parts and help them all work together in the process of both conventional and innovative therapies, there is evidence which proves the importance this approach. There is a return to, or in many cases, an introduction to what it means to be whole at our core. This is what sets us apart from many other agencies and what we have found to be foundational to the successful outcomes that we have seen through the live of those we serve.

It has been my privilege and joy to serve the many that have come to find hope at PetraPlace. When people are struggling and hurting, it is easy to just wall up and close the door to your heart and stop fully living. The goal at PetraPlace is to open that door, explore what life has to offer and find the healing needed to live abundantly and successfully. As one client recently said, “It’s like I can breathe again.” This comment makes what we do at PetraPlace all worthwhile.