Nice to meet you.

I'm a mom of two extraordinary kids, and two canine buddies. I have a Masters in Psychology (MFT) and a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, with a therapeutic background focusing on children, adolescents and young adults, some adjudicated. This clinical  understanding is invaluable to identify underlying issues causing problematic behavior and complex mental health issues, and recognize programs that are providing high-quality care.

My commitment to this work is evident by my dedication. I travel every month visiting field sites and program campuses, conferring with programs and colleagues. I attend subject-matter conferences all over the country assuring I stay on the leading edge of the treatment field. 

I am drawn to this work because I've been where you are right now. My eldest child stepped off an otherwise conventionally successful path mid-high school, to one fraught with mental illness, depression, anxiety, self-harm and substance abuse. It was a time that profoundly changed me and my family. I started Journey to Better to lend an empathetic hand to other families as they navigate this difficult process.

To be honest, I am a better and stronger person for having had this experience, as unimaginable as that might sound to you at this moment. I can help your family, too. 
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​I truly love the work I do.

Be well,
Talley

This is me, ziplining across the Costa Rican rainforest with my child.

My family - separate, yet connected.

Things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy. - Pema Chödrön

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We were lost, frustrated and deeply concerned about our son when we first met Talley.  We’d been met with closed doors and plenty of “professionals”  who didn’t have time, offered their narrow perspective and then politely told us to go talk to someone else.  Talley changed everything for us.  We finally had someone who knew the challenges, understood our fear and frustration and gave us a path forward.”

U.S.

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​parent of young adult

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Talley is extremely educated around the facilities and different therapy programs.  She helps to match up the needs of the student to the program, making it a good fit for both parties.  She speaks the language and made sure that my child received the appropriate level of care, even working to bridge the care gap that could have happened when we needed to change programs.  Her expertise and assistance literally has saved us from not having a single option, and our child's needs being overlooked, to now having several professionals invested in their care."

T.N.

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parent

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I can't help but think you have gone above and beyond (wayyyy beyond) the call of duty in this case.  I can't help but think you have stepped up and really shown up for this kid,  because you are driven by something much deeper than "the job".  I will always be so grateful for finding you.  I don't know how I would have navigated any of this without you."

H.S.

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parent

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