Clinical Counseling Associates

06/02/2026

📢 Blog Alert! 💬💙
Take a few minutes today to read our latest blog:
"Communication with Partners"
Healthy relationships are built on communication, but even the strongest couples can struggle to express their needs, navigate conflict, or truly feel heard. 💛
In this blog, we explore the importance of open and honest communication with partners, common barriers that can create misunderstandings, and practical ways to strengthen connection, trust, and emotional intimacy. Whether you're navigating challenges or simply looking to deepen your relationship, small changes in communication can make a big difference. 🌿✨
🔗 Read it now on our website!
https://www.clinicalcounselingassociates.org/post/communication-with-partners

Communicating is hard! With so many methods of communication today, it seems so easy for a message to land sideways. Effective communication can be described as: Getting the idea out of my mind and into your mind with as little distortion as possible. Some things that distort and then derail effecti...

06/01/2026

🌈 We're Excited to Be Part of KC PrideFest 2026! 🌈
Clinical Counseling Associates is proud to support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community at KC PrideFest, June 5–7 at Theis Park. This year's theme, "It's All Ours," is a reminder that everyone deserves a place where they feel seen, valued, and supported. 💜
Our team will be there throughout the weekend to connect with the community, share resources, and celebrate the strength, resilience, and diversity that make our community so special.
Whether you're looking for support, information, or simply a friendly face, we’d love to meet you!
🏳️‍🌈 Join us as we celebrate pride, connection, and belonging.
🎟️ Learn more about KC PrideFest and get tickets at: https://bit.ly/KCPride26Tix
💛💜🌈

KC PrideFest 2026: Join us as we celebrate LGBTQ+ pride in Kansas City with a weekend of unity, visibility, and joy. Held June 5–7th at Theis Park, KC PrideFest features live music, local and national performers, food vendors, and family-friendly activities. We hope to see you there!

06/01/2026

At CCA, we proudly celebrate Pride Month and stand with the LGBTQIA+ community.
We believe every person deserves a safe, affirming, and supportive space to be fully themselves. Pride is a time to honor authenticity, resilience, self-expression, and community — not just this month, but every day.
Mental health care should always be inclusive, compassionate, and empowering. We are grateful to support and walk alongside our LGBTQIA+ clients, families, friends, and community members.
Happy Pride Month from all of us at CCA! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

05/31/2026

🚒🔥 On May 15, 2026, Clinical Counseling Associates' Lead First Responder & Military Therapist, Eric Hansen, and CEO Sheena Kirkendoll had the privilege of facilitating Integrating First Responder & Military Culture into Clinical Practice: Part #2 – Firefighters & Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
The day was packed with education, discussion, hands-on learning, and interactive activities designed to help clinicians better understand the culture, demands, and realities of working with firefighters and EMS professionals. To create a truly immersive experience, we transformed portions of the training to mirror life at a fire station. Participants responded to simulated fire bell activations, geared up in actual firefighting equipment, and completed drills to experience firsthand some of the physical and mental demands firefighters face on the job. These experiential activities provided valuable insight that simply cannot be gained from a textbook or lecture alone.
🚒 A special thank you to the Independence Fire Department for generously loaning us firefighting gear and equipment, helping make this experience possible.
We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our incredible guest speakers and contributors:
🚑 Roger Lippert with FRST Midwest and Leslie Lippert, instructor at JCCC, for sharing their extensive knowledge and experience related to EMS culture and emergency services.
🚒 Maureen Fell for courageously sharing her personal experiences and providing an authentic perspective on life in the fire service.
👮 Heather Massey with the Liberty Police Department and FRST Midwest for assisting with interactive role-play scenarios and helping clinicians apply what they learned in realistic situations.
At CCA, we believe that cultural competency goes beyond reading about a profession. It requires understanding the unique experiences, language, values, stressors, and realities of the populations we serve. We are proud to continue investing in specialized training that helps clinicians provide more effective and informed care to first responders, military personnel, veterans, and their families. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this training such a success. We are already looking forward to the next installment of the series!
Independence Fire Department

05/28/2026

🌸💜 International Day for Women’s Health is a reminder that every woman deserves access to safe, equitable, and respectful care. 👩‍⚕️
Taking care of yourself can look like rest, setting boundaries, seeking support, or simply checking in with how you’re really doing. 🧠💛 However it looks for you, your health and well-being matter. ✨
Today is about awareness, advocacy, and supporting a future where all women can access the care they need to live healthy, empowered, and full lives. 🤝💖

05/25/2026

🇺🇸🕊️ Memorial Day is a time to honor and remember the service members who lost their lives in service to our country. 🎖️💙
We hold space for their sacrifice, and for the families and loved ones who carry that loss. 🤍🌿
May their courage and memory never be forgotten. 🕯️

05/24/2026

🧠💙 Schizophrenia is often misunderstood, and harmful stereotypes can create barriers to care, compassion, and connection. In reality, people living with schizophrenia are individuals with unique strengths, relationships, talents, and goals. 🌿✨
Symptoms can vary widely and may include changes in perception, thinking, or emotional expression — but these experiences do not define a person’s identity, worth, or potential. 💛 With the right support, treatment, and understanding, many people living with schizophrenia build meaningful lives, maintain relationships, and pursue their personal goals. 🤝🌎
Reducing stigma starts with how we talk about mental health. 🗣️💚 Listening, learning, and approaching others with empathy can make a powerful difference in creating more inclusive, informed, and supportive communities. Every person deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to be seen beyond a diagnosis. 🌸

05/22/2026

Meet CCA Therapist – Lorianne Plummer! 🎉💙
Lorianne is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 20 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges with compassion, insight, and evidence-based care. She earned her Master of Social Work degree from East Carolina University and is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), currently working toward EMDR certification.
Lorianne specializes in supporting individuals through grief and loss, divorce and relationship concerns, anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, chronic illness, life and health transitions, family dynamics, adolescent needs, and military/first responder experiences. As a former Army spouse to a combat veteran, she brings firsthand understanding of the unique challenges military families and first responders may face.
Lorianne believes healing happens through understanding your story. She utilizes approaches including EMDR, ACT, CBT, DBT, IFS, SFBT, trauma-focused therapy, and narrative therapy to help clients build insight, strengthen boundaries, process emotions, and create meaningful change in a safe and welcoming environment.
When she’s not working, Lorianne enjoys spending time with her adult children, laughing out loud, writing, cooking, camping in the WigWam, hiking, traveling, sharing her faith, and spending time with her puppy, Duncan 🐶⛺✨
📞 Looking to schedule an appointment with Lorianne?
We’re here to help! 💙 Visit www.clinicalcounselingassociates.org and fill out the contact form or give us a call at 816-781-8550 to get started.

05/20/2026

💜 Today on National Trauma Survivors Day, we want to acknowledge the immense courage it takes to walk into a therapy room and begin the work of healing. 🌿🕊️
At our practice, we recognize that trauma can show up in many ways — in the body, in relationships, and in how safe the world feels. 🧠💛 There is no “right” timeline and no single path forward. Healing is deeply personal. Our role is to offer a space that is consistent, collaborative, compassionate, and grounded in respect for each person’s story. 🤝✨
To those we work with, and to those considering reaching out: you deserve support that honors your pace, your voice, and your lived experience. ❤️ Your healing matters, and you do not have to navigate it alone. 🌸

05/18/2026

🚑💙 EMS Appreciation Week | May 17–23, 2026 💙🚑
This week, Clinical Counseling Associates honors the incredible EMS professionals who show up every day in moments of crisis, uncertainty, and need. 🚨 Your strength, quick thinking, and compassion save lives—and make a lasting difference in our communities. ❤️
While you care for others, it’s just as important to care for yourselves. 🧠💚 The emotional impact of this work can add up over time, and prioritizing your mental health is not a luxury—it’s essential.
🩺 Mental Health Reminders for EMS Professionals:
• It’s okay to not be okay after difficult calls 💙
• Talk it out—peer support and counseling can make a difference 🗣️🤝
• Watch for signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress ⚠️
• Rest and recovery are part of doing the job well 😴🛌
• Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness 💪
You don’t have to carry it all alone. Support is available, and you deserve it. 🌟
To all EMS providers: thank you for your courage, resilience, and dedication. We see you, we value you, and we appreciate you. 🚑❤️
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