VIDEO COMING SOON
MATT'S STORY
Our founder and director, Heather Freeman, was motivated to start this program after watching her own loved ones struggle.
Meet Heather's brother-in-law, Matt. In 2018 he left us in a car accident on his way to bring others into a recovery center, but his life was full. His smile and laugh contagious. Matt was larger than life. He never did anything halfway and never knew a stranger. Matt had a charisma that was unmatched, but he also struggled with addiction during periods of his life. Being 13 years younger, seeing him as a big brother, Heather saw the impact it had on his life and relationships. When she was a teenager, there were a lot of "what if" questions she asked herself as he struggled.
What if someone had been able to see his need for help before it escalated to addiction? What if he had found help sooner? What type of man could he have been without these struggles. These questions motivated her through her middle school, high school, and grad school career, leading her to seek out a position working with high-risk clients as a licensed professional counselor.
Matt found sobriety and was an avid fighter to help bring others to find the freedom he had found. Matt's story may have ignited the fire that would become Awaken360, but the countless stories of struggling and hurting people since then have stoked the flames that keep the team at Awaken going strong.
Heather Freeman, M.A., LPC, CSTS, CCTP
Founder & Executive Director, Counselor
Accepting Medicaid, Healthy Blue, United Healthcare Community Plan, Home State Health, Commercial Insurances, and Self Pay.
Heather began her work with at-risk youth and their families at a residential treatment center where she worked for almost ten years treating clients with trauma and abuse backgrounds, self mutilating behaviors, depression, suicide, anxiety, aggression, hallucinations (audio and visual) and parent-child interactions. She coordinated with military personnel (NCIS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on sex trafficking cases, specialized in safety and reintegration assessments for sexual maladaptive behaviors and predatory behavior clients, facilitated anger management groups and de-escalation interventions training for direct-care staff, as well as implement a self-developed cognitive behavior therapy intervention. She holds a Master or Arts in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor or Science in Clinical Psychology and Child and Family Development. She is a Certified Shame-Informed Treatment Specialist (CSTS), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and is a Missouri Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Her passion of helping people unlock their God-given gifts to find and seek the purpose interwoven in their lives began when she was just 12 years old witnessing the struggles of loved ones who battled life-controlling adversities with minimal community resources. It was then that she dedicated her life to meeting the needs of her neighbors so that together as a community we can restore hope and empower families.
She is also the author of Waging War: A Christian’s Cognitive Behavioral Health Workbook, the program workbook for Awaken360; the word of God forming the basis of a cognitive behavioral approach to victory in your life and over darkness made available to all. She is also the co-author of 13 Reasons to Live, a book about the choice of life or death in a suicidal mind.
Sara Iverson, LPC
EMDR, DBT, CBT
Counselor
Accepting most major insurances, Missouri Medicaid, Self Pay, and offers sliding scale fees.
Sara has been a therapist and presenter for the past 18 years. She has worked in multiple settings including school based prevention programs, inpatient and outpatient substance abuse clinics, with individuals and groups. She has worked with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. Her past includes crisis training, first responder care and trauma, and individuals in full time ministry. She is EMDR trained. Areas of expertise include physical and sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, ADHD, mental illness of a family member, adult children of alcoholics, stress management. As a LMHC (licensed mental health counselor) and LPC (licensed professional counselor), and a Certified Clinical Trauma Provider (CCTP), Sara’s heart is for people to work through the hard things that “keep them stuck,” and to find new life and hope they were always meant to have!
Hosea Jones, MS,CIT
Accepting Self Pay, offering sliding scale fees.
As counselor, I believe in taking a holistic approach for a complete wholeness of mind, body, and soul. I approach the tension and struggles of life through an integrated approach, understanding that one's mind, body, and spirit is impacted, but all are routes through which we can find wholeness and healing. I utilize a treatment approach using Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). As a counselor, I believe in the power of one's story. It is through the narrative arc of our life that we establish meaning, thoughts, and beliefs about ourselves, others and the world around us. I have worked with adolescents, adults, and couples, assisting them in navigating the tensions of life. I have walked with my clients through physical and sexual abuse trauma, intense relational conflicts, depression, anxiety, and spiritual abuse. Doubts, fears, conflicts, tension, and suffering are universal human experiences. With proper tools, a new perspective, and supports from those who care, we can move towards healing and wholeness in life. My hope is that you would find that you are not alone. Connection and care are foundational in moving through life. I look forward to partnering with you as we navigate the story of your life, whatever part you may be presently, and journey towards your wholeness. My hope is that as we work together, you would experience a life full of joy, peace, and delight-a life that you have dreamed of living. Let's take one step closer, together, towards that life.
Cale Merkley, MSW,
LCSW
Accepting Most Major Insurances, Self Pay, offering sliding scale fees.
Cale recently moved into the area from Spokane Valley, WA where he worked extensively providing crisis management services, clinical and therapeutic interventions for individuals and couples/marriage counseling. Cale enjoys working with adults and adolescents from all walks of life to find sobriety in their addictions, hope in their grief, and help in their struggle. Through his diverse background working with clients of differing backgrounds and struggles, Cale brings an expertise to the session that supports clients through an individualized treatment plan that is tailored to their particular goals. Cale is passionate about seeing people set free as he supports their journey through a steadfast encouragement.