When someone suffers a personal trauma and cannot cope with the situation, they may not know where to turn for help.

Since administrators at The Center for Counseling & Consultation understand this dilemma, they now offer a new option for people in crisis.

Laura Patzner, a Great Bend native, is filling the new position of crisis case manager at The Center, a non-profit agency at 5815 Broadway.

“My priority every day is to help folks in crisis,” Patzner said. “I can help people identify their strengths, learn coping strategies and find their center. This enables them to engage or re-engage with their therapists and case managers.

“I am here for current and potential clients at The Center where I work in consultation with my colleagues.”

A crisis can include anything that disrupts somebody’s ability to cope. For example, it could relate to the death of a loved one, a serious injury or illness, or any other traumatic event.

Coping skills and their benefits include:

· Deep breathing calms the person and reduces the flight response;

· Grounding techniques bring the focus back to the present; and

· Striking the “warrior pose” demonstrates strength and confidence.

“These techniques and others are part of what is usually a short-term intervention that gives someone the ability to move forward,” Patzner explained. “I will use anything at my disposal that is evidence-based to support someone in crisis.”

Patzner’s goals include providing services as efficiently as possible and “engaging with community partners to understand how we can support one another.”

One of the main reasons she is glad to join The Center is the expansion of its services in the past couple of years. This expansion has led to full licensure as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).

A CCBHC provides integrated, client-centered care; it is a multi-disciplinary program.

“This demonstrates The Center is focused on the whole person,” Patzner explained. “A CCBHC offers many therapies, as well as guidance with housing, employment, veterans’ issues and medication-assisted treatment. It is really gratifying to be part of this great team.”

Patzner has a varied background that includes training in many areas such as trauma response, criminal-justice response, community advocacy, prevention strategies and organizational leadership.

After earning a Barton Community College associate’s degree in liberal studies later this year, Patzner will begin a three-year program in January at Fort Hays State University for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work.

Her goals are to secure a license to counsel people with substance-use disorder and ultimately become a licensed clinical social worker, with a focus on crisis therapy.

“Continuing education is just part of my life, part of my journey,” commented Patzner, a 1984 Great Bend High School graduate.

Her professional background includes 10 years as executive director of the Family Crisis Center, one-stop operator at Kansas WorkforceONE and program director at Safehope in Newton.

Patzner also is part of the Central Kansas Critical Incident Team, which includes first responders, clinicians and interventionists who support people after a traumatic event.

Julie Kramp, The Center’s executive director, said the new position of crisis case manager “provides the flexibility to respond to needs throughout the day. While all our case managers can assist with a crisis, they are typically seeing clients during the workday and may not be able to respond as quickly as we would like.

“Laura has a calming demeanor, tons of experience and is adept at helping individuals work through situations toward a positive outcome,” Kramp added. “She is a great collaborator and works well with a treatment team to address crisis situations and follow up on them. I don’t think you could have a conversation with Laura and not walk away feeling better.”

The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.