A South Florida nurse is trading scrubs for storybooks to help children and families confront emotional trauma and spark conversations about mental health, starting one page at a time.
Breaking the stigma early
Michelle Valcourt, a mom and registered nurse, began her career treating children deeply scarred by trauma. Now, she uses research and techniques learned from that experience to attack one of the biggest challenges facing mental health care advocates.
“Parents have a very hard time recognizing that their child might need that kind of help,” Susan Holtzman, President and CEO of NAMI Miami-Dade County, said. “It’s an uncomfortable recognition for a lot of people.”
The stigma attached to seeking mental health care is close to Valcourt’s heart…