Pandemic forces some businesses to close but causes the Therapy Center to expand

Unlike a lot of businesses that have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Therapy Center is expanding because of it.

Of course, that means a lot more people are seeking mental health help these days.

“We’ve seen an influx of patients,” said pediatric psychologist James Vincent.

Within about a month of COVID-19 starting in earnest in the Wichita area, he said, “We started to hear . . . more anxiety-based issues kind of related to this.”

He and his Therapy Center partner, psychologist Brock McKay, have had the Therapy Center at 7807 E. Funston since 2005.

“We had been thinking about a west-side office, but I think the pandemic gave us the urgency to go ahead and do it,” Vincent said.

They purchased a 2,364-square-foot building at 6606 W. Central near Ridge Road and, like at their east-side office, can do telehealth appointments or in-person visits with a number of precautions.

“I think that there’s an underlying stress and tension and anxiety and that just makes everything worse for everyone,” Vincent said.

There are five therapists currently at the west office, and a sixth will join in November. There’s a capacity for eight therapists to work at the office.

On the east side, there are six therapists, and three more will be joining in the next three months.

With the new office, psychotherapist Jody Patterson became a partner in the business.

The Therapy Center has a lot of therapists with overlapping areas of practice, but there are a lot of varying specialties, too.

“We try to bring in different people who can kind of add a little bit to the mix,” Vincent said.

For instance, the center recently added a therapist who deals with geriatric issues.

Children and families are a big focus, especially with the pandemic, which Vincent calls disruptive on many levels.

“If the parents are anxious, the kids tend to pick that up and have more problems, too.”

Vincent said there are numerous issues related to school and children either returning to it or staying home.

“It’s hard for parents to be teachers and parents at the same time.”

Of course, it’s probably also hard to be a therapist personally going through a pandemic and also helping guide people through one.

Vincent said he doesn’t see it that way.

“It helps when you’re able to relate to kind of how they’re feeling. . . . Then you come off as being more genuine, and I think you can give more advice.”

This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 11:01 AM.