18 Years of The Vine: What You Don’t See Behind the Scenes

18 years.

That’s a lot of therapy sessions.

A lot of coffee.

A lot of paperwork.

A lot of laughter, tears, hard conversations, growth, learning, changing, adapting—and more than a few moments of wondering, “How are we going to figure this one out?”

This year, The Vine Wellness Group is celebrating its 18th anniversary, and while we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, we thought it would be more fun to tell you a little about what you don’t see behind the scenes.

Because a counseling practice is about much more than what happens when a client walks through the office door.

It Started With a Vision

When The Vine began 18 years ago, we didn’t have a crystal ball telling us where this journey would lead.

We simply had a vision for providing thoughtful, high-quality counseling while creating a practice where people could receive help without feeling like just another appointment on a schedule.

Over the years, that vision has grown—but the heart of it hasn't changed.

We still believe that people deserve to be understood in the context of their relationships, their families, their experiences and their communities.

And sometimes, that means looking beyond the presenting problem to ask a bigger question:

“What is really happening here?”

One of Our Best-Kept Secrets: We Don’t Just Match You With the First Available Therapist

Something many people don't realize is how much thought can go into determining which therapist is the right fit.

At The Vine, we’ve learned over the years that “available” doesn’t always mean “appropriate.”

Different therapists bring different areas of training, experience, personalities and approaches.

That's especially important when working with couples and families, where there can be multiple layers of individual and relational dynamics involved.

For couples seeking services, owner Annie Viers conducts an Assessment of Services to better understand both the individual and relational concerns affecting the relationship, including important family-of-origin influences.

For minors, owner Brittany Christiansen conducts an Assessment of Services with both parents. This allows us to look beyond the child’s presenting concerns and understand the larger family system, including relationships and significant events affecting the family.

In other words, sometimes the first appointment isn't about immediately solving the problem.

It's about figuring out what the problem actually is—and who is best equipped to help.

There Is A LOT Happening 18 Years Behind the Scenes

When you see a therapist for a 50-minute session, it can look pretty simple.

You show up.

You talk.

Your therapist listens.

You leave.

But behind that 50-minute conversation is often a surprising amount of work.

There are treatment plans to develop, progress to monitor, resources to research, consultations to have, documentation to complete, referrals to coordinate, schedules to manage and continuing education to attend.

And then there is the part clients rarely see:

the conversations therapists have with one another.

Good therapists don't work in isolation.

We talk about clinical questions. We consult with one another. We share resources. We challenge our thinking. We celebrate client progress.

And sometimes we simply ask each other:

“Have you ever seen a situation like this before?”

After 18 years, we’ve learned that one of the greatest strengths of a practice isn't having all the answers.

It's having a team that knows how to keep asking good questions.

We've Learned That Families Are Complicated

One of the biggest lessons we've learned over the years?

There is rarely just one person involved in the problem.

When one family member is struggling, the entire family system can be affected.

When a child is struggling, parents may be overwhelmed.

When a couple is struggling, individual histories and family-of-origin experiences may be influencing the relationship.

When one person changes, everyone else may have to adjust.

That's why our work often involves looking at the bigger picture.

Not just:

“What's wrong with you?”

But:

“What's happening between you?”

And:

“What has happened around you?”

Those questions can lead to a much more meaningful understanding of what a person or family actually needs.

We've Seen Mental Health Become Part of Everyday Conversation

One of the most rewarding changes we've witnessed over 18 years is the growing willingness of people to talk about mental health.

When we started, there was still considerable stigma around counseling.

Today, more people are recognizing that therapy isn't only for people who are in crisis.

People come to counseling because they want to communicate better.

They want to become better parents.

They want to understand themselves.

They want to repair relationships.

They want to prepare for marriage.

They want to navigate grief.

They want to stop repeating patterns they've carried for years.

They want to feel like themselves again.

And sometimes, they simply know:

“Something isn't working, and I don't want to keep doing it this way.”

We consider that awareness a strength—not a weakness.

We’ve Had Our Share of “Well, That Didn’t Go According to Plan” Moments

Eighteen years in business has taught us something else:

You can have a plan. Life will have a different plan.

We've navigated changes in technology, changes in the mental health field, changes in insurance, changes in how people access services, staffing changes, growth, unexpected challenges and a global pandemic.

We've learned to adapt. To Pivot.

We've learned that sometimes the best decision is to slow down.

Sometimes it's to change direction.

Sometimes it's to try something completely different.

And sometimes it's to laugh, take a breath and say:

“Okay. What's next?”

The Name “Vine” Means More Than You Might Think

A vine is a pretty fitting metaphor for what we believe about people.

If we are not rooted in something, we wander, we can get lost.

We may not see the fruits of our labor.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

We are shaped by our faith, relationships, our families, our experiences and the communities around us.

We believe healthy growth often happens when people have the right support around them.

That's part of the heart behind The Vine.

18 Years Later, We're Still Learning

After 18 years in clinical practice, we don't believe that reaching this milestone means we've “figured it all out.”

Quite the opposite.

The longer we do this work, the more we appreciate how complex people are.

We continue to learn from our clients.

We continue to learn from research.

We continue to learn from one another.

And we continue to believe that every person, couple and family deserves to be treated with curiosity, compassion and respect.

And Then There’s You

The truth is, a counseling practice doesn't make it to 18 years because of a logo, an office or a business plan.

It makes it because people trust you.

Clients trust us with their stories.

Parents trust us with their children.

Couples trust us with vulnerable parts of their relationships.

Other professionals trust us enough to send people our way.

Churches, schools and community organizations have trusted us to support the people they serve.

That trust is something we don't take lightly.

So as we celebrate 18 years of The Vine Wellness Group, we're not just celebrating a business anniversary.

We're celebrating 18 years of relationships.

18 years of people taking brave steps toward change.

18 years of families working toward healthier relationships.

18 years of couples learning to communicate, reconnect and understand one another.

18 years of therapists growing alongside their clients.

And 18 years of being reminded that meaningful change doesn't happen overnight.

It happens one conversation, one relationship and one small step at a time.

Here's to 18 years.

To where we've been.

To what we've learned.

To the people who have trusted us along the way.

And to wherever the next season takes us.

Thank you for growing with The Vine.

— Annie and Brittany, Owners of The Vine Wellness Group