Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP 294: Bridging the Gap: Dr. Kayla's Mission to Transform Mental Health Care

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Dr. Kayla Smith with Helen’s Project a good neighbor?

What happens when a college assignment turns into a mission to revolutionize mental health care? Dr. Kayla shares the inspiring journey behind Helen’s Project, a mental health clinic dedicated to breaking down barriers to quality, affordable care.

Founded after a chance encounter with a stranger in a park who highlighted gaps in support services, Helen’s Project started with case management and quickly grew into a full-service clinic. Dr. Kayla’s vision is clear: no one should have to choose between paying bills and getting mental health support. Accessibility and affordability are at the heart of their work.

Dr. Kayla also tackles common myths around mental health, reminding us that while friends are important, “your friend is your friend and they should stay your friend.” Helen’s Project welcomes clients from all walks of life, especially those ready for change and guidance through life’s transitions.

Beyond her work, Dr. Kayla’s unique interests—from cult documentaries to learning to drive a tractor—reflect the warm, approachable care Helen’s Project provides.

Ready to prioritize your mental health with a team that truly cares? Visit helensproject.org to learn more about their services, story, and supportive team ready to walk alongside you.

To learn more about Helen’s Project, go to: 🌐 helensproject.org

Helen’s Project
📞 830-400-7037
 

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a virtual wellness clinic? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Dr Kayla, with Helen's Project. Dr Kayla, how are you today?

Speaker 3:

Doing well. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2:

Great. Well, we're so excited to have you on today and our listeners are so excited to learn all about you and your business. Can you get started by telling us a little bit about your company?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so we are Helen's Project. We are an all-encompassing mental health clinic, so our goal is to be a one-stop place where you can come for all types of therapy, no matter the age, and if you need medication management, we are able to accommodate that as well. So we just want to make mental health accessible and affordable to everybody.

Speaker 2:

Wow. So, dr Kayla, how did you originally get started with this business?

Speaker 3:

Funny story. It was an assignment in college. I had a really amazing professor who told us to go find a problem in the community and fix it and I was like I don't know, I'm going to fail this class. Just go ahead and fail me. I can't do it. But I actually was sitting in a park and really upset, and this gentleman came up to me and he was just like why are you upset, why are you mad? And I was like I'm not mad.

Speaker 3:

I'm scared, I'm a fail school. So I started telling him about this assignment. He was like Well, come with me, come with me. I'm going to tell you now. I don't advise people to follow random strangers at a park Very bad idea. But I did it anyway and, luckily enough, he just kind of introduced me to a different world of support services and, like the gaps in services, where it's you have people from the military who leave and are expecting so much support, expecting so much. You know just everything to be easy to navigate and it wasn't so much. You know just everything to be easy to navigate and it wasn't. So we started off with case management services where we focused on, like I said, filling the gap, and the best way I explain it is think about when you go to the emergency room and when you're checking out of the emergency room they give you a packet and they're like okay, here you go.

Speaker 3:

This is what's wrong with you. Follow up with these different resources or these different people. But if I don't have a phone, how am I going to call? If I don't have a computer, how can I look it up? If I don't have a car, how can I get to the appointment? So our role was to fill those gaps and then, in time, as like, we've grown and as we've changed, as we've adapted, we found that mental health is not prioritized the way that it should be, and so making it affordable and accessible became our primary mission, our primary goal, our primary everything. Because, if you think about it, when a budget needs to be made or finances need to be changed, one of the first things you're going to go through is oh well, let's get rid of therapy, I can't afford that. So if we can make it accessible and affordable, then you don't have to pick and choose between a household bill and your mental health. So that's how we got here.

Speaker 2:

Most definitely, I agree with you. Now that you're here, what is the most common myth or misconception you typically come across in your industry today?

Speaker 3:

In my industry. I would say that it is not. Mental health is not needed, or it's not important, or one of like the most controversial things that I always hear is like well, I just talked to my friend. My friend is my therapist.

Speaker 1:

No, your friend is not your therapist.

Speaker 3:

Your friend is your friend and they should stay your friend. So that's one of the biggest myths that I see, and we try to combat that as often as we can.

Speaker 2:

Now, Dr Kayla, we know marketing is the heart of every business. How do you currently market your business and who are your potential clients?

Speaker 3:

Yes, we are on Instagram, we have psychology. Today we're on ZocDoc, so we try to make sure that we are in every place that you would even think about. Hey, I want to find a therapist. Where should I look first? Or even on Google, because some people go to Google first. There's not like a specific, like mold or anything like that, because we really encourage people to come as they are. But if you're ready for something different, if you're tired of the same routine day after day after day, and you're ready for some type of change, then give us a call and let us be a part of that change. Let us help you navigate through that. That is, honestly, the best way I can describe an ideal person for us.

Speaker 2:

And have you ever thought of having your own podcast, Actually?

Speaker 3:

yes, I have. If you talk to our marketing department, I just kind of spit ideas at her all the time and I was like what if I did a podcast? And it was like a tea with your therapist or something like that and we just kind of like gossiped and went through funny stories or whatever. Haven't done it, but it's definitely an idea.

Speaker 2:

Now, Dr Kayla, outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 3:

I love documentaries, especially a good one about a cult you know, I don't know why and building things and just kind of do it, getting my hands dirty, Like I always tell you. Before we hopped on I got a tractor, I don't know why but I got a tractor, so I've been learning how to drive a tractor and use it. That's my goal right now.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's funny. Now please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about Helen's project.

Speaker 3:

If you remember anything, remember affordable and accessible, that's it.

Speaker 2:

Remember the two A's, not AA, but affordable and accessible, because that's what we truly aim to be and where can our listeners go out of all the amazing platforms you listed to learn more about Helen's Project?

Speaker 3:

Honestly, our website is the best place helensprojectorg. You'll learn our story. You'll learn about how we got the name Helens, You'll learn about me and all the things I don't talk about, our amazing team and staff that's all here to support you and you'll find a really great network to be able to help you through whatever life is going through.

Speaker 2:

Well, dr Kayla, it really has been a pleasure having you on the show today, and we wish you and your business the best.

Speaker 3:

Thank you so much. Have a good day.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the good neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses, go to GNPFriscocom. That's GNPFriscocom, or call 469-221-9345.