Growing to Meet the Community’s Mental Health Needs

For many years, the Tahoe Family Solutions (TFS) mental health team has worked within limited office space, making it difficult to keep pace with the growing need for counseling services in the North Lake Tahoe community. 

That changed this month when we moved our entire mental health program into a dedicated counseling center less than a mile from our main office on Incline Way. The new location features a welcoming reception area, private offices for every clinician, and a dedicated play therapy room designed specifically for children.

Tahoe Family Solutions was founded in 1991 with the primary goal of providing mental health services to the community. As additional needs emerged, we expanded our programs to support children, families, and individuals in new ways while remaining committed to that mission. Today, we serve approximately 200 mental health clients each year, and demand for counseling and related services continues to grow.

The expanded facility is more than a new address. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to making quality mental health care more accessible, comfortable, and effective for everyone who walks through our doors.

Creating a Safe, Consistent Space for Healing

One of the biggest benefits of the new office is consistency.

Previously, therapists often had to share space, which meant clients might meet in a different office from one appointment to the next. Now, each therapist has a dedicated office where clients know exactly where they’ll be every visit.

Katie O’Hara, MA, LCPC, who serves as a mental health therapist and clinical manager for  Tahoe Family Solutions, while maintaining her private practice, works with adults, couples, teens, and children. She believes the new location will create a more welcoming, consistent experience for both clients and clinicians.

“This way everyone gets their own space and our clients know where they’ll be every time,” O’Hara said. “There’s something about consistency that I think makes clients feel safe. They’ll be able to look forward to being in the same room every time they meet with their therapist.”

Each office has been designed to feel warm and welcoming, with comfortable furniture, sensory tools, and personal touches.

“Even something as small as having a couch and little fidgets can make a difference,” she said.

The new play therapy room gives younger children a dedicated space where they can process emotions and experiences through play in a developmentally appropriate setting.

Expanding Access to Care

Getting care isn’t always as simple as making an appointment. Transportation, cost, language, and availability can all stand in the way. The new counseling center helps remove many of those barriers.

Located on the public bus route, the office is easier to reach for clients without reliable transportation. Counseling services remain free, ensuring finances are never a barrier to receiving care.

The expanded space will ultimately allow us to increase appointment availability and reduce wait times.

“With the additional money we’re able to get from grants and private donations, we’ll be able to add more hours for our therapists,” O’Hara said.

Language access is another important part of expanding care. The team includes three Spanish-speaking clinicians, allowing many bilingual and bicultural clients to receive services in the language they’re most comfortable using.

“There are just as many Spanish speakers as there are English speakers on the waitlist, so having bilingual therapists providing their services has been incredible,” O’Hara said.

While Tahoe Family Solutions has provided interpreters when needed, she says speaking directly with someone who understands both their language and culture creates a different experience.

“It’s an unmatched experience being able to sit across from someone who you share a similar cultural background with,” she said.

The expanded services have been made possible through generous community support, including funds raised through Shabby Chic, grant funding, and donor contributions.

Comprehensive Mental Health Services

Working with a team of professionals, TFS offers mental health care for children, adolescents, and adults through a range of services, including:

• Child, Adolescent and Family Counseling
• Parent and Child Interactions
• Healthy Family Relationships
• Success in School
• Play Therapy
• Conflict Resolution
• School Adjustment

We also provide psychiatric care through licensed psychiatric provider Dr. Sukhi Johal, who works with children, teens, and adults to evaluate symptoms, diagnose mental health conditions, and develop individualized treatment plans.

Psychiatric services include: 

• Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations
• Medication management for anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, and more
• Ongoing support and check-ins to ensure treatment is working
• Collaboration with our in-house therapy team for integrated care

The Importance of Mental Health

Although awareness of mental health has improved in recent years, O’Hara believes there is still work to do.

“If someone has a broken bone, they’ll go to the doctor,” she said. “But if someone is going through a broken heart, they’re more likely to think, ‘I’ve got this. I can handle this.’”

She encourages people to think of therapy as routine care rather than a last resort.

“I think going to therapy is kind of like going to the dentist, but for your brain,” she said. “Our mental health is everything. It’s how we interact with the world. It’s how we perceive things. It’s how we form connections, or sometimes struggle to form connections. Our mental health is at the forefront of everything, and it’s just as important as our physical and spiritual health.”

We hope the new counseling center will help even more individuals and families find the support, healing, and hope they need.

Mental health services are currently provided free of charge through Tahoe Family Solutions, although donations are always appreciated. Community support helps us continue expanding access to quality mental health care for everyone who needs it.

Tahoe Family Solutions Staff