A MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY

Dear Community,
 
I was called to be a therapist and built Sandhill because I believe in the power found in spoken thoughts and feelings, co-created conversations, thought challenges, and the discovery of new patterns as agents of change – specifically, first order change in the hopes of leading to lasting second-order change.

First-order change works within an existing structure and view of the world. You could view it as tinkering with the system – doing more or less of something, making an existing process better or more accurate, and making incremental changes.

With first-order change, the ends of the system remain the same – it’s the means of producing those results that change. What you seek, what you avoid, the way you see the world, and your values remain the same.

Second-order change is often described as ‘transformational’, ‘revolutionary’, ‘radical’, ‘disruptive’, or ‘discontinuous’. It involves seeing the world in a different way, challenging assumptions, and working from a new and different worldview.
Sandhill is built on the ideals of compassion and professionalism. Sandhill is also built on the ideals of personal agency, accountability to self and others, and advocacy for civil and human rights of all people. Practicing from these ideals is easy to do when we encounter others who are like minded or who are open to new ideas and conversations. Other times, practicing from these ideals is difficult when we encounter others who express ideals that are counter to compassion, professionalism, agency, accountability, and civil and human rights for all.

As a business Sandhill stands against racism. We stand against hate. We stand against discrimination. We stand against inequality and injustices for all of humanity.

If at any time we find ourselves in a therapist-client relationship where there is racism, hate, discrimination, oppression, injustice, and or inequality, our clinical staff will professionally and compassionately have the conversation. We will use our voices. We will look for opportunities of first-order change in hopes of second-order change. 
We will seek to build unity and heal divisiveness.

We are an affirming practice for the LGBTQI community. We support the Black Lives Matter Movement. We support the Me Too Movement. We support the work of the United Nations and the Human Rights Campaign. All inequalities and injustices against any person or persons are a detriment to personal mental health and the mental health of humanity as a whole.

Thank you for choosing Sandhill. Thank you for trusting us. Second-order change is hard work. It is revolutionary. It is disruptive. It takes time. Second-order change is life changing. And we are in the business of
changing lives, both ours and our clients.

My best always,
​

Monica Lieser
Owner, Sandhill Counseling & Consultation

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Supporting our community through donations, drives, and hands-on contributions is part of the work that Sandhill values. Here are some of the organizations that Sandhill has supported over the years.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

PRIDE ST. CHARLES
​A community based organization raising awareness through positive events and educational programs while providing resources and support.
www.pridestcharles.org

METRO TRANS UMBRELLA GROUP
By Trans for Trans - Bringing together the community of trans, gender queer, androgynous, intersex & our allies in the St. Louis metro area through community, visibility, advocacy, and education.
www.stlmetrotrans.org

THE SPOT -
​SUPPORTING POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH TEENS
The SPOT welcomes all youth (13-24)  providing access to health and prevention services while striving for positive educational and vocational outcomes.
www.thespot.wustl.edu
24-Hour Help Line: 314-819-8802

TRANS LIFELINE
A 24/7 hotline available in the U.S. operated by transgender people for transgender people. Trans Lifeline is primarily for transgender people in a crisis, from struggling with gender identity to thoughts of self-harm.
www.translifeline.org
24-Hour Help Line: 1-877-565-8860

NAMI - NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL HEALTH
NAMI St. Louis is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families in the St. Louis region.
www.namistl.org
Help Line: 314-962-4670
24-Hour Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8522)
Help Line hours available 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 7 days a week.

THE TREVOR PROJECT 
A 24/7 hotline available in the U.S. with judgement-free LGBTQ sensitive-trained counselors to help support a young person in crisis, in need of a safe place to talk.
www.thetrevorproject.org
24-Hour Trevor Life Line: ​1-866-488-7386
Trevor Text:
Text the word “Trevor” to 1-202-304-1200
Available Thursday and Friday 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. ET
Standard messaging rates apply.

YOUTH IN NEED
Youth In Need is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services and resources to the greater St. Louis  area communities and their most vulnerable children, teens and families.
www.youthinneed.org
St. Charles Youth Connection 24-Hour Help Line: 
636-642-0642
St. Louis County Youth Connection 24-Hour Help Line: 
314-628-2929
St. Louis City Youth In Need 24-Hour Help Line:
636-946-3771
Text BHEARD to 31658

LGBT NATIONAL HELP CENTER
The LGBT National Help Center provides peer-support and community connections, along with many resources for people with questions regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. 
www.glbthotline.org
LGBT National Hotline:
1-888-843-4564
LGBT National Youth Talkline:
1-800-246-7743
LGBT National Senior Hotline:
1-888-234-7243

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Doorsways Housing 
  www.doorwayshousing.org
• GLAAD Resource List
  www.glaad.org
• PRIDE St. Louis

          www.pridestl.org

• PROMO
  www.promoonline.org​​
• Start Here St. Louis Area Resource Directory

             www.startherestl.org

• Book list on LGBTQIA+ including: history, memoirs, graphic novels, non-fiction novels, biographies, and personal narratives. 

​             LGBTQIA+ Books

• Book list on Anti-Racism including: history, memoirs, non-fiction novels, biographies, and personal narratives.

​             Anti-Racism Books          

INTERACTIVE MAP OF AFFIRMING BUSINESSES

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