The Art of Healing: Josie’s Story
Josie proudly shares her art at local gallery
For most of her life, Josie felt sad, scared and anxious but she buried it. “I was good at acting like nothing was wrong for many years,” she says.
Recently, during a time when the world felt uncertain, these feelings became stronger than ever. They were made more difficult by a change in her depression medication that sent her spiraling, raising concerns about her safety.
That’s when Josie turned to MaineHealth Behavioral Health’s Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) in Belfast. There, she met with a therapist who helped her begin to heal.
Josie’s therapist, Nick Cullen, LCSW, helped her look at her past in a new way. Among other issues, she was able to process the death of twin siblings who died before she was born. The sadness from that loss was never talked about, but it had a big effect on her family—and on Josie. Nick helped her realize she wasn’t just a “spoiled only child,” but the surviving sibling. That new understanding helped her see herself with more kindness.
“Josie is an incredibly strong and courageous woman,” explains Cullen. “She has worked hard to explore and understand a range of complex feelings and personal beliefs that had given her difficulty for many years. Sharing this story has been another act of bravery and healing.”
In therapy, Josie learned how to face her emotions instead of avoiding them. Her recent depression had made it hard for her to do the things she loved, like traveling. With Nick’s help, she made a plan to visit family. “Together we made a list of all the things I would need to have in place for me to be able to do this trip. Now I’m looking forward to flying to Oregon soon to see my grandchildren.”
Over time, Josie has created new routines that helped her to feel calm and in control, including regular exercise, mindfulness and meditation practices. Most importantly, she continues to explore and develop a personal spirituality that has brought a depth of meaning and purpose to her life. She continues to engage in creative practices like painting and co-owns an art gallery where she proudly displays her work as well as the work of other local artists.
“It was my good fortune that Nick turned out to be wonderful and a really good fit for me,” Josie says. “I’m not exactly like I was before – I’ve evolved into a different place. A better place, thanks to him.”
Care Coordination: Where Teamwork Shines!
Ben Kennedy, Care Coordinator
At MaineHealth Behavioral Health, Care Coordinators help people get the care and support they need. This includes mental health and medical care, help with housing, jobs, school, and other services that support recovery and wellness.
Ben Kennedy is a Care Coordinator in York County. He recently helped a woman living in a rural area who had lost access to her mental health care and needed a refill for an important medication. She only had enough medicine for eight more days and didn’t know what to do. Ben worked closely with his supervisor and local partners to come up with a plan.
Thanks to their teamwork, the woman was able to get a short-term prescription the same day. She later called to say how much the help meant to her—and how it improved her view of health care in general. Ben’s story shows how important it is to have kind, caring people, helping others get the care they need—especially in places where services are hard to reach.
According to Ben, “These are the differences we hope to make in all our clients’ lives, and it was great to see how much it meant to this client.”
What is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)?
A CCBHC is a care model designed to improve timely access to a full range of mental health and substance use treatment services offered to patients regardless of insurance. The program relies on community partnerships to help patients like Josie connect with the services they need. In 2023 MaineHealth Behavioral Health opened CCBHCs in York and Knox counties.
