Are you considering counseling but not sure if it’s the right step for you? Schedule a clinical consultation with Positive Directions and let our experienced team help guide you. We’ll take the time to understand your unique needs and recommend the best course of action for your mental health journey. Don’t wait any longer, take the first step towards a happier and healthier life today.

Happy holidays! During this holiday season, we'd like to thank our staff for their talent and dedication, our community partners for so many amazing collaborations, and our donors for their support. Below we're showcasing just a couple of the great things we've all accomplished together during the past couple of months -- check out some photos and videos below ! We also recognize that the holidays can be a tough time for many of us. We encourage everybody to practice self-care! Use your coping skills, touch base with your therapist, and/or attend a support group. Please note that Positive Directions will be seeing clients virtually  throughout the holidays , except on Christmas Day and New Year's Day when the office will be closed. Our SMART Recovery and Alternatives to Suicide support groups will be running, but our SMART Family & Friends group is canceled for 12/31 and 1/1. With wishes for health, happiness, and a wonderful year ahead, from the PD staff Shoutout to our Peer Support Project for 2 Awards! Excellence in Advocacy Award Congratulations to Quinn Jannetty , manager of our CT Support Group project, who received Advocacy Unlimited's Dr. Karen Kangas Award for Excellence in Advocacy! In their acceptance speech (download below), Quinn said, "this work is hardly ever easy. It asks a lot of us... of our hearts, our minds, our time. But it’s also full of moments that remind me why I keep showing up, why I continue to dream of what’s possible, and why I believe so deeply that while we are all that each other has, we are also all that we’ll ever need." Quinn gives their acceptance speech at AU's annual award ceremony. for the Dr. Karen Kangas Award for Excellence in Advocacy. Health & Wellness Design award from Graphic Design USA More congratulations to our CT Support Group project--and to our graphic designers over at Habby Design Co .! The project launched our revamped website back in February. Visit it to find out about peer support options for young people statewide. Shoutout to our Youth & Prevention Coalitions for Training Hundreds! New Regional Youth Prevention Team Our Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project has created a new Regional Youth Prevention Team with  13 high school students from New Canaan, Norwalk, Weston, Westport and Wilton . We've trained the teens in the Johnny's Ambassadors cannabis prevention curriculum, and they are available to educate peers as well as to participate in our data collection and advocacy efforts. Andres & Yubleiska (pictured here with staff members Margaret and Francesca) have already trained 3 high school classes in Norwalk! Thanks to the youth and to our project manager, Francesca Guerrier ! Professional Development for Teachers Our Prevention Department recently organized QPR trainings for almost 600 middle and high school faculty at Norwalk Public Schools, building their capacity to recognize and respond to possible suicidal ideation in their students. Thanks to our partners at NPS, Catalyst CT | The Hub, Kids in Crisis, Liberation Programs, Norwalk Health Department, and TPAUD for helping us provide 19 trainings in 3 days! Meanwhile, in collaboration with Westport Youth Services , we also continued to provide QPR training to students at Staples High School, which takes place each quarter in the junior health classes. Through our Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project, we also recently brought together some 75 health teachers, PE teachers, and school counselors from 5 school districts ( New Canaan, Norwalk, Weston, Westport, and Wilton ) for a 3-hour Professional Development training on cannabis, hosted at Staples High School. It included a live expert speaker ( Dr Feuerstein ), a curriculum presenter from Stanford University , and collaboration time. Almost half the teachers said they were previously unaware of the information presented. Regional Webinar Series on Cannabis Our regional speaker series has kicked off, organized through our Mid Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project to raise parent awareness in the region and hear different stakeholder perspectives. Dr. Joe Feuerstein , president of the Fairfield County Medical Association and a Weston resident, launched the virtual series. His expertise and engaging manner were very well received. Click the image to watch the video -- and check out his Cannabinoid Cookbook on how to activate your body's natural endocannabinoid system! The second speaker in our webinar series, Jordan Davidson , is a former Weston/Westport resident, young adult in recovery, and legislative program manager for a national nonprofit. Jordan provided insights into his journey through teen addiction to recovery, as well as sharing up-to-date issues and impactful information on the national status of cannabis. We're sharing his story not only to parents and community members but also teens. Click to watch the recording. Red Ribbon Week Recap Shoutout to our TNP Teens clubs in Norwalk, who engaged youth and parents in an awareness activity at Norwalk Public Library during Red Ribbon Week! RRW is an annual reminder to parents & elementary school staff to talk early, talk often with young children. With increasing calls to poison control and emergency hospital visits by kids who have accidentally ingested edibles, early education is critical. In Westport, young children picked up our RRW awareness activity sheets at two costume parades and five local restaurants: Angelina’s Trattoria; Bar Taco; Little Barn; Old Mill Grocery & Deli; and Rizzuto’s . Thanks to Westport Human Services, The Westport Library , and the participating restaurants for their support, and to our clinical intern, Nikoletta Moschidi , for supporting this project & much more! Shoutout to Local Marathon Runners -- and donors like YOU! Three local runners recently ran the 2025 NYC Marathon as a fundraiser for Positive Directions, and we are so grateful for their support of our mission. Congratulations to each of them for this incredible achievement! Read about the runners here . We also thank all those who supported the runners' efforts by contributing to this fundraiser. As a nonprofit, our agency depends on fundraising to supplement our grant and contractual funding. We pride ourselves on being innovative community leaders in the areas of mental health, substance prevention, and peer support-- but much of that work is not funded! If YOU would like to support our work, please click here to make a year-end donation! You can direct your donation toward our treatment fund (ensuring no one is turned away from counseling for inability to pay), our free support groups , our young adult peer project , our community prevention work, or to the area of greatest need. Thank you for your support! Other News    Positive Directions Office Renovation In order to comfortably accommodate our clients and staff, we have been renovating our space. New closets, floors, paint and a rearrangement of our space are mostly completed. Thanks to our staff who've had to work through the construction and to our clients who have found their way to the new waiting area! We're Hiring! We're looking for a Licensed Alcohol & Drug Counselor -- preferably bilingual -- so please spread the word to your colleagues in the field!

Positive Directions has great updates to share! In this blog post: "From Struggle to Strength": a high school senior reflects Virtual Cannabis Speaker Series starts Monday! Red Ribbon Week National Drug Takeback Day CT Support Group Discord Halloween Movie Watch Party! We're Hiring! NAMI CT Educational Conference Youth Voice: Mental Illness Awareness Week reflection From Struggle to Strength: Holding Onto Progress in a New School Year , by Rylie Peterson, Prevention Intern & PTECH senior While the new school year is underway, many of us are still adjusting to new routines and responsibilities—an experience that can bring unexpected challenges. The transition from the calm of summer to the demands of a new academic year isn’t always easy, and for those navigating mental health struggles, it can feel especially heavy. My own journey with mental health began in middle school, when I first experienced anxiety attacks. At the time, the idea of seeking help felt daunting, and I avoided it. But as the difficulties continued, I realized that I couldn’t manage on my own. By eighth grade, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression—ironically, the same challenges that initially pushed me away from therapy eventually brought me back. In ninth grade, I began treatment through therapy and medication, and over time, I started to make real progress. Now, as a senior, I don’t attend therapy as frequently—not because everything is perfect, but because I’ve developed tools that help me navigate difficult moments more independently. When I began writing this, I hadn’t fully grasped the intensity of senior year. Summer often brings a sense of relief—a feeling that things might be different when school starts again. And in the first few weeks, there’s usually a sense of optimism. But as the reality of responsibilities sets in, the pressure can build quickly. For me, this means juggling college applications, demanding classes, heavy workloads, and extracurriculars that consume most of my time. Within a few weeks, I found myself overwhelmed—facing a wave of depression I hadn’t felt in months. It’s been a difficult reminder that healing isn’t linear. Even after meaningful progress, setbacks can and do happen. But I’ve learned to lean on the coping strategies that continue to support me: taking walks, journaling, listening to music, practicing mindfulness, and reaching out to those I trust. These habits don’t fix everything, but they help me stay grounded. I may not feel entirely “okay” right now—but I know I’ve come a long way. Progress isn’t always obvious in the moment, but it’s still happening. And that’s worth holding onto. I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t always face these challenges on your own—and I would never wish that struggle on anyone. I strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of the many resources available right in our community. Within the Norwalk schools, there are counselors from the Kids in Crisis TeenTalk program , from Mid-Fairfield Community Care Center , and through the School-Based Health Centers—all free of charge. And beyond school, there’s the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the 741741 Crisis Text Line , which are available 24/7. You’re never alone in this—help is here, and it’s okay to reach for it. Prevention Department News Cannabis Speaker Series Starts Monday with Dr. Joe Feuerstein Join us for the first event in our regional speaker series focused on cannabis & youth, organized through our Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project. Dr. Feuerstein, the President of the Fairfield County Medical Association, will kick off the series with " The Cannabis Conversation: Balancing Adult Use, Youth Risk, and Family Impact ." Join us online on October 20th at 7pm. Download the flyer for the 5-part speaker series here: National Red Ribbon Week The last week of October is Red Ribbon Week--an annual awareness week encouraging parents of young children to start talking early and often about substances. With increasing numbers of poison control calls due to kids ingesting cannabis from edibles, you can't start too early! Through our local prevention coalitions, we'll be providing activities for families with young children. In Westport, look for our activity placemats at participating restaurants and at the annual Costume Parade, and in Norwalk, our TNP Teens will be facilitating an interactive event for children where we will also provide parents with handbooks and safe storage items, such as lockbags and liquor stickers. Download the Westport RRW placemat here to use to spark conversation with young children around trusted adults, coping skills, healthy behaviors, and taking care of your brain and body: National Drug Takeback Day National Drug Takeback Day is coming up on Saturday, October 25th, from 10am-2pm! Twice a year, this is an opportunity to clean out your medicine cabinet to get rid of unneeded or expired medications. Keeping medications around creates a risk of experimentation and of accidental or purposeful overdose, so we encourage everyone to safely dispose of anything you no longer need--and to keep your medications locked up year-round! Safe disposal means keeping meds out of our water supply, so no flushing! You can bring your medications to the local dropbox at your police station 24/7, or to the Drug Takeback Day dropoff at the Westport Center for Senior Activities. You can also use a Deterra bag (available from Positive Directions, your local prevention council, or your health department) to safely deactivate your drugs and then drop the bag in the trash. Peer Support Updates for October CT Support Group Halloween Movie Watch Party - October 29th Looking for a spooky way to spend your Wednesday night? Join CT Support Group on Discord to watch a Halloween movie on Wednesday October 29th at 8pm! We’ll be in the watch party voice channel with our snack! Haven’t joined our Discord yet? Head to bit.ly/ctsgdiscord to join! Want to learn more about the server? Click here for answers to commonly asked questions! Seeking Peer Support Specialists! We are looking for a part-time Peer Support Specialist for the CT Support Group project. For more information about the position, click the button below! Clinical Updates We're Hiring! Positive Directions is looking for two clinicians to join our team and support our community. Please click the link below to visit our Careers page and find out more if interested! Other News    NAMI CT Educational Conference - October 24th NAMI Connecticut proudly celebrates 40 years of unwavering advocacy, education, and support for individuals and families impacted by mental illness. Join for an inspiring event that brings together mental health professionals, peers, caregivers, advocates, and community leaders from across Connecticut. Themed “Building Hope Together,” the 2025 NAMI Connecticut Conference is more than just a gathering — it is a powerful movement toward building a brighter future for mental health. Register today to secure your spot in the educational breakout sessions!

Please click here or scan the QR code below to donate to Positive Directions! Dear friends, It is with great excitement and urgency that I am writing to you as the new Interim Executive Director of Positive Directions . For the past year I served on the board of directors leading our strategic plan and creating a renewed vision. We are a small nonprofit organization with an outsized impact – an innovator in mental health . I’m proud that we alone offer free 1:1 peer support for youth, and that we offer free lifesaving support groups (SMART Recovery, Alternatives to Suicide), while remaining committed to never turning anyone away from counseling services due to their inability to pay. I’m writing to ask for your help to maintain our ability to offer these vital services to all persons in need.  In these turbulent times,   mental health has never been more important . People are anxious, confused and tired. We feel tested on all levels. Yet as our world has grown more complicated, Positive Directions  has focused and deepened our commitment to our communities. Our mission is simple and urgent: to be innovative community leaders in mental health, substance prevention, and peer support , and to strengthen the mental wellbeing of all. With the threat of the loss of government and federal funding (over 50% of our annual budget), your support is more essential than ever. Thanks to the support of donors like you, we can continue   providing essential and affordable counseling and peer support services to those in need  - enabling us to never turn anyone away because of their inability to pay for services.   Last year we experienced a 15% increase in requests for counseling services for youth . In response, we added staff, programming, and renovated space for a children’s play therapy room.  Hired Melanie DeLapp, LMFT , our new Clinical Director, who focuses on kids and specializes in OCD, anxiety, specific phobias, school avoidance, and eating disorders. Launched the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project , a regional capacity-building initiative working with local governments, law enforcement, and schools. Launched CTSupportGroup.org - the next generation of our TurningPointCT.org project - as an online platform developed by young people in CT to provide connection, peer support, and community. The rising demand for our services underscores the need for your donations to deliver clinical, prevention, and peer support  to all members of our community, regardless of their financial situation. You can make a tax deductible donation  through our website, scan this QR code, or mail a check to Positive Directions, 90 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880 . We also invite you to consider including us in your company’s corporate matching program. To learn more about Positive Directions’ impact on the community, visit PositiveDirections.org or follow us on Instagram @positivedrctns. Thank you for being a vital part of our vision to improve mental wellbeing for individuals and communities. Your support is critical to make a tangible difference in the lives of many. With gratitude, Jessica Branson, Interim Executive Director “My therapist has been an excellent listener. She has given me lifesaving tools and has made my journey into a “we,” making me feel safe.” - Positive Directions Client

Leadership Team Jessica Branson Interim Executive Director Read More Melanie DeLapp, MS, LMFT Clinical Director Read More Margaret Watt, MPH, MA Prevention Director Read More Clinical Team Tava Auslan, BA, M.Ed. Clinical Intern Read More Jacalyn Clark, MS, LPC Lic. Professional Counselor Read More Leslie Corrigan, BA Clinical Intern Read More Julia Daly, BS Clinical Intern Read More Jessica Dassori, MA, NCC, LPC Lic. Professional Counselor Read More Mohamed Elsamra, MD Medical Director Read More Emily Farrell, MA, LPCA Lic. Professional Counselor Assoc. Read More Karen Krupnik, MS, LPC Lic. Professional Counselor Read More Lori Lang, APRN Lic. Advanced Practice Reg. Nurse Read More Ryan McGough, MA, LPCA Lic. Professional Counselor Assoc. Read More Nicole Merlo-White, MA, LMFT Lic. Marriage & Family Therapist Read More Sarafina Ndzi, MA, LPCA Lic. Professional Counselor Assoc. Read More Stephen Osika, MA, LPCA Lic. Professional Counselor Assoc. Read More Destiny Sammut, LCSW Lic. Clinical Social Worker Read More Bob Vietro, MS, LADC, ICGCII Lic. Alcohol & Drug Counselor Read More Ethan Wattley, MA, LPC Lic. Professional Counselor Read More Prevention and Peer Support Team Vivian Balazs Intern, The Norwalk Partnership Read More Teraya Broaden SMART Recovery Groups Facilitator Read More Timothy Cohen Intern, The Norwalk Partnership Read More Cindy Dupiton Coalition Coordinator, The Norwalk Partnership Read More Jules Garcia, RSS Peer Support Specialist Read More Francesca Guerrier, MPH Manager, Mid-Fairfield Cannabis Project Read More Quinn Jannetty, RSS Manager, CT Support Group Project Read More Jen Lord Recovery Coach & Alt2Su Facilitator Read More Therell Mayes Social Media Lead, CT Support Group Read More Rylie Peterson Intern, The Norwalk Partnership Read More Administrative Team Kimberly Falconer Billing Specialist Read More Ashley Gonçalves, BA Office Administrator & Clinic Coordinator Read More Board of Directors Officers Members Robin Chung Tiffany Loomer Adam Murphy Kathleen Sweeney Mercedes Escala, President Tom Green, Treasurer Suzanne Hermus , Secretary Wendy Bentivegna, Past President

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Emily Melnick Survey Evaluator Emily Melnick, M.A. is an independent evaluation consultant and principal of Emily Melnick Consulting, LLC. During the past 20 years, Emily has conducted a wide variety of health and social service-related program evaluations at the federal, state, and community level. Emily has worked with diverse groups of non-profit agencies, local health departments and community coalitions, employing both qualitative analytic methods (focus group and structured interview facilitation and analysis) and quantitative methods (survey development and implementation) to assess progress towards multiple objectives over time. She works closely with her clients to establish realistic outcomes, and design systems to collect and analyze data to inform programmatic decision-making. As the local evaluation consultant for the Fairfield Cares Community Coalition, as well as three other community-based substance abuse prevention initiatives, Emily works with diverse stakeholders concerned with improving health outcomes throughout Connecticut. Emily’s recent work also leading local health departments through their national accreditation strategic planning process. Emily received a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration in 1996. Emily Melnick: Team Members

Positive Directions is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing prevention, counseling, medication management, and support groups to adolescents and adults struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. Mood Disorders Mood disorders, also known as affective disorders, consist of general emotional states that intervene with a person’s normal functioning on a daily basis. Feelings of extreme sadness or depression, coupled with a fluctuation to extreme happiness (mania or hypomania) may occur. Examples of mood disorders include: Major depressive disorder Bipolar disorder (Bipolar I and Bipolar II) Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Dysthymia Symptoms Having a mood disorder may affect daily life activities. Due to the various types of mood disorders, each may involve different symptoms. Some major symptoms of mood disorders are: Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed Loss of appetite or overeating Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much Fatigue Crying Anxiety Low levels of energy or unusually heightened levels of activity Impulsivity Feeling hopeless or worthless Difficulty concentrating Difficulty with decision-making Feelings of guilt Irritability Thoughts of dying or suicide Positive Directions’ Approach to Mood Disorders: At Positive Directions, we understand that Mood Disorders can interrupt and negatively impact a person’s daily activities including work, school, and personal relationships. Our approach in working with clients to address their symptoms is collaborative and client-driven, and we work to meet the client where they are at to tailor treatment to their individual circumstances. Upon admission, a comprehensive intake evaluation is completed to gather a history of the client and learn more about the symptoms they have been experiencing. This helps us to gather a comprehensive picture of the impact the clients’ symptoms have had on their lives and allows us to tailor our approach to the client’s needs. Starting with this information, we then develop an individualized treatment plan for each client that is tailored to their needs and goals. The treatment plan is the guide-post for the work we do in session, and progress toward treatment goals is evaluated and measured during each counseling session. Additionally, we periodically review this plan with our clients to ensure that we are consistently working toward and updating goals and objectives as appropriate. Based upon the treatment plan, services are provided to address individual needs and teach clients the skills and tools necessary to gain insight and understanding, work to decrease negative or undesirable symptoms, and improve their overall quality of life. Our counselors also work closely with family members as appropriate, educating them about mental health, and supporting their involvement in their loved one’s treatment. When providing these services, a variety of clinical techniques are utilized such as cognitive behavioral, motivational interviewing, solution-focused and dialectical behavioral tools. Our clinicians are trained in a variety of effective treatment modalities, and treatment is tailored to specific individual and family needs. Furthermore, our clinicians connect with outside providers as necessary, and are able to make appropriate referrals to additional providers should the need arise in order to collaborate and provide comprehensive treatment. Our approach is designed to assist people in improving the quality of their lives. Mood Disorders: Service