Jessica Stewart said she is working to become a fully licensed professional counselor because she has seen a shortage in Lake Charles, an area that continues to endure the long-term recovery from Hurricanes Laura and Delta.

Stewart, 36, currently works at The Pediatric Center office in Lake Charles, meeting with adolescents ages 3 to 21. She is provisionally licensed with a specialty in trauma. Stewart said she will be fully licensed by December 2022.

Originally from Fort Rucker, Ala., Stewart attended Middle Tennessee State University where she played volleyball and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2007.

After college, she accepted a job as second assistant volleyball coach at McNeese State University. She spent two seasons there and left after the team’s head coach took a job on the East Coast.

Stewart said she decided to use her sociology degree for her next career move. She worked in human services and spent time at several organizations that worked with families and children, specifically children with emotional or behavioral concerns, or adults with intellectual or physical disabilities.

Stewart recently worked as a care coordinator for Choices Coordinated Care Solutions. During her time there, she realized the lack of therapists in the area.

“We have limited resources for families and children and limited licensed professional counselors to provide care,” she said. “Instead of complaining about the lack of therapists, I decided why not be part of the solution?”

Stewart decided to get a master’s degree in children and marriage family counseling. She earned her degree in December 2020, calling it one of the toughest years because she worked full-time during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of Hurricanes Laura and Delta.

Stewart already took the four-hour national exam required by the state to become a licensed professional counselor. She’s in the middle of gaining the required 3,000 hours of direct and indirect counseling. Once she achieves the minimum two years of practicing counseling, she will be fully licensed.

Stewart said she has seen many patients struggling with anxiety that stems from the challenges of last year’s hurricanes. She said others are dealing with depression, increased suicidal thoughts and attention defecit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

Stewart said she has met with children who are having difficulty returning to in-person classes after spending months with virtual learning.

“Some kids felt safe in the virtual environment,” she said. “Now, they’re back and they’re having to wear masks and be socially distanced. There’s the increased pressure of catching up from the work from the previous year, and there’s bullying.”

Adults, whether parents or educators, can sometimes be unaware of when a child is stressed because they may not verbalize it, Stewart said.

“Yes, they are small, but they have big feelings that they may not know how to express,” she said. “So, they pull their hair or kick people. It’s a gambit of things that kids may do to communicate. Even though they’re not saying things, they’re showing you.”

Stewart said she has learned some interesting things from children while counseling them.

“Because I’m older, I’m far removed from what kids think are cool,” she said. “I’m learning that, but I’m also learning new ways on how kids talk about sex or abuse substances. You’d be surprised to hear the things they have experienced, and parents have no idea because they don’t have the space to talk to their parents openly about it.”

Stewart’s insurance company ruled her hurricane-damaged home a 98 percent loss. It was completely gutted, leading she, her husband, Curtis, and their 8-year-old son, Tyson, to spend roughly nine months in Lafayette and commute to Lake Charles for work.

“(Tyson) did virtual school,” she said. “That was interesting. I applaud all the teachers that logged in and assisted him. It was interesting to watch how they kept kids engaged.”

The Stewart family has since returned to their home, which is close to being completely repaired. When asked why she has stayed in Lake Charles for the last 14 years, she mentioned the city’s sense of community and the connections made over the years.

“When I moved here, I said this is an interesting and inviting place, but I didn’t feel welcome,” she said. “Once I opened myself up and got to know the city, I feel like I’m welcome and more connected here. This is home for me, for sure.”