Community Highlights: Meet Anna Saviano of Heartland Therapy Connection

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Saviano.

Hi Anna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I began in community mental health 12 years ago, and have since worked in a hospital, university, and private practice settings. My early work focused almost exclusively on trauma and sexual abuse and has since grown to include helping clients navigate grief and transition in all phases of life. I still have a passion for trauma work, and our team continues to focus on that in all we do.

Recently, I have been enjoying helping other clinicians grow their practice and hone their management and leadership skills. Growing my business from a solo to group practice seemed like the best way to reach more people and expand our ability to serve our community. Having a team of clinicians to provide direct care also creates the space for me to do more consulting and business growth work.

I want as many therapists as possible to be able to create a sustainable business for themselves and the life they want to live.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been definitely been rocky at times. I tend toward quick decisions and that has mostly played out well, but can yield some growing pains! We are still establishing our practice and developing systems, learning a lot along the way. HTC has been an exciting vision to bring to reality and our team is amazing, so that has made it fun even as we work out the glitches.

I think that the overarching vision, once established, has been the best solution to any challenges we’ve faced. Having a mission and core values guide our decision-making ensures we stay on the road we’ve chosen.

As you know, we’re big fans of Heartland Therapy Connection. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a team of trauma-informed therapists striving to make a difference in the community. Our goal is to provide an evidence-based therapeutic approach that allows clients to acquire skills and tools they can use in everyday life. The therapists at Heartland Therapy Connection are well-versed in a variety of therapeutic approaches, including EMDR, DBT, CBT, ACT, and narrative and integrative therapies. Currently, our group is working toward everyone becoming EMDR trained and certified. We are excited to bring a comprehensive trauma approach to our local community.

Each of our therapists graduated from UMKC. Although not the original plan, we love that UMKC is a connection we all share.

Part of our mission is to provide a quality experience to our clients as well as our team members. Personal care, family life, and recreation are all values held by HTC. We have created a team dynamic that allows each of us to grow professionally and personally in a supportive and fun environment. We strive to maintain a connection within our community and be a source of information and service to those looking for healing and personal growth. We are committed to our own learning and contribution to the greater good, community education, and increased mental wellness for everyone.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe that the last two years have shown a real spotlight on the importance of mental wellness and the necessity of taking care of ourselves and one another. I think that workplace management will provide more support for employees seeking help, schools will integrate more emotional education, and the stigma will continue to decline.

I think that if we have learned anything from the pandemic, BLM, employment trends, and suicide rates, it is that we are truly interconnected. Individuals do not exist or flourish on an island, and the connections we have to one another are life-saving. I believe we will continue to see support for personal growth and healing from trauma on a broad scale. Emotional self-care and balance will be more than catchy hashtags; they will be mainstream lifestyle priorities.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: HeartlandTherapyConnection.com
• Instagram: @HeartlandTherapyConnection
• Facebook: Heartland Therapy Connection

Image Credits
Josh Dubois and Josephine Huhs