Along the way, we have made some wonderful connections in both the homeschooling and mental health communities, building bonds and procuring partnerships with nonprofits, small businesses, individuals, and organizations that share our passion for homeschooling.
We have met mentors and connected with coaches who have invested in our growth.
We are always learning, always growing.
Nonprofit Status
Part of our growth involved the formation of an official 501(c)3 nonprofit.
And led to our welcoming new team members as part of our board.
Clarity
With our new nonprofit status came introspection and a time for us to closely examine our core values and beliefs and clarify our purpose.
What problem were we trying to solve?
What challenges do homeschooling families face when seeking mental health care?
How have mental health providers missed the mark when interacting with us as homeschoolers or with our children?
What traits do we look for in a provider?
How have providers made us feel validated? Seen? Heard?
How have they made us feel misunderstood at best or needlessly afraid or hurt at worst?
What kind of support would we like to see from the mental health community that we do not currently see?
To better serve the homeschooling community, we needed to properly assess our community’s needs. We examined our personal experiences as homeschooling parents. We also reached out to the homeschooling community at large.
Assumptions about socialization (i.e., incorrect assumptions that homeschooling families fail to adequately socialize their children) 16%
The stigma around parenting styles (i.e., judgment against homeschooling as an unconventional or overly controlling parenting choice) 24%
Overlooking strengths (i.e., focusing only on the potential challenges of homeschooling without recognizing the positives) 7%
Underrepresentation in mental health research (i.e., a research deficit leads to limited understanding of needs and a lack of tailored support) 30%
Lack of knowledge about homeschooling laws and resources (i.e., lack of knowledge of laws/resources contributes to misguided advice) 16%
Other bias 7%
In addition to survey responses, our founder reached out to veterans in the homeschooling community, including fellow homeschooling parents and professionals, and sought further insight. This need for understanding helped us foster collaborations that will benefit the homeschooling community at large. We are humbled to have forged these connections.
The Problem We Want to Solve
We asked.
You answered.
We heard you.
Based on feedback from our shared community, we formulated the following problem statement:
Homeschooling families struggle to find compassionate, informed mental health care, which makes them feel like they are failing as parents, hurts their relationship with their children, and can make them give up on homeschooling altogether.
Homeschool Counseling Network
HCN’s Transformational Vision
It has been my long-held personal belief that every family should be allowed to educate their child in the manner they best see fit. At times, homeschooling families desire or require support to help them accomplish their home education goals. To best meet a homeschooling client’s needs., support providers should be knowledgeable about and compassionate towards homeschooling culture and the homeschool way of life.
This belief is reflected in HCN’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Feedback from our community helped further shape HCN’s revamped vision.
Every homeschooling family in all 50 states can receive the compassionate, knowledgeable, mental health care they need to empower them to succeed as a parent, have a healthy relationship with their children, and homeschool the way they see fit by 2028.
Homeschool Counseling Network Inc. Vision
HCN Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide homeschooling families with access to compassionate, informed mental health care by training mental health professionals in cultural competency, creating a community of peers and professionals to support homeschooling families, and offering mental health resources to help families homeschool as they see fit.
Homeschool Counseling Network Inc. Mission Statement
Our Core Values
Compassion.
Why This Value: Advocating for the unique needs and strengths of homeschooling families helps promote a greater understanding and acceptance of the homeschooling lifestyle within the mental health community, bridging the gap between homeschooling families and providers.
Knowledge.
Why This Value: Homeschooling families lack access to mental health professionals who are knowledgeable of homeschooling culture, the homeschooling lifestyle, and the unique needs of homeschooling families. A dual-path educational approach, where homeschooling families are provided knowledge, resources, and support about mental health and professionals are simultaneously provided education about homeschooling families’ culture and mental health needs, is vital to bridging the gap between these two communities.Â
Empowerment.
Why This Value: No one thrives in isolation. Providing homeschooling families with a supportive community that includes both compassionate mental health professionals and peers who share their values, understand their distinct experiences, and are responsive to and supportive of their needs helps empower families to be successful on their home education journey. Â
Let’s Keep In Touch
In the upcoming weeks, there will be numerous changes taking place at HCN. We are excited to share with you many new developments on the horizon including outreach programs, community education opportunities, advocacy and awareness events, and resources.
Coming up: Accountability in Action. In future blog posts, we will share the action steps we plan to take to illustrate our commitment to accountability for our new mission, vision, and purpose.
Be sure you do not miss a blog post or vlog post by signing up for our newsletter or joining our Facebook group.
This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselo
