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About
The Homeschool Counseling Network Inc. (HCN) is a nonprofit organization. HCN was founded in January 2024 by Kimberly Bennett, a Licensed Professional Counselor (TX), former middle school guidance counselor, and homeschool mom of one, and received 501(c)3 nonprofit status in October 2024.
The Problem
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.
Our Vision
Every homeschooling family in all 50 states can receive the compassionate, knowledgeable, and experienced 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.
Our Mission
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.
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.
- How We Demonstrate:
- Fostering a culture of empathy, understanding, and support among our network of therapists and homeschooling families
- Recruiting knowledgeable and compassionate professionals to join our growing provider directories to increase access to empathic mental health care for homeschooling families
- Accountability in Action: HCN screens all providers for a compassionate attitude towards the homeschooling community.
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.
- How We Demonstrate:
- Offering evidence-based continuing education opportunities and training for mental health professionals to better equip them to provide compassionate, informed, and understanding care to homeschooling families including but not limited to ethics, cultural competency, and best practices.
- Providing affordable mental health educational resources and tools (i.e., webinars, blog posts, podcast episodes, videos, downloadable content, etc.) for homeschooling families to increase their confidence and help them thrive in their home educational pursuits.
- Accountability in Action: All team members are required to complete HCN’s cultural competency training.
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.
- How We Demonstrate:
- Providing a safe, non-judgmental space (i.e., group forums on our membership-based platform) for homeschooling families to explore their challenges and celebrate their successes with supportive peers who share their values
- Fostering a community where homeschooling families can connect with like-minded peers and access knowledgeable, compassionate professionals, resources, and guidance to empower them
- Accountability in Action: HCN will help, offer resources to, or refer any homeschooling family that comes to us, regardless of their situation.
Bridging the Gap Between the Homeschooling and Mental Health Communities
Finding clinicians with the knowledge and understanding necessary to support homeschooling families through their professional practices can present a challenge. We are working hard at the Homeschool Counseling Network Inc. to help bridge this gap.
By creating a list of homeschool family-friendly providers, we aim to help ease the burden of seeking support services by doing some legwork for homeschooling families.
We further accomplish our mission through writing, creating digital content, public speaking engagements (podcast appearances, educational conferences, continuing education workshops), and planning and implementing our own online and in-person events.
An Invitation and An Opportunity
It is our sincerest wish to offer families comfort, encouragement, and support by connecting homeschooling families with resources and providers who are equipped to help meet their professional coaching, consulting, and counseling needs.
We invite you to join us in this endeavor by applying for membership today!
Membership Application UPDATES
HCN is officially a nonprofit organization with pending 501(c)3 status.
We will begin transitioning our current website to a membership-based platform in the upcoming months.
In the meantime, we are pressing pause on accepting new professional directory membership applications until we can move all information over to the new website.
If you would like to stay informed of the latest updates on our progress and be notified when our application process reopens, please subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.
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Additional Questions:
You never know when your personal or professional experience may inspire, inform, or improve the lives of others.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for being a part of our village!
Blessings,
Kimberly Bennett, LPC
Founder and CEO
Homeschool Counseling Network Inc.
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 counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only.
