Meet Traci and Leena, our Healing Discipline Specialist, who bring decades of combined experience as a school counselor and school psychologist to help children with emotional and behavioral challenges heal and thrive.
A Passion for Mental Health That Started Early
Traci’s interest in mental health began at age fourteen. Back then, she spent hours listening to her mom talk about attachment disorders, a topic her mom was studying in continuing education classes.
At the dinner table, she also loved hearing her dad describe how he managed employees at his construction business. Together, these conversations shaped Traci’s curiosity. They also sparked a lifelong love of mental health work.
Traci started her career at 22 as a Licensed Social Worker at the Idaho Youth Ranch. From there, she earned her Master’s in Education and became a school counselor in 1999.
Today, Traci works as an elementary school counselor four days a week. She also holds the below licenses in the State of Idaho:
Children love talking to Traci. Her laid-back personality and natural curiosity put them at ease right away.
Once a child opens up, Traci’s real gift takes over. She quickly gets to the heart of the issue. From there, she helps children build understanding, confidence, and healing around their struggles.
Traci doesn’t work in isolation, though. She’s an expert at bringing school teams and parents together to gather the information needed for complex problems. Because she understands school culture, parent needs, and child development, she can implement strategies built for long-term healing, not just quick fixes.
As a result, both parents and educators walk away knowing exactly how to support their kids. Traci also continues to expand her own knowledge of mental health. Her depth of understanding means she can break down complex ideas into terms anyone can follow.
Traci has completed over 1,200 hours of continuing education beyond her Master’s degree. Her training includes:
In addition to her formal training, Traci has read over 35 books on mental health and co-authored three books on the subject. At her core, she firmly believes that children and adults can heal from past struggles.
Leena holds an Education Specialist Degree. She has worked as a school psychologist since 1999. Today, she still works in schools four days a week. In 2009, she became a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.
Leena always knew she wanted a career in mental health. In fact, she made that decision at just twelve years old. She firmly believes that a person’s past doesn’t have to define their future. That’s why she’s passionate about understanding how trauma, entitlement, and life experiences shape the brain and child development.
Leena takes pride in bringing school teams together to create effective plans for children. She understands the value of listening to every team member.
For example, she encourages honesty from educators, parents, administrators, and students alike. This open communication helps the team find the right solutions — both for the school setting and for the student’s emotional maturity.
Leena never stops expanding her knowledge. Whenever new mental health research emerges, she dives in headfirst, studying it thoroughly, and learning how to apply it. As a fast reader, she’s able to absorb new information quickly.
Above all, Leena loves working with children facing severe emotional and behavioral challenges. Watching them grow is one of the most rewarding parts of her work.
Throughout her career, Leena has pursued extensive additional training, including:
In addition, she is an avid reader on mental health and co-authored three books on the subject.
Beyond her clinical work, Leena is also a skilled producer and video editor. She has produced and edited all of Healing Children’s online content. Her secret talent? Knowing exactly what will engage an audience.
Leena’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Idaho Association of School Psychologists named her School Psychologist of the Year in both 2010 and 2019.
Frances loves to have fun and is VERY active. He is happy and friendly with everyone he meets. He loves playing video games, using his imagination, and getting out of chores.
Esther is a no-nonsense kind of girl. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it. She loves makeup and clothes, and one day she wants to be a fashion designer.
Herbert likes to be outside playing with the boys, whether it’s sports, climbing anything he can find, or running around. He is quiet and thoughtful and not as grumpy as he seems.