Personalized Therapy Incorporated

Kim McIntyre and the team at Personalized Therapy, Incorporated (PTI) work hard to keep families together and children in school. After earning her master’s degree in counseling in 2000, Kim went to work as a school and community counselor. A few years later through hard work, good luck, and support from her employer, Kim launched a private practice with an established client base. PTI initially worked to treat children, adults, and families with mental health or substance abuse issues. As North Carolina's mental health system changed, the organization was asked by the former Tideland Mental Health Center, now a part of East Carolina Behavioral Health, to provide much needed child and adolescent community-based treatment services in surrounding rural North Carolina counties.

More recently, PTI established a child and adolescent day treatment program called "Milestones." Due to state regulations, the program had to be fully staffed and equipped to handle an influx of new clients before the first referral was accepted. A $123,000 loan from Self-Help, financed with support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, allowed the organization to open its doors to approximately 32 new children and their families and created or maintained 45 jobs in the community.

Milestones offers therapeutic interventions during both school and after-school hours to children as young as five who are experiencing difficulties functioning in a traditional classroom setting. The highly qualified staff of 28 professionals bring a creative energy to their work. "I never could have imagined succeeding without the support of our community and staff," says Kim McIntyre. The Milestones program seeks to help students return to traditional schooling as soon as possible and provides alternatives when they can't. By keeping kids in school, PTI makes it easier for parents and caregivers to keep their jobs and maintain stable homes.