New Path Counseling & Wellness, PLLC

COUNSELING SERVICES New Path Counseling & Wellness, PLLC was established in 2024 by Lauren Butcher, LCSW. Lauren began working with clients in in agency settings in 2008 and immediately saw a need for providers with adequate training and experience with complex mental health issues, trauma, abuse, family systems and Adoption. Lauren has over 17 years experience working with individuals, adolescents and families and has worked in various settings including foster care and adoption, rape crisis, community outreach, crisis intervention, mental-health settings and private practice. New Path Counseling & Wellness, LLC provides effective and proven treatment options such as EMDR, CBT-Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Family Systems, Adoption Competent counseling and Attachment-based therapy. Counseling services are provided to client 18+ with a variety of issues including trauma, PTSD, abuse and narcissistic abuse, depression, anxiety, mood dysregulation, family conflict, ADHD, relationships and adoption (adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees). HOME STUDIES Home studies for custody and adoption require someone that is competent in adoption issues, knowledgeable and experienced. For over 17 years, Lauren Butcher, LCSW has worked with families involving child custody and adoption and has extensive experience working with families and family systems, including adoptive families, adoptees (children and adults) and birth/kinship families. Adoption home studies include: Family background and financial statements Education and employment Relationships and social life Daily life routines Parenting experiences Details about your home and neighborhood Readiness and reasons about your wanting to adopt References and background checks Approval and recommendation of children your family can best parent The process to complete a homestudy can take anywhere between 1-6 months in general, depending on length, needs and paperwork. This can often feel lengthy and somewhat invasive for families. This process is to assist and help you to decide if adoption is right for you, provide assistance to families, and to ensure and validate to the Courts that you are able to parent and meet the needs of the child or youth you are adopting. The process also aims to ensure that children are placed with families that are able to meet their needs emotionally, physically and provide a safe environment. An Adoption Homestudy performed by an adoption competent Clinician is not just about the final report, but also about the process of identifying needs and providing family support. Adoption is permanent and lasts a lifetime. It is important that the home study process is utilized to ensure that the needs of children are met and that they are adopted by families who will have the capacity to meet their needs over time. Attorney referrals are also available. The Adoption Home Study fee is $1250. Home studies that have multiple required interviews or expedited requests will incur additional fees. Expedited assessment fee is $500. Post Adoption Visits or Updated Social Studies cost between $500-$750. Additional costs for mileage may be incurred if located outside the DFW metroplex and contingent counties. If you have questions or would like to begin the home study process, please contact us.