Courtney Putnam, Ph.D., LPC

06/18/2025

06/17/2025

Meet Hannah!

As a graduate intern, Hannah brings a compassionate, thoughtful approach to the work she does with clients. She believes that every person is unique and deserves care that reflects their individual story and identity.

Drawing from solution-focused, cognitive behavioral, and person-centered approaches, Hannah tailors each session to meet her clients where they are and help them move toward where they want to be.

Hannah has a special interest in working with children, tweens, and teens, as well as supporting women through various life stages. She also works with clients navigating depression, anxiety, and those seeking pre-marital counseling.

For scheduling with Hannah, please call our admin team at 678-653-3272. Thank you!

05/29/2025

Spending time outdoors with people we care about isn’t just enjoyable—it’s healing. 🌿☀️

Being in nature helps regulate our nervous system, reduce stress, and boost mood, while connection with loved ones gives us space to feel seen, heard, and supported.

Together, these moments create room for clarity, reflection, and emotional processing—often without needing to say a word. Healing doesn’t always happen in silence or solitude—sometimes it looks like a walk, a laugh, or just being present together.

05/26/2025

Honoring Memorial Day🕊

Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives and who continue to selflessly serve our country. We are deeply grateful for their sacrifice and the freedoms we enjoy because of it.

As we take this day to reflect, rest, and remember—please note that our office is closed today, May 26, in observance of the holiday. We will resume normal hours tomorrow.

If you are in crisis and need immediate support, please contact 988 or your local emergency services.
Wishing you a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day. 🤍

05/11/2025

🌷 Happy Mother’s Day 🌷

To every mother—biological, adoptive, spiritual, and mother-figures—you are seen, valued, and deeply loved.

Motherhood is beautiful, but it can also be exhausting, complicated, and often under-acknowledged. You carry so much: love, responsibility, worry, and sacrifice. Today, we honor both your strength and your softness.

At our practice, we know that being a mom doesn’t mean being invincible. Your mental and emotional health matters—not just for your family, but for you.

This Mother’s Day, give yourself permission to rest, to feel, and to receive support. You don’t have to do it all alone. 💛

Here for you—today and every day.

05/06/2025

Grief and trauma often make the world feel heavy, isolating, and hard to navigate. In those moments, leaning on others isn’t a weakness—it’s a vital part of the healing process. 🤍

Whether it’s a trusted friend, family member, or a mental health professional, connection offers safety, grounding, and the reminder that you don’t have to carry it all alone. Healing begins when we feel seen, supported, and allowed to process at our own pace. You deserve that space.

“The reality is that you will grieve forever... You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered.”

— Elisabeth Kübler-Ross & David Kessler

If you or someone you love is navigating loss or trauma, consider reaching out to our admin team to inquire about meeting with one of our therapists for additional support during this time.

05/02/2025

🧠 May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental health plays a vital role in overall well-being, yet it's often minimized or misunderstood. This month serves as an important reminder: caring for your emotional and psychological health is not optional—it's essential.

Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, or relationship challenges, therapy offers a structured, evidence-based path toward growth and healing.

At Spring Life Counseling, we’re committed to providing compassionate care that meets you where you are and helps you move forward with clarity and resilience.

If you’ve been considering counseling, this month is a meaningful time to begin. We're here to help.
📞 Contact us to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services.

04/30/2025

Alicia is a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate intern who comes alongside individuals, couples, and families with a warm, collaborative approach rooted in faith, connection, and evidence-based care.

She focuses on premarital counseling, marriage enrichment, conflict resolution, blended family dynamics, and personal growth, helping clients build stronger relationships and navigate life’s transitions with hope and resilience.

Alicia’s heart is to create a space where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive in every season of life.

For scheduling with Alicia, please call our admin team at 678-653-3272. Thank you!

03/21/2025

Relationships can be both challenging and rewarding, especially when neurodiversity is involved. Jessica Richards, M.A., LMFT, LPC, CPCS, helps individuals and couples navigate ADHD, Autism, giftedness and more.

Feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, or stuck in the same old patterns? Maybe you've tried therapy before but didn't feel truly understood?

Whether you're neurospicy yourself or care deeply about someone who is, Jessica can help you deepen connections and develop practical, personalized strategies.

Contact our admin team today to schedule your session with Jessica.

02/28/2025

02/14/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞
Lately, I’ve come across research on something called 𝗔𝗖𝗘𝘀 (𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀)—how childhood trauma can impact a person’s 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹, 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 health for life.

The research is clear: 𝗔𝗖𝗘𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀—they 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, and even 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱. Trauma doesn’t just live in memory; 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆.

As I’ve been processing this, I started thinking through stories in Scripture, looking at 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵, 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 through this lens. These were people who endured 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 as young men, but Scripture doesn’t really tell us how it affected them internally.

We know 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺:
✅ Joseph was betrayed, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison.
✅ Daniel was kidnapped as a teenager, forced to serve a pagan king, and thrown into a den of lions.
✅ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were stripped of their names, identities, and home—then sentenced to death by fire.

But what we 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 see is their 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲. We're not privy (for various reasons) to the internal dialogue that plays out in their minds.

❓ Did Joseph have 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 about his brothers throwing him into a pit?
❓ Did Daniel ever break down, 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 the home and family he’d never see again?
❓ Did the three young men 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 rise in their throats as they stood before the fiery furnace?

Scripture doesn’t say. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗱?

Do people of faith handle trauma by just pushing it down and ignoring it, or does their story become more incredible because they were impacted in HUGE ways, yet God used them in spite of their struggles?

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆

Because the Bible is often 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻, many people assume they 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 struggle—that their faith shielded them from fear, trauma, or doubt. This assumption can lead to harmful messages:

🚫 “You just have to trust God like Joseph did!”
🚫 “If Daniel could thrive in Babylon, why can’t you?”
🚫 “Look at how strong Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were—why are you still struggling?”

But 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲.

𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 (𝗔𝗖𝗘𝘀) 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.
Trauma doesn’t vanish because we believe. The body remembers. The heart aches. The mind wrestles.

The church must 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. Just because Joseph’s tears aren’t recorded doesn’t mean he never wept. Just because Daniel’s anxiety isn’t mentioned doesn’t mean he never felt it.

𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵

💬 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴,“Just have more faith,”
👉 𝗦𝗮𝘆, “Your pain is real, and God wants to meet you in it.”

💬 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, “Joseph turned out fine!”
👉 𝗦𝗮𝘆, “Let’s talk truthfully about how suffering shapes us—and how healing is a journey.”

💬 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, “You should be like Daniel,”
👉 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺, “You are not alone in your struggle, and God does not expect you to heal overnight.”

𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗶𝗻

Scripture’s silence doesn’t mean suffering wasn’t felt. And if 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗲𝗽𝘁, sweat blood, and cried out in agony, then surely 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

𝗧𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵:
💛 God does not rush your healing.
💛 You don’t have to be "okay” to be faithful.
💛 You are seen, known, and loved—right where you are.

02/08/2025

This Valentine's Day, consider giving the gift of connection.

At Spring Life Counseling, we offer retreat-based group intensives and in-office private intensives with experienced therapists who specialize in marriage counseling. Intensives are not only beneficial for couples in crisis, but also serve as an opportunity for enrichment, care following life transitions and change, or serving as a time of connection for you and your spouse.

If you're interested in gifting a meaningful experience to your spouse this Valentine's Day, please contact our front office for further details.