Hello.

Justin P. Charping, MA, LPC

Justin is a native of Gratiot County and has spent the last 17 years supporting youth and families in the community as they seek to heal, find balance in their lives, and thrive as students, parents, and community members. He began working in the field of mental health in 2003 as a mentor in an at-risk youth program that taught daily life skills with group and individual treatment modalities.

As he entered his master’s program for counseling in 2008, he was tasked with revamping the youth program curriculum, hiring and training staff, and supervising the program. It was during this experience that Justin truly began to understand the importance of relationships as the spark of change. In 2010, Justin graduated with a Masters in Professional Counseling and transitioned into the role of a Homebased Therapist. It was then that Justin was humbled by the complexities of family needs and dynamics, as well as the importance of treating the whole person and their primary environments. Justin continued working in this role for two years, becoming certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, co-facilitating anger management groups, and providing intensive therapeutic services both in home and the community to children and their families.

As a result of his experience with supporting individuals through trauma, Justin has learned the power of healing from past trauma and the absolute need for accessing family and community supports in the process. In 2012, Justin began developing and implementing services for the school-based program at Gratiot Integrated Health Network (GIHN). This program involved providing group and individual therapy within the school setting, educating and partnering with school staff and administrators to identify mental health needs, developing a referral system for coordination between local schools and GIHN, and co-facilitating an at-risk youth group with Child Advocacy to provide intervention for co-occurring related challenges and develop healthy coping skills. In an effort to further the support given to the local community, Justin co-founded Next Step Holistic Counseling Center. He now strives to further direct access of mental health care and education to students, parents, and families by partnering with local schools, agencies, and health care professionals.

Justin ultimately dreams of opening a Center where the community is able to access mental health, holistic medicine, and physical health therapies under one roof.