Spero was founded in 1964 in Owatonna as the South Central Human Relations Center. Since then, we have grown and continue to provide comprehensive mental and behavioral healthcare services. We have providers that specialize in multiple areas of mental healthcare, including child and adolescent services, including Diana Buruchara who is a Nurse Practitioner, and Lorraine Njos who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Diana Buruchara started her career as a registered Nurse and obtained her Nurse Practitioner license in 2022, treating ages 6-18. She has specialized training in assessment and pharmacology as well as medication management and treatment of mental health conditions. She prescribes medications if they are needed.
Lorrainne is an Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist who sees children from birth to age 12 for therapy services, which also includes play therapy. She has specialized training in 0-5 assessments and diagnosis, Child Centered Play Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy, following guidelines in Infant and Early Childhood Mental health.
Play is natural for children, and play is how children communicate with the world around them. Sometimes they need support with regulating their emotions, or family members need support on co-regulation. Some common diagnoses or concerns seen in children/adolescents are anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavior and emotional regulation issues, PTSD, grief and loss, and parent/child relational issues.
Diana and Lorraine agree that it’s important to approach treatment in a holistic manner: involving the child as well as the parent or primary caregiver so that there is shared decision making and treatment planning with open communication. Parent involvement can vary based on the ages of the child/adolescent. Both Lorraine and Diana stress the importance of building a relationship of trust, and they create that environment of trust to connect with children by listening to their needs, getting to know them as a person, and paying close attention to how children communicate through their behaviors.
Some of the stigma around mental health can make it difficult to seek services. It’s important to know that it’s ok to seek help for mental health just as you would for physical health issues like diabetes or heart disease. Sometimes mental illness can be chronic, and need long term medication and therapy management; sometimes it can be managed on a short-term basis. When your mental health is in a good place, other aspects of your life can be easier to manage.
However, it’s important to know that there isn’t a magic pill, and sometimes it takes trying different medications or supports to help someone heal. There are many internal and external community resources both Diana and Lorraine can connect children and caregivers with to help meet comprehensive needs. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance abuse, reach out to Spero for assistance at 800-722-0590. Our team can help guide you through the services available in the community to meet your individual needs.