Janey Appletoft-Knie has always felt drawn to helping others. After working as an accountant in Minneapolis for nearly a decade, she made the move back to Aberdeen in 2009 and decided to pursue her passion.
Janey Appletoft-Knie believes in having open conversations about mental health care. Photos by Troy McQuillen.
“I felt like I had a knack for talking to and connecting with people,” she said. “People told me I should be a counselor. I have a natural curiosity with people and that drives my passion.”
She lived near Northern State University and took some classes to see if it would be a good fit. “I liked it and connected with it, and I was fully committed after the first semester.”
Appletoft-Kine began working in community mental health before opening Prairie View Counseling in May of 2021, which serves patients in the northeastern part of South Dakota.
At Prairie View, Appletoft-Knie provides assistance with depression, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and the management that comes with them.
“Some people have the words to talk about things, and others don’t,” she said. “Every person is so individualized. I always think, ‘What are the needs of the person sitting in front of me?’”
Building relationships with each client is important. Unlike a visit to a primary care physician, therapy visits are longer and involve building trust between a provider and patient. Appletoft-Knie said that for many patients, a certain level of trust needs to be established before they feel comfortable opening up.
“Good clinicians can help break down the barriers and anxieties that come with seeking treatment,” she said. “People have very complex stories and lives. Some people are over fifty years old before they seek treatment, so they have over fifty years of a story that they might not have dealt with.”
Appletoft-Kine said that clients are the experts on themselves, so it is important for them to take the reins when it comes to their healthcare. For example, she encourages people to find a therapist that they connect with, even if that person isn’t the first therapist that they visit. She also offers in-person and online appointments at Prairie View. She said that some people prefer going to a visit in an office setting, since there are fewer distractions. Other people live in rural parts of the state, so online options allow them more opportunities to seek out care.
Some people may have reservations about therapy, but Appletoft-Kine said that having open conversations can help decrease stigmas associated with mental health care.
“Therapy is not as scary as people think,” she said. “Initially, it may feel intimidating. People have many reasons for not coming in, and it’s our job to break those barriers. If you’re drawn to checking it out, make the appointment. Therapy can be good for anybody.”
Therapy also doesn’t have to be a lifelong commitment.
“Someone might be in a tough season of life and they just want someone to walk with them,” she said.
Nowadays, Appletoft-Knie says that she feels that people are more receptive to mental health care.
“There are still some barriers. In this part of the country, people don’t always want to talk about their problems. But now it is more of a mainstream concept, and people are more open to discussing mental health topics.”
She said that younger people especially are open to mental health discussions with the people in their lives. The internet has also helped break down some stigma and barriers that had previously been associated with mental health care.
Appletoft-Knie said that there are ways people can help loved ones that may be considering therapy.
“It’s important to break down shame, or the thought that something is wrong with them,” she said. “Something doesn’t have to be wrong to go to therapy. If someone is struggling, it can help to open up. Focusing on benefits instead of what’s wrong can make it a more positive experience.” //
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