We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Brooks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
“The system broken yep,
Let’s give them 8 classes but no mental help.
No break between man than crazy what you mean?
Broken children becoming broken adults that’s what I see….

How I’ma teach you how to write an essay when you hurting inside?
First week I had students telling me they want to die.
Second week I had a student tell me she was supposed to be a man.
Third week I had students making “onlyfans”.

How I’ma teach you how to write an essay when you hurting inside?
Fourth week I had students talking about touting a fire.
Fifth week I had students with guns going live.
Sixth week I had students just trying to stay alive….”

That was an excerpt from a poem I wrote titled, “Hurting Inside”. I wrote this after teaching English on a secondary campus. I wrote this at a time when I realized our children are facing a threat far greater than academics and reading or writing. They’re facing an internal threat, their mental health. As a teacher I found myself without a lunch period, alone anyways, because there was always a student needing my support.

There was a counselor, but they were tasked with making class schedules and covering morning duties, lunch duties, afternoon duties and various tasks throughout the day. There was a Social Worker but they were tasked with covering multiple campuses, which means no relationships could truly be established as they simply showed up for appointments with students, when they could. So that left me. The person they knew and had grown to trust, the person they were familiar with.

I decided I was only putting a band-aid on the problem as a teacher. I decided to leave the field all together to go to the root of the issue. Currently I serve my community as the Program Director of Holistic Behavioral Health Solutions. I started this business with my husband, who currently works for a large School District in the Dallas area. He is tasked with overseeing Discipline for multiple secondary campuses. Together we also have two children. One, who is neurodivergent and has his own struggles with behavior.

Our business, Holistic Behavioral Health Solutions, focuses less on medication, but more on teaching skills such as how to stay calm or how to regulate your nervous system. We teach children, adults, and their families how to take rejection, how to respond when provoked or angry, and how to manage their emotions, just to name a few. Our goal is a partner with schools, to teach these practices to teachers and administrators, and to continue to grow, one day touching millions. Can you imagine a world with emotionally intelligent, balanced world leaders? We can. Our business aims to make the world a better place for our children and for yours.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
There is one word that sets us apart from other mental health businesses, Pasion. We are truly passionate about changing the world for our children. We don’t just do this, we live this. Our neurodivergent child has been kicked out of multiple schools for their behavior. So we know firsthand what parents are experiencing, and because of our educational background, we know what schools are facing as well. We took both experiences into account as we shaped our business. That is why we advocate for parents, attend ARD meetings, and conduct family team meetings because it does take a village.

At Holistic Behavioral Health Solutions, we provide compassionate, community focused support for youth and families facing emotional and behavioral challenges. We specialize in working with adolescents and young people experiencing behavioral outbursts or defiance, school related challenges, and family conflict, just to name a few. We then use relationship based approaches and other proven holistic techniques to help youth improve communication, decision making, develop self awareness, confidence, and so much more. In addition to that, we offer mentorship programs to both boys and girls.

It was not easy to start this business, as with any business there will be bumps in the road. However, I knew that I was gifted with a neurodivergent child for a reason. I feel my family has been divinely called to fill this gap in the world. As a family, we initially began making an impact by making meditation videos and educational rap songs. Our channel on YouTube is “Rap and Learn with the Brooks Family”. We’ve helped many students with this channel, but with our business we get to make an even deeper impact. We are so excited for the future; to see the growth of our business and the impact it will have not only in our community but the world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I’m vegan, so for sure we’d have to eat at “Vegan Food House” in Oak Cliff a few times. Their whole menu is vegan and insanely delicious, from the lemonade drinks to the jalapeno ranch dip. My favorite foods are the stuffed lasagna, boudin balls, and “shrimp & fish” basket. Oh and the burgers too! Then swing by “The V Kitchen” in Commerce Fork Food Co at some point, their vegan tacos and “steak” hibachi fried rice is so yummy. I’m personally into open mics and the poetry scene, so we’d for sure have to check Eventbrite to check out all the poetry spots happening that week. I’d also search for yoga, sound healing, or meditation events happening in the city that week as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I want to give all praises to God. For without him, nothing would be possible. I also want to shout out my family and every student that I’ve ever taught, you all have shaped me and molded me into a better human.

Website: https://holisticbhs.com

Twitter: @LoveMrsBrooks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rapandlearn

Other: Link to full Poem / Song titled “Hurting Inside” – https://youtu.be/ACUU7B25E8A?si=RkDbD177THeNiRWw

Image Credits
Melanie Brooks

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