By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
A new clinical psychology practice in Bowling Green has opened its doors with a focus on fortifying family relationships and making an impact in the community.
Dr. Andrea Mata brings her BrightSpot Families practice to Bowling Green to provide a unique, system approach to mental wellness in northwest Ohio.
Mata has been in practice since 2019 after earning a doctorate in clinical child psychology from Kent State University and teaching at the University of Findlay for nine years. She joined the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Toledo before leaving to establish BrightSpot Families and shift her focus from individual anxiety treatment to fortifying families.
She has written a book, “The No. 2 Parenting Book: Practical Tips for the Pooped Out Parent,” presented a TED Talk, and been featured in high-profile media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Huffington Post, and the Tamron Hall Show.
“I have a full caseload, but now that I have made a name for myself, I really felt pulled to go back to focusing on families, teaching individual coping skills, teaching relationship skills, teaching parenting skills.
The practice is located at 165 N. Main Street in a space that previously was occupied by Agile Oasis Technologies. Mata and her husband, Jim, had been looking at various locations for a Bowling Green office. The North Main Street building became available, and they decided to buy the building for the practice.
Joining her in the practice is Dr. Alex Long, who met Mata when he was a student-athlete at the University of Findlay. She inspired him to pursue a psychology degree with a focus on sports psychology because of the growing demand for mental health care for athletes.
“I think we’re able to meet a niche that is growing, that is changing the field as a whole,” Long said. When I was growing up, I never heard of sports psychology from Tom Brady or Michael Jordan, but to have Simone Biles and Michael Phelps talk about their mental health issues, I think it really develops a better atmosphere for athletes as a whole.”
Long earned a Doctor of Psychology in clinical psychology from John F. Kennedy University. His predoctoral internship was at the University of California-Davis, and his postdoctoral work was at The Ohio State University. At both universities, he worked with Division I student-athletes.
Long brings expertise in sports psychology and the ability to serve the adult client population, complementing Mata’s focus on younger clients and families.
“I predominantly work with 30-year-olds and younger,” Mata said. “He prefers to work with clients 18 years and older, so we can see clients for individual therapy across the gamut.”
Long’s work in the business also enables him to address the critical need for African American male psychologists. Currently, only 1.7% of all licensed psychologists in the U.S. are African American males. He is an asset for connecting with and retaining African American clients, a population that historically underutilizes mental health services.
Recent statistics support the idea that individuals who have shared culture, race or gender with their therapists have “a greater chance of staying in therapy,” Mata said.
Though Mata has experience working with athletes and sports teams, Long brings his expertise and training in sports psychology, performance coaching to expand the practice’s reach. “We’re bringing in someone who loves doing that kind of work and who shares more adult-clinician therapy work,” she said.
“I have a passion for student athletes, specifically African American student athletes like myself who struggle with depression and anxiety, injury recovery,” he said. He’s presented workshops that focus on more than confidence building. He has worked with athletes on how to come back from injuries, how to do adversity training or team cohesion groups “to be able to see the person rather than just the athlete,’ he explained.
Mata and Long see their work as being very purpose driven. They each relayed some divine intervention that called them to working as psychologists.
In addition to individual counseling, Mata plans to host events within the community such as a low-cost couples event called “Plate and Relate.” Ten couples will be able to enjoy a catered dinner, mingle with other couples and participate in a 20- to 30-minute workshop.
“You’re not going to make a lot of money off this idea,” Mata was told by a local business owner.
“I don’t care. Not everything we are doing in BrightSpot Families is about money. It’s about impact. It’s about making families fortified,” she responded. “If one day a month we can help 10 couples have better relationships, well then, doesn’t that help the community?”
The idea of investing in and strengthening the local community is the reason Mata wanted to open the Bowling Green office.
“Our mission is to improve and fortify families. There are not a lot of practices that focus on trying to help moms be better moms, dads be better dads, and help kids and teenagers with their mental health,” she said.
The practice offers a modern, flexible approach to therapy, utilizing a fully virtual office manager and a mix of in-person and telehealth services to meet clients’ needs. Individuals/families interested in scheduling an appointment with Mata or Long should contact the office manager by calling 419-287-6677 or emailing lindsay@brightspotfamilies.com.
