Kelly Younkins, LPCC-S, is a licensed clinical counselor, consultant, educator, and university faculty member with two decades of experience in the mental health field. Known for her holistic and people-centered approach, Kelly specializes in integrative wellness, clinical supervision, and professional development. She serves as a trusted mentor to graduate students and early-career professionals, and she’s passionate about promoting accessible, high-quality behavioral health care. Kelly is the founder of Kelly Younkins Consulting, LLC, where she runs a small private practice for clinical clientele, and provides consultation to individuals, organizations, and community partners. She currently teaches in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Youngstown State University and serves as the Mental Performance Consultant/Coach at Joel Younkins Training, a private facility in Northeast Ohio.
In my Own Words: What sets my approach apart is my belief in a holistic, systemic, people-centered perspective. I don't just see clients as cases; I see them as whole individuals, considering all aspects that contribute to their well-being, functioning and performance. I have tailored my practice to set me up to be the most present, attuned clinician I possibly can be, and work with a limited number of clientele and organizations each year to assure you get the absolute best of my time, talent, and energy!
Beyond my consulting work for organizations, I also serve as the Mental Performance Coach and Wellness Consultant at Joel Younkins Training, a private training facility founded by my husband in NEOhio. I help individuals, athletes and racers improve and maintain their overall well-being through assessment and personalized planning. Joel & I are passionate about collaborating with like-minded individuals to promote health and wellness initiatives locally and globally. We recently (2025) co-authored our 1st book together "The Mini Moto Manual" and released it to share with racers, families, and coaches across the world who love Motocross.
The am the Founder of Ohio & Western PA's first Mental Health & Wellness Expo, started in 2024, designed to showcase a diverse range of holistic mental health and wellness practices dedicated to cultivating mental health and wellbeing at any age and any stage of someone's journey. Our Slogan has remained "Re-author the Narrative" which is the movement of empowering our community to re-author, rewrite, the way we talk about and engage our communities into the range of options for mental health care and support. I am proud to offer something original and meaningful to the mental health space, and have enjoyed watching how collaboration and community centered story telling have become more central in wellness and lifestyle spaces. Its been an honor to play a part in that shift- through events Ive created and conversations Ive sparked, Ive seen others take that inspiration and shape their own meaningful experiences. Whether its wellness festivals, local fairs, or creative partnerships, Im passionate about building spaces that feel authentic, inclusive, and rooted in connection- all for the greater good of promoting mental health and wellbeing.
My mission is to offer a range of services, products, and events that empower individuals to take charge of their well-being.
I created the "Mental Health Check-Up"; a personalized mental health service aimed at making mental well-being a top priority. Through targeted assessments, EVB tools and inventories, we can assess and collaboratively create custom wellness path for you. I help people invest in their health just like an annual physical. My vision is for people to seek someone like me long before the proverbial 'check engine light' comes on! It is something that I have not seen exist in the mental health and wellness space, and my life's passion and productivity is fueled by creating for the job to be done (Clayton Christensen). If you're ready to embark on a journey of personal growth and well-being, I'm here to guide you. Let's work together to create the life you envision through education, support, insight, resource linkage, and skill development. Remember, manifesting positive change requires attention and intention, and I'm here to help you stay laser-focused on your desired results.
I am in the process of authoring my 1st Clinical Book, focused on teaching clinicians how to use my original, customized illustrations for clinical concepts and processes that facilitate learning, growth, and progression. This book will contain several of my original works of art that I have created over the years in my professional career, and I will use them to highlight how attention to learning styles and use. of visual aids can facilitate a deeper understanding of concepts, processes, and skills for clients AND clinicians- whether the clinician is freshly minted or seasoned and looking for some new ways to accelerate therapeutic alliance and progress for their clients.
Over the years, I have realized that my strongest work and advocacy lies in creating systems for individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive and elevate their wellbeing and performance. From treatment models, customized trainings, innovative teaching tools, and solving for the job to be done, I have found endless inspiration and passion for my work in creating, implementing, and teaching ways to invest in your mental wealth (K. Gurney, 1999). See the Gallery link to podcasts I have been guests on, talking about a range of topics within the mental health and wellness space which I am passionate about.
Join me in reshaping the narrative of Behavioral Healthcare by investing in your emotional health just as you would any other aspect of your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Together, we can remove traditional barriers to mental health and make well-being accessible to all.
"What you seek is seeking you"- Rumi
"Re-author the Narrative" is a framework/phrase originated by Kelly Younkins in late 2022, used in creative writing samples, social media content, community events, and general thought leadership in the mental health and wellbeing space to promote a movement toward eliminating stigma by shifting the language, changing the experiencing, reshaping the culture around conversation, promotion, and access to mental health care.