Welcome!

If you’re new around here—or if we’ve been connected for a while—thank you for being here. I wanted to take a moment to re-introduce myself in a way that captures more than just a bio. Because truthfully, a few lines of credentials can’t capture the full picture.


You may have picked up pieces of my story along the way, but here’s a little more about the person behind the website, the practice, the page, and the passion projects. Because honestly? A short little bio could never capture it all—and I don’t think it should. You’re dynamic. I’m dynamic. And we deserve more than a couple of bullet points.


My name is Kelly Younkins. I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) in the state of Ohio and a Mental Performance Coach supporting people all across the globe. I also teach part-time in the Counseling Department at Youngstown State University—Y and Proud! 🐧✨
I serve as the Wellness Consultant & Performance Coach at Joel Younkins Training, and I’m often called into workplaces outside of the mental health field to lead custom learning events and workshops on well-being, communication, and team health.
I started in mental health back in 2005 and have worked in just about every setting—child and family systems, multi-systemic programs, outpatient, residential, school-based, wraparound… I’ve been a facilitator, a supervisor, a developer, and a presenter at the local, state, and national level.
One of my proudest professional contributions is creating the Family Reunification Model ©, a 7-year-long project rooted in clinical practice, research, and heart. You can check it out at thefamilyreunificationmodel.com to learn more.


 But beyond the roles and titles, I’m a person who cares deeply.
I care about people being seen. Heard. Valued.
I care about helping individuals, families, and teams better understand themselves—and each other.
I care about creating things that work. That bring people together. That leave the world a little better than we found it.
Over the years, I’ve created programs, workbooks, workshops, and trainings that do just that.
I’ve studied what works, what doesn’t, and where the gaps are—and I’ve been relentless about closing those gaps.
My practice. My content. My courses. My Expo. This website. The products. The pages. All of it was built out of the same mission:
To connect people to themselves and to the supports that help them grow.
My “why” is personal.
I was lucky enough to be raised by parents who gave me space to become whoever I wanted to be—and loved me through every version of that journey. That freedom and love shaped everything about how I move through the world. And that love now pours into others, through every part of my work.
I believe people want to live in alignment with who they really are.
They want to feel seen, feel fulfilled, and feel connected to something meaningful.
Whether it’s through a class, a coaching session, a workshop, or a live video—I aim to create space for that.
I started this online space back in 2016 to normalize mental health and make support more accessible—not just through information, but through connection. Through real, honest conversations in the spaces where people are already showing up.
So if you’re here, I hope this space reminds you that your mental health matters.
That there are people and programs and places ready to support you.
And that wherever you are on your journey—you're not alone.
And just so you know—my most important roles?
Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Colleague.
Those roles fuel everything I do.
Thanks for being here. Truly. I don’t take this connection for granted.
Let’s keep creating something meaningful, together. 💛
—Kelly