Sean Sturgill, Owner at Shawnee Counseling Center, met his team in the conference room at the regular Tuesday leadership meeting earlier this month. The energy in the room was unmistakable—staff lined the walls, some scribbling notes, others nodding along.
Shawnee Counseling Center recently launched their new tagline: “A Resource For Life.” More than just a tagline, it’s Shawnee Counseling’s new defining mantra for 2025. And as Sean began to unpack what it means, it became clear: this wasn’t about rebranding. It was about reasserting who they are—and the lengths they’re willing to go to transform lives.
Instilling Personal Responsibility in Staff and Clients
Sean made it clear from the start: “Resource for life” is a commitment to persistence, especially when it’s hardest.That applies to staff just as much as it does to clients.
He told stories—raw, honest ones—about the 2AM pickups, fielding late-night texts, and the clients who relapse and return. Some might see those clients as lost causes. Sean doesn’t.
“We don’t quit on a client,” he said. “Even when they cuss us out. Even when they walk barefoot down Route 52 in the middle of the night. If they’re ready to come back—we tag them back in.”
He challenged his staff to hold the line, even when it’s thankless. “All you’re going to hear is the grief,” he said. “Like a teenager who won’t thank you until they’re 25—but they remember who stood by them.”
Sean also emphasized the importance of consistency and integrity in how staff interact with clients. “Look them in the eye and ask—do you think we care about you? Be honest. They’ll know if you’re not.”
Creating Better Neighborhoods and Better Neighbors
The conversation shifted from people to places. For Sean and his team, transformation isn’t limited to individuals—it radiates into the community and they take that responsibility seriously.
He shared how he personally walked Portsmouth—sometimes late at night—searching for the right block to begin rebuilding. He landed on Highland Avenue, a street with wide brick roads and too many abandoned homes.
“We started with one house,” he said. “Cut the grass. Edged the sidewalks. Picked up clippings. Then the neighbors started doing the same. Pretty soon the whole side of the block was clean. It spread.”
Naturally, many citizens are skeptical about having people in transitional living in their neighborhood. One story involved a skeptical neighbor who warned him, “You’re not going to do this here.” Months later, that same man was getting help from SCC clients with yard work and projects.
“We’re good neighbors,” Sean said. It’s one of the things that Shawnee Counseling really prides themselves on – is making neighborhoods better when they move n.
Relentless, Full-Service Support for Long-Term Outcomes
Transformation at Shawnee doesn’t stop with rehab. The goal isn’t just sobriety—it’s sustainability.
“Life skills take time,” Sean told his team. “You ever tried teaching your own kid to brush their teeth every day? Now try doing that with a grown man who lived in a creek and has never had a routine in his life.”
From hygiene to housing to financial literacy, SCC builds a new foundation for clients—sometimes quite literally. Staff may be sent to help someone shower, clean, or simply establish routines they’ve never had before.
These acts, while small, are pivotal. “He went from not bathing to owning a business,” Sean said of one former client. “You don’t get that from a 90-day certificate.”
And the work is shared. Sean praised veteran staff like Mike and Cassie for being willing to do housing checks and implement new protocols—regardless of seniority.
“No job is beneath us,” he said. “We all row the same direction.”
A Unified Mission, A New Level of Detail
As Sean brought the room back to the big picture, he spoke of refinement—not reinvention. “2025 is about a new level of detail and dedication to transformation,” he said. “Bringing our clients from troubled dependents to thriving community contributors.”
The implementation of tools like Max’s 88 life skills framework across all programs signals a more structured, unified approach. But it’s the culture—the relentlessness, the humility, the honesty—that makes it all stick.
Sean summed it up plainly: “If you want to row with us, get in the boat. If you’re going to row sideways or paddle backward—get out.”
From leadership to clinicians to admissions staff, that energy has caught on. Staff like Leslie and Aaron shared that they remain in touch with clients even after discharge. “Just because someone’s not with us anymore doesn’t mean we stop caring,” Leslie said.They described SCC as a place that feels like home—both to clients and to staff. “It’s refreshing,” Aaron added. “You’re not just a billing number here. People care.”