Inspiring Conversations with Denise Baker of Life Quest Counseling and Consulting, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Denise Baker

Hi Denise, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My husband and I are parents of an adult with exceptional and challenging circumstances. Our amazing son has received services through DDD for over 25 years, and being his parents has taught us and his sister so many life lessons, and brought us both challenges and joy that we could have never imagined. This journey has been extremely difficult at times; but, with the right support our parenting journey became a profoundly rich and meaningful experience. In my professional life, I have over 20 years of experience in Arizona’s public behavioral health system supporting parents who are raising or have raised children with unique needs. My personal experiences as a parent, supporting families in navigating mental health services, and training parents and professionals across the country led to my desire to work as a mental health counselor in order to be able to help parents in an individual, one-on-one setting. I made the decision to complete a Master’s of Clinical Counseling Degree in 2014, graduated in 2018, became licensed, and opened my own private counseling practice in 2019. Today I have the privilege and honor of working with many parents helping them to enhance their strengths and capacities and navigate the challenges they experience on their unique parenting journey.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I think some of the biggest challenges I have faced for sure would be trying to keep our son healthy when he was a baby, and the fear and other emotions during that time. Through the years, multiple diagnoses followed by enrollment into medical and behavioral health services was overwhelming and daunting for our entire family. One of the toughest things was probably the times we felt judged by others who were in helping roles for decisions we made or did not make for our son; yet, we always knew in our gut what was best for him. Professionally speaking, not unlike any other working Mother, maintaining a career while simultaneously meeting the needs of our family was challenging every day. Learning to live and work in a state of constant sleep deprivation was our “normal.” Would I want things to have been different for our son? Yes. But, I have to say that I wouldn’t trade the richness of the experiences of these life challenges, ever. At least not for myself.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Life Quest, we provide compassionate counseling services that help people find hope and healing through life’s greatest challenges. Life Quest offers individual, couples, family and group counseling addressing a variety of client needs. We specialize in services for Parents, Caregivers and Family Members of children with mental health needs, intellectual challenges, chronic medical conditions, or trauma and Individuals with traumatic experiences.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Favorite Apps: Calm Headspace The Mighty Apple Music Safeway Grocery Delivery Favorite Books: Carly’s Voice, by Carley Fleischmann and Arthur Fleischman The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene’ Brown Now Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay Everything is Normal Until Proven Otherwise; a Book About Wraparound Services, by Karl Dennis and Ira Lourie Favorite Podcasts Therapy Chat

Contact Info:

• Email: denise@lifequestaz.com
• Website: https://www.lifequestaz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/life_quest_counseling/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeQuestCounselingAZ/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeQuestHopeAZ