Meet Whitney Stovall

We had the good fortune of connecting with Whitney Stovall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Whitney, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Counseling that aims to create norms, not fit them I have been providing play-based services to children in the mental health field for several years, ranging from clinical to school-based settings. Additionally, I provide multimodal communication support to individuals who are non-speaking, unreliably speaking, or limited speaking. Throughout my work, I have realized that many of the treatments that currently exist for neurodivergent children and their families are outdated, fail to presume competence, support masking and conformity, or are inaccessible. Therefore, it became my mission to work towards filling the current gaps that exist for this population, by creating a business model that addresses the needs at both the individual and community levels.

Individual Level
Neurodivergent refers to individuals who might think, sense, feel, move, process, socialize, or communicate differently than the general population. Regulation refers to a complex process involved in adjusting and controlling our thoughts, feelings, attention, words, and actions, which can be divided into three broad areas: sensory, cognitive, and emotional regulation. These two concepts became critical underpinnings in the development of Integral Play’s philosophy and mission.

I wanted to create a therapeutic environment that fit the unique needs of each child, rather than aiming to create a child to fit into an environment. I felt that the only way to do this was by adopting an “integral” approach that aims to support the whole child, and not just their pieces. These two components acted as the inspiration behind the company’s name, “Integral Play,” and logo. Our logo is composed of 4 puzzle pieces, which represent each child’s unique sensory, motor, communication, and social-emotional profile.

Community Level
Another critical piece of my business process was learning from and partnering with the self-advocates- they are the true experts! Additionally, I place great importance on interdisciplinary care and consultation. I feel that in order to provide and maintain a meaningful and neuro-affirming practice, learning and working with these individuals is imperative. It is also through these interactions, that I started to notice a consistent theme surrounding belongingness and connection, or lack thereof. This is what inspired my second mission – community connections- which we are hopeful to launch in the new year. Our goal is to support an increased sense of social network and support, which we know is an important piece of wellness.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Welcome to your home for mental health. Medical settings can be anxiety-provoking for some children. Therefore, I wanted to create a warm and welcoming environment. The best way I could think to do this was by setting up my practice in an old home that has been converted into office use. We hope that every family can walk in and feel right at home.

Advocacy and Partnerships
Integral Play aims to address fundamental misunderstandings surrounding neurodivergence within the medical field and larger community through education, partnerships, and outreach. Much of the information and research available to us comes from an ableist perspective, which ignores the perspectives of those with lived experiences. We believe that in order to truly provide neuro-affirming services, it is critical to partner with the self-advocates in the community to get their invaluable feedback. Therefore, our approach aims to strike an integral balance between the latest literature and research, and insights from the true experts- the self-advocates. We feel that we have an opportunity to correct false narratives and promote true inclusivity.

Intelligence is multifaceted
A single measure of intelligence doesn’t capture the full picture of a child’s capacity for learning. Unfortunately, these tests have a significant impact on a child’s placement and access to age-appropriate content within the educational system. This is compounded by several myths that exist surrounding neurodivergence and intelligence, which can have significant consequences for these individuals. Therefore, we would like to take a moment to set the record straight on a few: non-speaking does not mean non-thinking; ADHD is a disorder of performance, not intelligence; autism is a developmental disorder, not an intellectual deficit; and there is no “one way” to be autistic. Integral Play advocates for the whole-child, AND the systems that they operate within. We do this by advocating for age-appropriate curriculum, increased access to reliable communication, and well-needed accommodations that might allow each child to reach their greatest potential in the classroom.

Supporting our parent warriors
The current rates of caregiver burnout are significant. These rates are even greater for parents with neurodivergence children. Unfortunately, there are limited resources and support available to these families. We believe that it is critical to support our warrior parents through providing well-needed resources, support, and coaching. Parent support is too often missed, so we hope that we can continue to find ways to be effective and increase accessibility in this area.

An eclectic set of interventions and approaches
Play is fundamental to happiness and well-being. It allows for expression, learning, development of new skills, and the processing of heavy emotional content with a safe level of distancing, which is why I am so passionate about this modality. While all of my work is grounded in individualized relationships and play, I bring a wide range of skills, interventions, and approaches into my work. On top of my eclectic approach, I also collaborate and consult with local occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, nurse practitioners, yoga therapists, teachers, and physician assistants. I think that interdisciplinary care is extremely important to ensure best practice and quality of care.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As an Atlanta native, I have so much pride in our beautiful city. My husband and I are major foodies, and love any opportunity to be outside with our Bernedoodle, Roscoe. Some of our favorite day activities include walking and shopping along the beltline, exploring the trails along the Chattahoochee river, strolling through Chastain Park, visiting one of our many breweries, or catching a Braves game at the Battery.

We also love any excuse to take visitors to go see a show at the Fox Theatre, or walk around to enjoy the views at the Botanical Gardens- their Christmas exhibit is our favorite! When it comes to food and drink, we like to make sure that our guests get a range of flavors and experiences. Some of our staple eats include Nuevo Laredo, Del Bar, C&S Oyster Bar, Canoe, Blue Ridge Grill, Mezza Luna, and Muss and Turners- through the freezer door. If we want to watch a futbol or football game in a casual and dog- friendly setting, we love frequenting our local Meehan’s- the staff are like family.

If you’re looking for drinks, then I highly recommend heading to the outside bar at canoe, where you can explore the gardens and enjoy the river. For a more upscale experience, we love the St. Regis Bar and the Garden Room. Another favorite include the attic at Old Vinings Inn, where you can catch live music on select nights.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would be remiss to say that my journey has been easy or without heartache. However, I am grateful for my challenges and the ways in which they have deepened my ability to love, empathize, and advocate for each client. When reflecting on my journey, I am overwhelmed by the amount of love, support, and guidance that I have had along the way. It would be impossible to name all of the incredible family members, friends, mentors, colleagues, teachers, coaches, and clients that have shaped me, but I want to extend my greatest thanks for all of these important individuals who have been a meaningful part of my story.

Family
First and foremost, I want to thank my family. Without them, none of this would be possible. My parents have given me a life and opportunities that many could only wish for, and it is my hope that I can use these gifts in the service of others. It wouldn’t be possible to talk about my success without talking about the invaluable impact that my father, Ron Pfohl, has had on me and continues to have. Despite losing him to a terminal illness a couple of years ago, I still feel that he is very much present in my life and all of the work that I do. Additionally, there are not enough words to describe the love and gratitude I have for my husband. Starting a business is a major risk, and he has championed me every step of the way, and supported me unconditionally. My family is foundational to my success.

Education and Learning
I developed a love for learning from a young age, which continues to drive my growth and success into adulthood. I attribute this to the talented teachers, professors, and programs that invested in my learning, including Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, Lesley University, and the International Association for Spelling as Communication.

Mentors and Training
Professionally, I would not be the provider that I am today without the careful guidance and mentorship that I received from Shelley Carnes and her team at the Hirsch Academy. Shelley encouraged me to push past traditional counseling approaches and challenged me to create and re-envision the ways in which we can be with this population in a therapeutic way. I also want to also want to give credit to the autistic self-advocates for continuing to allow me to partner with, learn from, and advocate for increased accessibility to mental health services, especially for those who utilize multimodal communication supports. These are the true experts, and we have much to learn from them.

Website: www.integralplaytherapy.org

Instagram: integral_play

Image Credits
Kaitlin English Young