You’re Not Alone. Ginny Pantin is here to help.
Ginny Pantin has a message for people distressed by the isolation of the pandemic or overwhelmed by the past year: help is available.
The North Sunflower Medical Center team treats all health needs in the community. In Ginny’s case, she’s concerned about the mental health of people of all ages.
Ginny is an LCSW or licensed clinical social worker. She’s a compassionate advocate for the emotional needs of our community.
You will find her leading group therapy sessions with senior citizens and volunteering her time at high schools to reach teens who may not realize they are in distress. On a recent day, she was in a high school gym standing in front of students in bleachers, giving a socially distanced message about caring.
“In our local area, we’ve had a lot of loss,” Ginny says. “There have been some recent struggles in local schools. There are a lot of different outlets for help. I hope to be an outlet that people feel comfortable reaching out to.”
Her message is simple: “you are not alone.”
When Ginny was in middle school in Greenville, she dreamed of getting a social work degree and finding ways to help the people of the Mississippi Delta. She graduated from Delta State and received her master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Her goal after finishing her training was to join the NSMC team and return to the area.
“It’s the first job I applied for out of graduate school. I’ve always liked NSMC and this area. It’s the first job I tried to get. I was really thankful to get it,” she said. “I love my job. We have a great, supportive team.”
Ginny offers individual and family counseling for ages as young as 3. She has group counseling sessions with seniors, including groups 65 and older and those in a nursing home setting. She is up-to-date on the latest skills. She assists with everything from dealing with trauma to anxiety.
She noticed an increase in teen clients during the pandemic, and she was not surprised because of “the negativity in the world around us.”
Ginny said there is a misperception that bullying is behind all problems. Students can hide their anxiety, and parents may miss signs of trouble. She shares tips on when to reach out and how to reach out.
Ginny has led counseling sessions for 14 years and has seen obstacles that keep people from seeking help.
“There is a lot of stigma attached to it at every level,” she said.
Ginny has studied depression in the farming community and is familiar with the stressors faced by caregivers. The pandemic has led to a new level of anxiety, she said.
“Families are feeling a lot of fear,” she said. “It comes from all the things that are happening around them.”
She is a resource to give people tools to deal with those emotions and improve their lives. She may be the right fit for counseling or recommend another expert. Her hope with her outreach in schools is that she will prevent teens from feeling so hopeless that they contemplate suicide.
“There are a lot of different outlets for help. Talking to someone can lead you to what those options are,” Ginny says. “I would like to be a part of that journey.”
To make an appointment or find out more information, call 662-756-1786.