By Kelsey Corley
Heather Braddock has always known that she wanted to dedicate her life to helping and healing others. From the time she entered college at Liberty University, she was firmly set on becoming a counselor. She was already equipped with a personable and calming presence, “Growing up I was always the person that people trusted and found it easy to talk to.” Faith has also had an important influence on her career choice. One of her biggest goals in her work was to make each of her clients’ see their worth and the potential that she sees that God has given them.
Braddock came to the King University Counseling Center after working for five years at a faith-based, non profit organization called Covenant Counseling Center which is based in Kingsport, Tennessee. When asked what attracted her to working at King, she quickly replied, “College students, they’re my favorite group to work with.” She is interested in the unique challenges that college students face at their age and at the point of great transition in their lives. She stated that at her previous jobs many of the clients referred to her had been teenagers and young adults and that she felt that her experience fit well for working with the specific issues that they face. College is a difficult time in peoples’ life, as for most its the time of transition from adolescence to adulthood, and she enjoys her role in helping students navigate their way through it.
When she is out of her office, Braddock prioritizes spending time with her family. She, her husband, and three young children love to spend time outdoors, specifically visiting parks. A frequent hobby of hers is running, and she has run several marathons and half-marathons. Beyond that time, she is very active in her church, occasionally working with her husband who is a youth pastor.
Braddock is a firm believer in the philosophy of listening first and can see the good nature of people often when they don’t see it themselves. Her work stresses the acknowledgment of the value each human being inherently possesses. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else, helping people is what makes my heart beat.” Whether it be through the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood, the harrows of mental illness, or just a particularly tough semester, Heather Braddock will be there for King University through it all.
The mission of King University Counseling Center is to provide enrolled students with an opportunity to meet with a licensed professional counselor to assist in reaching their full potential spiritually, emotionally, academically, and socially. The free and confidential services include a safe and friendly environment to receive help in times of need by a licensed professional counselor for common issues as: stress, grades, homesickness, family concerns, trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and self harm.
To schedule a meeting with Heather Braddock at the King University Counseling Center call 423.652.4742 or email counselingcenter@king.edu.
