EAGLE \u2014 From the time she was a little girl, Jill Squyres had the makings of a good counselor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always really liked listening to people and solving problems,\u201d she said. \u201cThen when I went to college, I loved all my psychology courses.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a Ph.D. in psychology\u00a0from the University of Southern California, today Squyres works as a clinical psychologist with an\u00a0office in Eagle. Along with her private practice, she volunteers on the board of directors for Speak Up Reach Out and is active with the Total Health Alliance. At a time when the Eagle Valley is focused on improving mental health services, Squyres has found herself uniquely situated to help guide the effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to be the person in private practice who is involved in issues at the community level,\u201d Squyres said. \u201cIt\u2019s exactly what I was trained for and the values I\u00a0was raised with.\u201d<\/p>\n
New York native<\/strong><\/p>\n Now a resident of Eagle, Squyres is far removed from her own upbringing. She grew up in New York City.<\/p>\n \u201cI did all the city things as a kid \u2014 museums and shows and parades,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I dreamed of picket fences and yards. I wanted open space.\u201d<\/p>\n She attended undergraduate school at the University of Rochester.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was great. All you wanted to do was study because it was always so cold outside,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She majored in psychology, earned her bachelor\u2019s degree and then opted to continue her studies in a warmer climate.<\/p>\n \u201cAll I wanted was to live in California. I loved L.A.,\u201d Squyres said.<\/p>\n She did her doctorate work at USC and said she didn\u2019t even mind the L.A. traffic. She finished her degree in 1987 and went to work for a company doing developmental testing, writing manuals and working with authors. She figured research would be the heart of her career.<\/p>\n Her heart had a different idea. She had married her first husband and the couple then moved to San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n Human element<\/strong><\/p>\n In Texas, Squyres started a family that eventually included two sons and one daughter. She\u00a0took a job as the staff psychologist in the spinal cord injury unit of the local VA hospital. She loved the work.<\/p>\n \u201cTalk about making a big impact for someone who is open to it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Eventually, Squyres and her husband separated in what she calls \u201cthe world\u2019s most amicable divorce.\u201d She agreed to remain in Texas so she and her ex could co-parent their children. In 2002, she opened\u00a0a private practice which she ran until her youngest turned 18.<\/p>\n Then, the mountains were calling.<\/p>\n Picket fence charm<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI first came here in 2010. We had a\u00a0timeshare and it was use it or lose it,\u201d Squyres said.<\/p>\n That trip led to a second visit which led to a third.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I drove into Eagle and saw the picket fences, I said, \u2018I have to live here,’\u201d Squyres said. \u201cI fell in love with\u00a0Eagle like you fall in love with a person.\u201d<\/p>\n She was attracted to the community\u2019s family-oriented atmosphere and liked\u00a0that while Eagle was close to a resort, it wasn\u2019t a resort itself. And while Squyres loved the community vibe, she also saw a professional opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cI Google searched and found out there was no psychologists\u00a0listed from Edwards to Glenwood Springs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n She moved to the valley in 2012.<\/p>\n Private practice<\/strong><\/p>\n Squyres said a couple of factors have helped her build a strong private practice in Eagle. First, she continued working with established clients from Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have been very\u00a0difficult otherwise,\u201d she said. \u201cYou don\u2019t just hand out a shingle and have a practice here. People were just used to not having anything available locally.\u201d<\/p>\n But with time, her practice gained local traction in a valley where the need for mental health services has been well documented<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe need here is greater than what\u2019s available,\u201d Squyres said. \u201cI am committed to doing what I can about that. It matters to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Like people everywhere, Eagle County residents face mental health challenges. She noted financial insecurity is one stress that many residents face, supporting themselves and their families in a paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people feel very alone and assume they are the only ones dealing with the issues they face,\u201d she continued. \u201cThere is a lot of distress here.\u201d<\/p>\n Squyres said that distress leads some local residents to extreme actions, including suicidal thoughts and attempts<\/a>. Her concern led her to the local suicide prevention group Speak Up Reach Out<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNot talking about suicide doesn\u2019t make it go away. It makes it worse,\u201d Squyres said.<\/p>\n As its name states, Speak Up Reach Out is committed to taking its message to the masses.<\/p>\n Anyone who is in Vail on March 8 can be part of that effort. Speak Up Reach Out is planning a flash mob event at 2 p.m. at the base of Gondola One. Everyone is welcome to participate. Come prepared to belt out the song \u201cBrave.\u201d<\/p>\nRecommended Stories For You<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n