Today, it can be difficult to focus on the deeper rhythms of life. Distractions come from the attention-economy and screen-watching, not to mention anxieties about war, economy, and illness. It can feel easier to stay surface-level. Do you or someone you know want more than a life that seems good on the surface? Do you hope for wholeness, relief from anxiety, and restored hope for yourself and others? Christopher has been through this process himself – he’s now sharing what helped him heal in his mind, emotions & spirit to help others in their journey for wholeness and relational health.
With a background in behavioral health, Dr. Christopher Keck leads Open Hearts Family Wellness as President and CEO with the mission to facilitate hope and growth in physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Since 1974, Open Hearts has influenced tens of thousands of lives across generations through behavioral healthcare. Dr. Keck’s vision for Open Hearts’ starts with self-discovery and moves to helping change the world one moment and one client at a time!
Beginning the Healing Journey
Christopher believes the outward mission to help others starts with an inward journey. No one could love another unless they were first loved. And we learn how to support others in healing and growth through our own healing and growth. Dr. Keck provides support for his team members to grow so that they may be equipped and supported to educate, coach, and facilitate healing for clients who are looking for hope—hope to believe they can live their best lives with love and positively impact people around them.
His career in behavioral health began after his own therapist helped him tell his story to develop new empathy and insight for himself as well as others – essential steps on one’s healing journey! Christopher now works to create spaces where we can share our stories without fear or shame and find love through relationships with people and the Divine. For the past eight years, he’s developed relationships among professionals which promote trust, accountability, and teaming to serve the community of Arizona. Now at Open Hearts, Christopher is building new bridges across community partners to increase access to behavioral health services so everyone can pursue wellness.
Values that Matter
“It’s all about the people.” Christopher describes the chief value of Open Hearts as Servant Leadership saying, “I work for staff just as much as they work for me. We each are a vital part of the team of Open Hearts, helping people overcome the adversities of life! When the team is trusting and collaborating internally, we are then poised to serve our clients with our expertise.”
Admirable Services
In 2022 Dr. Keck is bringing the inward journey to Open Hearts as an organization. To provide efficient and effective services, the workplace culture must have clarity of mission and responsibilities. Open Hearts is a place where all people grow, clients and employees alike. We make the growth of expertise and professionalism of our staff the focus that they can in turn offer the help for any part of a family to heal and grow.
Adversities Along the Way
As we continue experiencing the impact of COVID-19, organizations must operate with trust and build connections in and among client-serving teams – teamwork makes the dream work. “This work is difficult,” Dr. Keck recognizes,” and we must start with empathy – empathy for our clients, for our colleagues, and ourselves. Empathy makes individuals into a team, motivates growth, and inspires excellence.”
Noteworthy Advice
To those considering work in mental healthcare, start your own healing journey and never stop. Seek to understand why you want to work in behavioral health and build your ideas about yourself and this work on something deeper than a career. The bedrocks of humanity have been faith traditions, what is the bedrock of your life? Are you building your life on a foundation of solid rock or sand? This work is rewarding and, at times, difficult. Find a team of individuals that pursues relational health – everyone benefits from a team that balances encouragement and accountability. And before leaving an organization you value, seek to be the change you want to see to bring it back to health.
Embracing the Future Roadmap!
Dr. Christopher is excited for what lies ahead in 2022 and 2023. With the challenge of adapting to our new workforce dynamics, Open Hearts will grow a connected group of professionals who pursue health and wellness as together we provide quality behavioral health services to ours.
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