Hollidaysburg Herald - Reliable News for Hollidaysburg

For Abigail Allison-Peace, Williamsburg has always been home. Now, she's bringing new business to her hometown.

Peace, 48, grew up in Williamsburg along Lower Clover Creek, graduating from Williamsburg High School in 1989. Pence met her husband and raised two children in Hollidaysburg. Following both of her children graduating from high school, "we moved back to Williamsburg," Peace said, "and we just saw a change in the community. Buildings didn't look the same. It wasn't the same town I grew up in."

"I needed to find a way to help the community," Peace said, explaining her ideas of a coffee shop or diner.

Finding a place

Dave Cadle of the Crossroads met with Peace and introduced her to the old Crownover building, which had been for sale for years.

"I just felt it had a lot of potential to be used in a bigger way for the community," Peace said.

Thanks to the Williamsburg Betterment Group and Hometown Bank of Martinsburg, a change for the building became possible. Now, what to do with the building?

Peace decided it would be a great fit for a second location of her business, In-Tune Mental Health, LLC. The first location is in the Mielnik's plaza, Hollidaysburg.

Peace began In-Tune in 2010 to work with children with autism. Peace is a licensed professional counselor and a board-certified music therapist. Her business has expanded to work with adults, children dealing with trauma, depression and anxiety, she said.

Another therapist

As the Hollidaysburg location got more referrals, Peace added Lawanda Barnett, a licensed behavior specialist, a certified rehabilitation counselor and a licensed professional counselor.

"We both shared the same vision," Peace said. "She brought in the drug and alcohol education along with meeting the needs of clients with autism and behavioral disabilities."

Barnett, besides using music therapy like Peace, uses animal-assisted therapy and art therapy for treatments.

"Music is a unique way to allow people to talk about how they feel but still provides distance to not be as overwhelmed," Peace said about her therapy.

Plans to expand

The goal for the Williamsburg office, which will be headed by Barnett, is "specifically to see drug and alcohol patients who have trauma history. We specifically want to address that need," Peace said.

Peace said that there are a "high number" of people in the Cove and surrounding areas who have experience trauma from occurrences like domestic violence, sexual assault and post-traumatic stress.

"Our business is growing every day," Peace said.

The Williamsburg office is still in the permitting phase to become a drug and alcohol Clinic and then obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Licensure.

Eventually, Peace hopes to offer AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meetings, Celebrate Recovery and SMART Recovery meeting in addition to the counseling services.

Peace is also hosting a music therapy intern at the Williamsburg location and is planning to hire another drug and alcohol counselor.

"We are thrilled to be back in Williamsburg and have gained such a warm reception from the community," Peace explains. "We are so thankful that they are willing to open themselves up to us, and cannot wait to work together with this community."