PARIS – The Rape Education and Crisis Hotline has welcomed Julie Zeitz Beddie to its board of directors.

Beddie has more than 18 years of experience in mental health/social services. She began working with children/adolescents in 1989 in residential care in New Hampshire, where she learned about the impact of abuse, attachment and the importance of community for individuals to heal.

After several years in that field, Beddie entered graduate school and received her master’s in social work, becoming licensed as a LCSW. She then worked in various outpatient clinics in Massachusetts and Maine and provided consultation and individual, group and family therapy services in clinics, local group homes, residential placement services and local schools.

Beddie went on to assist in program design, policy writing and development for two other residential programs. She has been working at Tri-County Mental Health Services almost four years, where she provides counseling services to children, adolescents, families and adults.

Her particular focus is around trauma, abuse and grief-based work. Beddie is working on completing her EMDR training, and is enrolled in a year-long yoga certification program that incorporates work with the body-mind.

REACH offers crisis intervention and support services to victims and survivors of sexual assault and concerned others, ranging from one-to-one support to support groups. Services are free and confidential. For more information about REACH, call 743-9777 or the helpline at 1-800-871-7741.