SECURE COUNSELING CLINIC
in the Historic Northeast, Downtown KC
What to expect from this unique location?
It's a home!
This therapy setting isn't in a commercial business office. It's in the warmth and welcome of your therapist's home. Your entrance to the waiting room is a separate entrance from the family spaces. It has both the professionalism of a business office and the refuge of "home" -- the therapy office is in the front of the house, similar to the way the historical family physician, lawyer, or pharmacist set up their professional space in front of their living space. You'll find a gated house on a corner, across the street from a lovely park with a fountain, often used as a splash pad in the summers! Parking is plentiful and free on the street. The property functions as a micro-farm with chickens, an orchard, edible and ornamental gardens, a pond (currently in rehab phase), and a private playground space for children.
The house was built in 1891. The Victorian history and architecture are part of Kansas City's rich local history, which you can read more about here. This is the oldest part of Kansas City. Because of racial redlining in the 20th century, the neighborhood fell into decline from lack of economic stability and systemic neglect. The NE Chamber of Commerce writes, "As time has passed large areas of the Northeast became blighted. The area began to become associated with crime, prostitution, homelessness and drug dealing." But that is changing! Urban revitalization, and yes gentrification, have brought new residents, events and energy to this not-so-new, but forgotten, part of Kansas City.
This neighborhood is the most internationally diverse part of Kansas City. It's a small oasis for refugee families and immigrants. You'll likely see families walking to the playground across the street. You may see the local homeless population walking on the sidewalks. This area of Kansas City is turning over -- gentrifying. Historically, the neighborhoods east of As the city is expanding its streetcar system to the south and east of downtown in the coming years, more attention is directed at preserving the oldest buildings in the city, providing affordable housing, and honoring the rich history here. You will certainly see a mix of poverty and wealth side by side, a juxtaposition of haves and have-nots.
The Heim
Our downtown location is a secure/gated private property, residential home setting with child-friendly outdoor and indoor space. It's also a landmark building, known for being the home of Kansas City's first "beer baron" Joseph Heim (and his two brothers), of Heim Beer. The Heim brothers from Austria were also the designers and owners of Electric Park, which was KC's first beer garden and amusement park. Walt Disney modeled Disneyworld on the Heim's Electric Park. The Heim Brewery is now the Rieger Distillery, and is a beautiful space. KC Bier has a bottled tribute to the Heims too! Boulevard Brewery has an event space known as the Heim Room. Our home has a story that includes Prohibition, scandal, and Kansas City history! Here's a short summary without the scandals.
MESSAGE FROM THE KNIGHTS
Dear Guests,
We are thrilled to open our historic home to the public for events in the coming years and as a site for individuals, families, and couples to work through their most difficult trials in life. It's been a dream we have worked toward since we purchased this house in 2019 and began to rehab it! Eventually our slice of KC will be offering garden-based mental health events, teas and community speakers, groups and classes, and maybe even a space for events like weddings and parties. Coming to therapy in a home setting is a unique experience, and you'll have more opportunity to engage in outdoor settings, spaces that are more relaxed and welcoming than a commercial office.
The house overlook the Concourse Park, where people gather for picnics, kite flying, sledding, festivals, splash pad and destination playground, basketball and hiking in the national park! We are minutes from iconic Kansas City bakeries, delis, coffee shops, museums and mom & pop restaurants.
Our family is a warm one. We all welcome you, and it's ok to say "hello" to anyone you see! The clinic space you will attend therapy in is separated from the family living space, so you'll find comfort in our clear boundaries, but we also want you to feel the freedom to enjoy our front porch and let your kids play on our little front yard playground!
Being stewards of The Heim KC is a joy, and we are excited you can join us when you attend sessions and events.
Warmest regards,
Josh and Vanessa Knight and family
Our Favorite Neighborhood
Spots to Visit
Coming to therapy can be a chance to check out local secrets and try new things! Here's a list of our family's favorite neighborhood spots with food, entertainment, and peaceful spaces:
The Concourse Park
First and most obvious, there's a huge park across the street! If your bringing kids to therapy, consider bringing swimsuits for splashing in the fountain (yes, it's normal and allowed), kites for flying on windy days, and most of all, large flattened cardboard boxes for the embankment slide at the playground! Adults enjoy just sitting on a picnic blanket or shooting hoops at the basketball courts, exploring the memorial arches and hiking in the national park beyond the fountain.
The Blue Room (in the Jazz District)
We love live music. Our family enjoys visiting the Blue Room to listen to local musicians jamming together! The Jazz District is also home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum -- awesome places for field trips and history lovers.
Pendleton Heights Coffee and Eleos Coffee
These are the two locally owned coffee shops we love to visit. Pendleton Heights has a play area for small children, a Little Free Library, games to play, and comfortable seating. Please help us support our locals! Try out the other ones (there are a handful) and tell us what you think!
Elvira's Cakes
This is where we go for donuts and birthday cakes. The carrot cake is amazing. It's a Mexican style bakery, so the staff is Spanish-speaking. They can communicate in English. You can also get amazing tamales. Our family has a home and community in Belize, CA, and Elvira's is where we go when we want to have a treat that feels like home. Here's there Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elvirascake/ and website www.elvirascakes.com
Boba place
River Market Antiques
We have so much fun here, even the kids! Ask Vanessa for her PDF of her Antique Mall Scavenger Hunt for a fun date or family fun trips!
El Mercado Fresco
We get our fresh fruits and veggies from here, and the prices are better than Aldi. You can get products that are not available in regular grocery stores when we aren't getting them at the farmers' market (next item!).
City Market Farmers' Market
This is one of our favorite things to on the weekends, particularly Sundays because there is often live music. You can get fresh meat, produce, honey, art, and other random things from local businesses and individuals. We love to support local!
Art Garden KC
Every Sunday from April to October, local artists have a collective vendors gathering where you can enjoy their art, sample their artisan products, and see performances and karaoke, all outdoors and open to the public! https://www.facebook.com/ArtGardenKC/
Meet Rontu
Our Downtown location offers animal-assisted therapy! Our affectionate office pup Rontu is 9 years old. He is a certified Psychiatric Support Animal, and his part-time presence in the clinic is for clients who need emotional connection that sometimes can be difficult to find with other humans because of trauma, social anxiety, intense emotions or avoidance of connection with people. Sometimes animals can reach people in special ways. Rontu is an Australian Shepherd/Poodle mix, hypoallergenic, and does not shed. He's good for cuddles or just to be a quiet presence in the room. And of course, he's a sucker for kids and teens. Rontu has a family he can spend time with if a client prefers their session not be heard by doggie ears, but we promise: Rontu is a great listener.
WHO ELSE LIVES AT THE HEIM?
In addition to Rontu, who is allowed to enter therapy sessions, Simon the bearded dragon has a home in the office (in a terrarium). Rontu's buddy Sven, a Great Dane, is with family only and doesn't particularly like strangers. The property also has three cats -- Maggie, John, and George, as well as a flock of chickens and a flock of quail.
See our therapy space...
What's special about the
Historic Northeast?
ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
Welcome to a Kansas City (not so) Secret! The Historic Northeast encompasses the neighborhoods east of Paseo Drive and the River Market but south of the River, such as Pendleton Heights, Columbus Park, Scarritt Renaissance, and Indian Mound. Many Kansas Citians from surrounding suburbs have not had a chance to explore the inner urban spaces rich with history and culture, and we encourage you to explore without fear. Venturing into the unknown can feel a little tricky, but it's rewarding to find new adventures! Below is a list of our family's favorite Northeast KC spots to visit!
Our therapy house is one minute south of the Kansas City Museum. Across the street from our location is a beautiful kite flying and picnicking park space with a historic playable fountain at Concourse Park, destination playground, basketball courts, and the only national park within city limits in the United States! Just five minutes away is the Jazz District at (18th and Vine)
Tucked into a small northeast part of downtown are some of the oldest homes in KC history. The area of the city has been long blighted because of racial redlining by the city. There's a driving tour here that gives a great tour of the history of segregation in Kansas City. In the mid 20th century, the area declined and is only now being revitalized.
The Historic Northeast district is the most racially and economically diverse in the entire state of Missouri, so you will find some of the most wonderful foods, festivals, languages, and cultural dress when you drive through the area! The Historic Northeast is also home to Walt Disney's childhood home, the inspiration he had for building Disneyworld, and some rich and other fascinating social historical home sites!
PARKING:
Don't worry about parking! We have ample free parking on both Benton Boulevard and Anderson Avenue (a.k.a. Saint John Avenue). The house sits on a corner. Across the street is Saint Anthony's Catholic Parish, and the church has graciously allowed us to use their parking lot if the street is full.
GATE & FRONT DOOR ENTRY:
For family security, the gate and door are most often locked - the keypads are on the knobs, and access codes are in your confirmation emails and text reminders once your appointment request has been approved. If you have small children attending family sessions, there is a playset inside the gate in the front yard, and you are welcome to play! If you'd like to enjoy the porch, it's ok to stay outdoors, or you can come into the foyer which is set up as a Waiting Room!
WAITING ROOM:
Welcome to our home! You'll find seating, magazines and books and toys, tea/coffee/hot cocoa and a place to hang you coat inside. Don't be a stranger. We have the family's spaces/entrances (back of house) separated from the clinic area (front of house).
RESTROOM:
The guest bathroom is further inside the home, through the pocket (rolling) door directly opposite the front door in the waiting room/foyer. Open this door, and you'll find yourself in a large room ("the Second Parlor"). The guest bathroom is immediately opposite you to the left a bit. The door is marked "Restroom" - help yourself!
