From Survival to Thriving
By Ann E Butenas
From personal struggle to community transformation, one counselor’s journey created Kansas City’s premier anxiety treatment center.
When Kori Hintz-Bohn founded Renew Counseling in 2005, she never imagined it would become a beacon of hope for thousands struggling with anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. What began as a leap of faith supported by eight generous community members has evolved into a comprehensive mental health resource that’s changing lives across the Kansas City metro.
The story of Renew is deeply personal for Hintz-Bohn, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who battled her own eating disorder from ages 13 to 21.
“Once I set my mind to healing, I did everything recommended,” she reflected. That commitment to recovery didn’t just transform her life; it also ignited a passion to help others find their path to wellness.
Kori with Original Contributors
The early days required tremendous faith and community support. Eight business-minded individuals invested their time, talents, and resources to make Renew a reality. One did the architecture work, another designed their website, while others contributed marketing expertise, banking connections, and legal services. Another businessman built the walls of their first four offices.
“They all did it for free,” Hintz-Bohn said with gratitude. “Nine months after we started meeting monthly, Renew was created.”
Initially specializing in eating disorders, Renew expanded in 2010 to address a broader spectrum of mental health needs. The practice welcomed therapists specializing in marriage counseling, adolescent therapy, and various other areas. But it was in 2017 that Renew experienced its most significant transformation.
Recognizing a severe anxiety epidemic in their community, Hintz-Bohn felt called to research Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), a therapeutic approach well-known on the coasts but relatively unknown in the Midwest. True to her commitment to excellence, she spent two years studying with the founders of ACT, refusing to “throw together a program that’s just mediocre.”
Therapy Team
The result was the Anxiety Center at Renew, launching in fall 2017 with a six-week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for adults struggling with anxiety, OCD, and depression. Meeting Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, the program combines group therapy with skills-based learning and homework assignments to help participants apply new tools in real-world situations.
The impact has been profound. At Renew’s recent 20th anniversary celebration, former clients shared transformative stories. One young woman proudly announced she was driving—a milestone that seemed impossible when crippling driving anxiety had prevented her from working or living independently for over a decade.
“She was so excited to tell me she had a job and was starting to thrive,” Hintz-Bohn recalled, moved by the memory.
Artwork from Client
Recognizing the growing need among younger populations, Renew added an adolescent IOP in 2018. Led by Jason, Hintz-Bohn’s husband who returned to counseling specifically for this program. The adolescent track meets four days a week for five weeks and includes crucial parent involvement.
The timing couldn’t be more critical. Hintz-Bohn points to 2012 as a watershed moment when smartphones became ubiquitous, particularly among adolescents. Depression and anxiety doubled in college students between 2010 and 2018, and between 2010 and 2020, ER visits for self-harm rose by 188% for teen girls, according to Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation. “It’s been a drastic increase,” Hintz-Bohn confirmed.
Both programs emphasize mindfulness and genuine human connection, teaching participants to “stop and smell the roses” by engaging with their five senses rather than hiding behind screens.
“We’re trying to teach people how to be mindful again,” she explained. “How to put your phone away and connect with people not behind a screen. Adolescents specifically have become worse, even young adults, just more stunted with relational maturity because you could hide behind your phone.”
COVID-19 added another layer of complexity, bringing a surge in health anxiety. “We have people all the time in our program struggling with fears of illness and death,” Hintz-Bohn noted. Social anxiety has also increased as people have become more comfortable avoiding in-person interactions.
Looking toward the future, Hintz-Bohn sees continued growth in community education and accessibility. She’s conducting workshops to train other therapists, including an upcoming session on forgiveness techniques. The practice is also pursuing additional credentialing to accept more insurance providers, potentially including Medicaid, making their services accessible to more community members.
What sets Renew apart is its comprehensive approach to lasting change. All IOP participants maintain attending individual therapy while in the program, and the practice offers a robust aftercare program to reinforce newly learned skills.
“People who do those things have a much lower chance of relapse,” Hintz-Bohn indicated. When former clients do return for what she calls a “tune-up,” it’s viewed as a strength, not a failure.
For Hintz-Bohn, the work remains deeply personal and purposeful. While she still experiences normal anxiety from time to time, it now serves as motivation rather than paralysis.
“The anxiety fuels me toward good things now instead of crippling me,” she smiled.
Her message to the community is clear: you don’t have to be “sick enough” to seek help.
“If you feel like you’re just getting through day by day, that’s not how you’re meant to live,” she emphasized. “There’s so much more to life than just struggle.”
Today, Renew continues to offer hope and healing from its welcoming facilities in South Overland Park, Olathe, and Lawrence, proving that with the right support, expertise, and community investment, transformation is always possible.
For more information on Kori Hintz-Bohn or the Anxiety Center at Renew, please visit anxietycenterkc.com, or call 913-768-6606
