New Hope Treatment Center to Host Guest Speaker
Rock Hill, S.C., October 17, 2023 – New Hope Treatment Centers is thrilled to welcome Melanie Odom-Saxon to our facility in Rock Hill this Thursday, October 19th.
Mrs. Odom-Saxon will be speaking to both staff and residents, sharing her story. Melanie will speak to New Hope staff members throughout the day, but the male communities will attend from 10am-11am and the female communities will attend from 11:30am-12:30pm.
Mrs. Odom Saxon graduated at the top of her class from Chester Senior High in 2001. She then went on to Clemson University where she earned her Bachelor of Art in Psychology. During her college career, she performed research for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Defense (DOD). It was her research that ultimately led to a published abstract in Clemson University’s Undergraduate Journal Online.
She also served as an assistant editor for an American Psychology Association (APA) newsletter. Upon graduating from Clemson in 2005, Mrs. Odom-Saxon worked for her alma mater as a Statistical Analyst. She also spent a brief time working as an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapist for the South Carolina Autism Project before moving on to become a coordinator for South Carolina’s Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Her connection to what we do at New Hope is very strong. Working traditional jobs has always been a challenge for Melanie due to her mental health condition. She found her true calling when she began volunteering with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Piedmont Tri-County in the fall of 2016 and currently serves as the organization’s Community Outreach & Marketing Coordinator. Melanie now shares her personal story about living with bipolar disorder to students, parents and teachers in the hopes of diminishing the stigma associated with mental illnesses. She is an advocate for spreading awareness of warning signs and symptoms and encourages people to seek treatment.
