Navigating the journey to college can be both an exhilarating and daunting process for students and their families. Balancing the pursuit of academic goals with maintaining mental wellness is crucial, yet often overlooked. That’s where Launchpad comes in — a collaborative initiative between College Solutions and Active & Connected Family Therapy, designed to illuminate the path to college with a focus on mental health and well-being.
Through Launchpad, we empower students and their families with knowledge, strategies, and support to make the college admissions process less stressful and more successful. Dive into our curate resources, join an upcoming webinar, and get expert advice to take the first step towards a balanced and mindful approach to college admissions.
About Active & Connected Family Therapy
Active & Connected Family Therapy empowers lives through personalized, heartfelt therapy. They offer a fresh approach to therapy, pairing the needs of their clients with their professionals’ areas of expertise (and their personalities!) to achieve the most positive outcomes.
Amanda Sovik-Johnston is the Founder & CEO of Active & Connected Family Therapy. Her professional journey spans over twenty-five years, focusing on youth and families, with a current clinical emphasis on women in leadership and elite athletes. Sovik-Johnston's extensive experience includes roles in residential settings, school psychology, and medical psychology. She has contributed academically as adjunct faculty in UVA’s Clinical and School Psychology Department, co-authored the Young Women Leaders Program curriculum, and co-founded Charlottesville Families in Action to promote community involvement as a family ethos. Residing in Charlottesville, VA, and a proud graduate of the University of Virginia, Sovik-Johnston remains an avid sports enthusiast, continuing to compete in swimming and clinching the Masters National Championship in the 200 Butterfly.
About College Solutions
College Solutions counselors have worked in admissions at colleges ranging from Northwestern University, the University of Virginia, American University, the University of California system, the University of Southern California, and more. As a result, they leverage their deep admission expertise to help families get a leg-up in the college admission process to find their perfect college fit, submit stellar applications, write essays that stand out, secure scholarships, and achieve their dreams.
Margaret Bolton Baudinet is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of College Solutions. Margaret graduated from the University of Virginia with the highest distinction, with a degree in political and literary thought. She finished her academic tenure with research at Oxford University. Margaret holds five years of admission experience from the University of Virginia, specializing in legacy admissions, and has served on the selection committee for the Coca-Cola Scholarship Program and the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholarship. As a mother and a college advisor, she strives to see the whole person — motivations, fears, blind spots, and goals.
