Over the years, we at New Beginnings have seen this ministry grow far beyond anything we could imagine. When we started getting a number of calls from west Tennessee asking for home studies, we knew we needed an office in the state to be able to conduct all of the home studies that were being requested, but we didn’t know anyone in Tennessee. Then Tom Velie, President of New Beginnings, and his wife, Debbie, met Karen Nixon at a conference, and she happened to be a social worker in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, an area close to where the majority of home study requests were coming from. Since then, our Tennessee office has grown, and we are proud to be offering our services to birthmothers and adoptive parents all over the country.
Karen Nixon
Karen Nixon has her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in School Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Social Work. She has worked for 10 years in psychology/counseling and has been in social work for 13 years. Five of these years have been with New Beginnings. She also received the prestigious Angel in Adoption award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington, D.C. last fall. She has a love for helping children and uses her gifts and knowledge of psychology to help adoptive families who may be struggling to find normalcy.
“I have a heart and passion for helping children. I truly believe God gives us gifts, and we are charged with utilizing those gifts. My areas of strength are working with children who have special needs/behavioral issues. It has been amazing to see how well this has tied into post-placement counseling with families who have children who are struggling,” said Karen.
Since coming to New Beginnings, she has guided many prospective adoptive parents through the home study and post-placement/post-adoption process, but the most rewarding experiences for her have come from connecting with birth mothers.
“It is always very rewarding to see new parents with their babies/children!!! However, one of the most meaningful things I’ve experienced since working in adoption is the close bond I’ve developed with several birth moms. One in particular has invited me to numerous special events (college grad, etc.). It means the world to me that she continues to want to reach out and stay connected,” said Karen.
