Kim
In memory of Kim
The Kimberly Center is named in memory of Kim, a close friend of our founder, Dr. Justin Jones, who died by suicide while they were in college.
Kim was bright, capable, engaging, and deeply loved. To those around her, she appeared to be doing well. Yet beneath that apparent competence was a level of psychological suffering that was largely unseen.
Her death remained with Dr. Jones as he went on to become a clinical psychologist and devote his career to understanding and treating personality disorders and other forms of complex psychological suffering. When he founded The Kimberly Center, he chose to name it for her.
Kim’s story reflects something we see often in our work: serious psychological suffering does not always look the way we expect it to.
A person may be intelligent, accomplished, socially connected, and highly capable while privately struggling with despair, instability, loneliness, or a fragile sense of self. When someone appears to be functioning well, it can be easy — even for those closest to them — to underestimate the depth of what is happening underneath.
At The Kimberly Center, we believe meaningful treatment begins by looking beyond what is immediately visible. We seek to understand the whole person: not simply symptoms or behaviors, but the inner world beneath them and the experiences and relationships that have shaped it.
Kim’s story reminds us that competence and suffering can exist side by side, and that what we see on the surface may tell us very little about what someone is carrying.
The Kimberly Center carries her name in remembrance — and as a commitment to seeing and understanding the person who might otherwise remain unseen.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day. Call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org.
Shared with the permission of Kim’s family.