 |
|
 |
|
|
|
Where Faith and Counseling Meet |
|
|
| Our Mission |
|
| The Samaritan Counseling Center of Southwestern Michigan, Inc. provides professional psychological counseling, consultation, and community educational services, integrating spiritual insights with the values and faith of the client. |
|
|
| Enriching Lives through a Rich History |
|
In the early 1970's local philanthropists Helen and Elisha "Bud" Gray of Benton Harbor, Michigan made a generous donation to their local church to expand its outreach to the community. The Grays' only request was that those funds be used in unique programming to serve unmet needs in the community.
One of the ministries born of their vision was based on the emerging concept of holistic counseling provided by trained professionals who recognized the value of treating mind, body and spirit as a more effective way to reach wellness.
This ecumenical ministry quickly organized as a non-profit agency known simply as "The Samaritan Center, Inc." Modeled after a similar center in Elkhart, Indiana, it was the second of what would become nearly 100 centers in the United States and Japan.
The Samaritan Center originally opened its doors in 1974, and now continues with offices in Fairplain, Niles, South Haven, Stevensville, and St. Joseph as "The Samaritan Counseling Center of Southwestern Michigan, Inc." to fulfill the Gray's vision. |
|
|
| Our Creed |
|
| Affirming the desire of every person for wholeness, the Samaritan Counseling Center is an expression of the love of God through a ministry of helping people under stress. We believe that health and wholeness involve a fragile balance of spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and relational elements. We believe in respecting each person's own spiritual beliefs. |
|
|
|
 |
| Organizational Profile |
|
- Continuously offering services in Southwest Michigan since 1974
- Faith-based psychological counseling
- Five convenient locations
- Experienced, licensed, caring counselors
|
- A United Way Agency
- Nationally accredited by Samaritan Institute
- Services covered by most insurance
- Fee assistance may be offered when funding is available
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Meet Our Counselors |
|
The Samaritan Counseling Center's Clinical Staff provides faith-based counseling that respects the client's own faith and values. With a diversity of education, training, styles, ethnicity and experience, we are able to effectively match therapeutic skills to client issues. But all counseling at the Center strives to:
- Lead the client to better understandings of the issues that brought them to the Center.
- Help the client improve skills for dealing with those issues.
- Support the client in moving forward independently.
|
|
Fairplain, Niles and South Haven Offices |
Glenn Chapman,
D.Min., CSW, MFT, LPC |
|
- Center's Executive Director since 1991
- Samaritan Center therapist since 1981
- Ordained minister in the Christian Church (DOC)
- Parish minister for 12 years
- Frequent speaker for area congregations, business and civic groups
|
|
|
|
St. Joseph Offices |
Luetta (Lue) Burdick
M.A., M.S.W., CSW |
|
- Over 25 years experience with 16 years as supervisor of Children's services at Community Mental Health
- Individual and relationship issues for men and women
- Sexual abuse counseling
- Grief and depression counseling
|
|
|
|
Fairplain and Niles Offices |
Marla Hutchinson
M.S.W. |
|
- 27 years experience working with women's issues
- Cognitive and solution focused therapy
- Able to explore the spiritual context within the therapeutic process
- 27 years experience in group work
|
|
|
|
Fairplain and Niles Offices |
Alison Ireland
M.A., LLPC, NCC |
|
- See clients of all ages
- Works with self-esteem, depression and relationship issues
- Cognitive Behavioral approach to therapy
- Integrates client's spiritual / religious traditions into their therapy
|
|
|
|
Fairplain, Niles and South Haven Offices |
Diane Kopp
M.A., LPC, NCC |
|
- 9 years experience as school counselor
- Uses problem solving and solution focus techniques
- Experience with adolescents working through loss, relationships, stress, anger
- Training in working with anger, ADD, eating disorders, trauma and loss, depression, child play therapy
|
|
|
|
Fairplain Office |
Keesha McKee
M.A., LPC, NCC |
|
- Experienced in teaching problem-solving skills and anger management techniques to school-age children
- Self-esteem, co-dependency and stress management issues
- Child and adolescent therapy
- Substance abuse counseling
|
|
|
|
Fairplain Office |
Shelly J. Perry
M.S.W., LCSW |
|
- Couples counseling
- Trauma and loss issues
- Individual and group counseling for emotionally disturbed teens
- Numerous speaking engagements on identifying and reporting child abuse
- Comfortable with spirituality issues as they relate to various issues presented by clients
- Uses solution focused and/or cognitive behavioral techniques
|
|
|
|
Fairplain and Niles Offices |
Jim Remington
M.Div, S.T.M., Ph.D. |
|
- Licensed Psychologist
- Ordained American Baptist Minister; Licensed Unity Teacher
- 46 years experience parish minister, missionary, educational seminar presenter, psychological spiritual counselor
- "Fellow" American Association of Pastoral Counselors
- Individual, couple and family therapist
|
|
|
|
Fairplain and Stevensvills Offices |
Karen Rincker
M.A., LLP |
|
- Masters level psychologist
- 30 years experience as a therapist with individuals, couples and families
- Extensive experience with children and adolescents
- Depression and grief issues
- Anxiety, panic disorder and stress management
- Relationship issues
- Gender identification issues
- Divorce adjustment for children and adults
- Adoption issues
- Experience in substance abuse treatment, crisis inter-vention with families, adjunct faculty instructor at Lake Michigan College, E.A.P. therapy
|
|
|
|
Fairplain Office |
Alison Yacobozzi
M.S.W., CSW |
|
- Over 13 years experience working with adolescents and families
- Substance abuse counseling
- Teens and families in crisis
- Uses problem solving and solution focus techniques
- Experience with adolescent groups in loss, relationships, stress, anger
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Meet Our Board |
|
Since the early 1970s, dozens of community and religious leaders, citizens, former clients, and other friends of the Center have served as Samaritan Center Board members. These individuals share a common commitment to supporting faith-based counseling and the benefits it provides clients and community alike.
The Current Board of Trustees
- Louann Gardner, Vice-President
- Barbara Peeples, Secretary
- Todd Gardner, Treasurer
- Rev. Gordie Barry
- Rev. Tom Batsky
- Rev. Jeffrey Disk
- Yoshie Nishimura
- Bruce Nitz
- Brian Sauer
- Alice Sparks
|
|
|
|
|
| The Samaritan Institute |
|
The Samaritan Institute is the international office for the association of professional counseling centers located throughout the United States and Japan. The Institute's mission is to help affiliated centers provide team-oriented, cost-efficient counseling and education which emphasize the interrelatedness of mind, body, spirit, and community.
As an affiliate, the Samaritan Counseling Center of Southwestern Michigan receives administrative and financial consultation, accreditation, management resources, educational events, leadership development, new program development, national representation and research. However, Centers do not receive funding from the Institute. Thus, the Institute provides the independence to meet the needs of the Center's local clients, while supplying the collective resources and support of a seasoned international organization.
There are 500 Samaritan Center offices in 350 cities throughout the United States and in Tokyo, Japan, making the Samaritan ministry one of the country's largest providers of outpatient counseling. |
|
|
| Become a Samaritan Supporter |
|
Problems encountered by our clients disrupt their lives, to be sure. But they also have a rippling affect which impacts the schools, workplaces, places of worship, and eventually touch us all.
Your charitable contribution to the Samaritan Center will directly help our programs continue to grow and improve, positively impacting the quality of life for our clients and our community.
(Explain here specifically what a donor-dollar can buy.)
The Center is a 501(c)(3) corporation as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. Your gifts of cash, stocks, bonds, and appreciated assets are tax deductible and your financial advisor can structure your gift to mutually benefit the Center and your family. If you don't have a financial advisor, we can provide that service at no cost to you.
Or...contact us today to find out about other ways to become a Samaritan Supporter. |
|
|
|
|
