In an
effort to provide you with a method to access resources in our community,
Crossroads has created a list of local counselors who are Christian. This is
not a comprehensive list but a sample of Christian counselors in the Greater
Questions
you may want to consider before contacting a counselor are:
These
questions may help you to consider what has worked for you in the past, what
has not, and to determine your need for professional involvement.
When
considering what counselor to choose, you may want to ask friends for
recommendations of people they have found helpful. In addition, it is
appropriate to try a session or two with a counselor and see how well you work
together. If you don’t find that you’ve made a good connection, feel free to
try a different person for a session until you get the right fit (after first ending
your relationship with the initial counselor). While it is not wise to switch
counselors in the middle of therapy, it is appropriate to do some exploration
in the introductory stages to find a person you feel comfortable working with.
You may also let the counselor know you are in the process of exploring a good
fit and would like to try a few sessions before you commit to working with that
particular person.
Location
and appointment availability are also important factors to consider. You are
more likely to go to regular appointments if they fit your schedule and if the
location is convenient to you. Also, consider if you would prefer working with
a male or female counselor, or if it makes a difference at all to you.
Getting the Information You Need
The
following questions are helpful to ask when selecting a counselor that is right
for you. Feel free to request to speak with the receptionist at the agency or
the counselor themselves if you have questions. These questions may help you
narrow the field. Many counselors are willing to answer questions over the
phone when you are inquiring about their services. More detailed questions may
be discussed during the first session.
Specialty and Competency Areas are two different categories
that overlap. Generally, Specialty Areas are those categories that the
counselor is expert in. Counselors tend to specialize in the areas that
interest them most. Competency Areas are topics that the counselor is
proficient in. For example, a family counselor may specialize in marriage
counseling however, he or she likely has adequate training in working with the
whole family system including children. Some examples of these areas are:
marriage, substance-abuse, administration, mental health, and diagnosis and
treatment of personality disorders, etc.
If I would like to incorporate prayer into the sessions, how will that
work?
How do you integrate Biblical principles into the sessions?
What are your views on
topics that are important to me (e.g. divorce, re-marriage, roles of husband
and wife in marriage, etc)?
Any counselor will be able to name and briefly describe
their theoretical approach to counseling. Some approaches include:
Person-Centered Counseling, Solution-Focused, Behavioral, Cognitive, and
Eclectic to name a few. Feel free to inquire about the approach and how that
will impact your overall experience with that counselor.
Counseling
is an investment in your mental health and in your relationships. In other words, it is not cheap. You can expect to pay between $80-150 per
session. Counselors with doctorate degrees
will be on the higher end of that range.
Explore Alternative Resources
Educational
Seminars and Conferences: Crossroads, other local churches and community agencies offer
educational seminars throughout the year dealing with topics such as finances,
marriage enrichment, divorce, communication skills, spiritual growth,
parenting, leadership development, etc. Information about current seminars
sponsored by Crossroads is available at the information table.
Community Groups: two to three times a year,
Crossroads offers Community Groups focused on a wide range of topics that
include marriage, parenting, sexual trauma, men’s and women’s issues,
developing a relationship with God, and others. These groups are designed to
help you experience community in a smaller setting with teaching and small
group discussion. Go to the Crossroads website, www.crossroadscommunity.net, to
see the latest Community Group offerings. Click on the “more stuff” link and
look under Community Care.
Small
Groups: Small groups (or “A-teams) are groups from 3-20 that meet together
regularly to build friendships as well as grow spiritually. These groups are
more organic in nature and tend to form out of existing friendships or
commonalities between people. Check out Crossroads’ website to use “Find an A-team tool” to research current
groups that are forming (www.crossroadscommunity.net/FindATeam.asp).
You can check to see if a group is forming around an issue that interests you.
Crossroads welcomes new small group leaders to form groups based on topics of
interest. New groups are always forming.
Recovery
& Support Groups: Crossroads, many local churches and counseling practices offer
faith-based support groups related to grief, sexual abuse recovery, adult children
of alcoholics, substance abuse recovery, sexual addiction recovery, etc.
Biblically-based Books, Magazines, Radio, Websites, and tapes/CDs:
Books with a biblical perspective on almost any topic are available at
local Christian bookstores, on-line book retailers, and many local bookstores.
Audio CDs on specific topics may also be ordered from Crossroads (online
requests through the website). Examples
of other places to order tapes/CDs are
Steve Mercer, Crossroads’
Director of Pastoral Care, can also point you to helpful resources. You can contact him at smercer@crossroadscommunity.net
or at 513-731-7400 x593.
Research
indicates that the quality of a therapist’s work is less related to their
degree or license and more related to their experience and training. Mental
health is a very broad subject and covers a great deal of ground. No one
professional (or even one group of professionals) can know everything there is
to know about all aspects of mental health treatment. Consequently, mental health
professionals usually have particular treatment areas they specialize in beyond
their general training in mental health issues. Feel free to discuss any
questions that you have concerning a professional's training and experience on
a given mental health issue with the professional of your choice.
In order to
be licensed by the State of Ohio, all of the professionals listed below have
completed a specified time of clinical training, supervised experienced, and have
passed an examination given by the State. All mental health professionals who
work in independent practice have some form of post bachelor’s degree training
(i.e., graduate school or medical school). In the State of
The list
of licensed mental health professionals in
Psychiatrist (M.D., D.O.)
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have graduated from a four-year medical
school, and have completed both an internship and a residency in psychiatry.
Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D, Psy.D)
Licensed psychologists have graduated from a doctoral program and must complete
post-graduate clinical experience. They can provide diagnosis and treatment of
mental and emotional disorders.
Licensed Professional Counselor or Professional Counselor
(L.P.C. or P.C.)
Professional counselors hold a Master’s degree in Counseling and have passed a
State Board exam.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor or Professional
Clinical Counselor (L.P.C.C. P.C.C.)
Professional clinical counselors may work independently and engage in the
diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders. In addition to a
master's degree, clinical counselors take an additional 20 semester hours of
instruction and pass a State Board exam.
Social Worker (LSW, LISW)
Social
workers have graduated from either a masters or doctoral counseling program and
have completed 3000 hours (approximately two years of full-time employment) of
post-licensure experience in counseling and have passed a license examination
administered by the State of
LSW - Licensed Social Worker
A licensed social worker works as a social worker
under the supervision of psychiatrists, psychiatrist, professional clinical
counselor, independent social worker, or psychiatric nurse.
LISW - Licensed Independent Social Worker
An independent social worker may engage in the private
practice of social work as an individual practitioner or as a member of
partnership or group practice, which includes the diagnosis and treatment of
mental and emotional disorders.
Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor (CCDC I, II, III)
A clinician who is certified at the CCDC III level has met the state minimum
requirements of: a master’s degree; one year of chemical dependency counseling
work experience; 270 hours of chemical dependency specific training; completed
a preceptorship; and completed both a written and an
oral examination.
(The information cited in this
section is taken from the