Counseling and recovery is important because...

We all face times when we feel battered and bruised. Life has a way of beating us up and leaving us in emotional pain. That pain must be processed or it will accumulate and negatively impact our daily lives.

The Counseling and Recovery Ministry offers a variety of ways to help bruised and broken people process pain so they can grow through their circumstances and live healthy lives.

We offer counseling and support for adults, teenagers and children who are struggling with issues including depression, anxiety, relationship breakdown, childhood trauma, grief and loss, divorce, addiction issues, and much more.

Services we currently provide include...

#1 PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING
#2 SUPPORT GROUPS
#3 RECOVERY GROUPS
#4 WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

#1 PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING

Our team of licensed professional counselors provides care and guidance to individuals and couples struggling with a wide range of emotional and spiritual issues. There are 5 things you should do if you think you might need counseling...

STEP 1: Decide to get help.

Counseling can be helpful if:

• You are experiencing emotional pain.
• You are under significant stress.
• You struggle with anger or are paralyzed by fear.
• You frequently feel guilty or worthless.
• You have recently experienced a significant loss through divorce, death, or a major transition like a job change or a move.
• You frequently fight with your mate or your children.
• You feel depressed or anxious.
• You need help overcoming a painful past.
• You need spiritual direction or guidance.
• Your marriage is unfulfilling.
• You and your partner are drifting apart.

STEP 2: Contact the Counseling and Recovery Center.

You can contact the counseling center at 512-255-7867 or . We can answer any questions you have about counseling and help match you with the right counselor.

We have a team of professional counselors at the Counseling and Recovery Center available to assist you. All of our counselors provide help from a Christian perspective and are trained in the Intimacy Therapy counseling model. Intimacy Therapy integrates biblical and theological principles with the latest research findings in psychology and counseling.

OUR COUNSELING TEAM

Deborah Price is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Deborah is affiliated with the Center for Relational Care in Austin and is the director of LifeBridge Counseling Services in Georgetown. She holds a Master degree in counseling from Texas Tech University. Deborah's counseling experienced covers a wide range of concerns including couple counseling, family issues, women's issues, trauma and abuse, and addictions.

David Burleson has been a pastor for 22 years offering spiritual direction and biblical guidance to individuals, couples and families. He holds a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth. David is a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. His counseling credentials include a Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edward's University. He specializes in couple's counseling, men's issues, depression and anxiety, divorce recovery, addictions and emotional issues like anger, fear, guilt and shame.

Pamela Adair is a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. She has a Master of Arts in Counseling from St. Edward's University. Pamela has experience working with children using play therapy. She counsels adolescents from abusive backgrounds, and can help troubled families build better relationships.

STEP 3: Book an appointment.

Counseling appointments can be booked by calling 512-255-7867. Our receptionist takes calls Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to noon and from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

The cost for counseling is $90.00 per hour for a Licensed Professional Counselor and $70.00 per hour for a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern. Other fee options are available based on income verified need.

If for some reason you cannot make it to an appointment, please call 24 hours in advance to cancel. A $25.00 cancellation deposit is collected at the time of the first appointment. If an appointment is not cancelled within 24 hours of the appointment, the cancellation fee will be forfeited. Unused deposits are refunded at the end of the counseling process.

STEP 4: Make the counseling process a priority.

Counseling provides an opportunity for you to grow as a person by making better decisions, improving personal skills, acquiring keener awareness of your own needs, gaining the skill to meet the needs of others, overcoming blocks to personal effectiveness, and by learning how to process painful experiences. To maximize the counseling experience, you must take responsibility and make the counseling process a priority.

You can make counseling a priority by:

• Attending all scheduled appointments.
• Being on time for your appointment.
• Being honest about yourself and your situation.
• Being willing to change patterns of thinking and behavior.
• Completing all homework assignments.
• Practicing skills discovered in a session at home.

Counseling does not guarantee that you will succeed or reach your counseling goal. Sometimes problems get worse before they get better. If you make the counseling process a priority, however, the chances of finding success increase dramatically.

STEP 5: Don't give up.

Although some people see improvement in their situation after only one counseling appointment, most people need 8 to 12 hours of counseling before they begin to experience change. Some will need twenty or more hours of counseling before changes become an established pattern. The key is perseverance. Stay committed to growth and don't give up.

#2 SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups, led by trained lay leaders, provide encouragement to a group of people struggling with a common issue. Support groups help people understand that they are not the only ones wrestling with a particular issue. They will offer care and support to hurting people, and teach people the life skills they need to live a better life.

Support group topics include:

• "Intimate Encounters" - a marriage enrichment group
• "Parenting with Intimacy" - a parenting skills group
• "Boundaries" - a relationship management group
• "Facing Grief and Loss" - a grief recovery group
• "Life After Divorce" - a divorce recovery group

For a complete list of groups including times and locations, please call the church office at 512-255-8972.

#3 RECOVERY GROUPS

Recovery groups provide care for people who have lost hope. Led by people experienced in the 12-step tradition, recovery groups offer a proven way to break the cycle of addiction and reconnect with God, oneself and other people.

The Fellowship currently provides a home for AA and Al-Anon groups.

Meeting Schedule

We will add other 12-steps groups in the near future. People attending these groups will learn that the 12-steps provide a pathway for any person to grow in personal honesty and to deepen his or her connection with God and other people.

#4 WORSHIP EXPERIENCE

"The Road" is a unique growth experience where bruised and broken people are loved and accepted, where God's power to change lives is celebrated, where answers to life's problems are discovered in the Bible, and where people are given all the time they need to heal, grow and change.

We gather every Saturday at 7:00pm in the relaxed atmosphere of the Café. We invite you to grab a cup of coffee and meet new friends as you sit on couches or around small tables. Then enjoy a mix of good music, lively discussion, laughter and fun, along with a serious investigation of what the Bible says about life change. Together we experience the God who changes lives with his love and grace.

Bible studies at "The Road" are focused on developing life skills to support a healthier life style, and are often sprinkled with 12-step principles. We recognize that the 12-step process can help any person overcome struggles and grow to be more like Christ.

How can I get involved in the Counseling and Recovery Ministry?

If you want to serve as a volunteer in the Counseling and Recovery Ministry, please email David Burleson at or call the church office at 512-255-8972 and ask for information on upcoming Counseling and Recovery training events.