A $5,000 donation from Capital Power’s Buckthorn Wind Facility in Mingus will help Erath’s Compassion Counseling Center forward its mission of aiding those seeking mental health aid.
It is the third year Capital Power has donated to CCC, and also donated to Erath first responders, Crime Stoppers, Erath County Humane Society, Morgan Mill ISD and Huckabee Volunteer Fire Department.
Compassion Counseling Center is located at Oakdale United Methodist Church of Stephenville, and has been in operation for 11 years.
Not only does Compassion Counseling Center offer a variety of therapies on a sliding fee with many clients paying very little, or nothing, but they also serve as a way for Tarleton State University students to earn clinical hours needed for counseling degrees and licensure.
“That way we don’t have this huge overhead of operating expenses,” Foster said. “We don’t pay any salaries.”
Foster herself is a volunteer and had been with the center for almost 11 years. The nonprofit does pay for space at the church at a reduced rate.
All ages are served by the center and a wide range of therapies are offered included individual counseling, marital/ couples counseling, family counseling, play therapy for children and group counseling for such needs as recovering from substance abuse, grief recovery, surviving divorce and adjusting to new health situations such as cancer or heart disease. Other types of offered therapy includes grief counseling, substance abuse counseling, sexual abuse survival counseling, pastoral/Christian counseling (as requested), suicide prevention, premarital counseling, PTSD counseling, bi-polar disorder counseling, anxiety and depression counseling.
“We never turn away anyone for an inability to pay,” Foster said. Eighty percent of their clients pay nothing, and for those with insurance it is simply whatever their co-pay would be.
The center works with CPS, Foster’s Home, United Way and juvenile detention facilities.
“We just want to help people,” she said.
Currently, the center has four counselors with the oldest being 72 (she was previously licensed in Illinois, and is now having to become relicensed with hours in Texas). She also is Spanish-speaking and serves as their interpreter.
Executive Director Elizabeth Foster said the donation will be used for the play therapy room, items such as journals for their clients and general operating expenses. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 254-485-6885. The center is located at 2675 W. Overhill Drive inside Oakdale UMC.