Going Through a Phase

How do you know if your child is just "going through a phase" or if he/she needs help? There are signs to look for, including: isolating/not connecting with friends, frequent crying, slipping grades, changes in behavior, refusing to go to school. Your child may be suffering from depression, anxiety or other disorders. Talk to your child about it--and don't hesitate to seek professional help. According to research, if--for example--depression is left untreated, if often continues into adulthood. It can also be a "predictor of more severe illnesses in adulthood." Here is a link to a good article on this subject. If you have questions, we have a great opportunity for you! Tune in to 101.5 WORD FM radio at 5:10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5 to hear Samaritan's Carl Baughman and Martha Selleck on the John and Kathy Show. You can call in with your questions to have them answered by professional counselors.

Silent Samaritans

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. It is also the time of year Samaritan is blessed by many compassionate, caring women—our Silent Samaritans—who give generously to help other women in need.

Of the 2,000 individuals the Samaritan Counseling Center served last year, more than half were women. Looking at statistics, it is not surprising. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, women are 60% more likely to experience an anxiety disorder and 70% more likely to develop depression than men. Reasons include: brain chemistry, hormonal changes, poverty, domestic abuse, body image/self-esteem and the additional responsibilities of caring for children as well as aging parents. Again—these facts are hardly surprising.

Thanks to our faithful Silent Samaritans, over 1,200 women in need were empowered last year to recover and improve their lives. With newfound hope, spiritual direction and professional guidance, these women are now armed to be their strongest, best selves.

But the need for counseling never diminishes. In fact, not only did the number of women qualifying for fee subsidies increase by more than 30% from 2010 to 2011, but we anticipate that number will continue to climb. As women struggle in this uncertain economy, Samaritan must be prepared to help—both therapeutically and financially.

“The Samaritan Counseling Center cannot exist without people willing to support it financially. I was blessed to be able to pay for counseling—but many cannot.”

- A former Samaritan client

Women seeking help at Samaritan want to be their strongest, best selves for their families and themselves. Realizing they need help and making the effort to get it is the vital first step—and a sign of personal strength. Your gift will ensure that first step will not be their last.

Please become a Silent Samaritan today. To show our sincere thanks and appreciation, we invite our Silent Samaritans to a special luncheon which will be hosted this year by Newlin Archinal. To learn more, call Beth at 412-741-7430, ext. 404, or register now.

Pre-Marital Counseling: A Good Idea!

Isn't it interesting that we devote significant time, effort and dollars into planning weddings but often fail to think about equipping ourselves to build strong, happy marriages? When you look at statistics on divorce and the top reasons why relationships get into trouble, you would think more people would seek to learn preventative measures before tying the knot.

How does one determine what constitutes a quality pre-marital counseling program? Here are some things to think about.

First, effective tools have been developed to assess a couple's strengths and weaknesses. They are not a one-size-fits-all variety, but are designed for various types of couples, such as those planning second marriages, marriages with children, first time marriages and couples over 50.

Once a couple gets their results, they can begin to explore their similarities and differences in important areas such as spiritual beliefs, sexuality, finances, relationship dynamics and more. Led by a professionally trained counselor, couples can benefit from group discussions as well as one-on-one sessions focusing on addressing their individual issues.

So whether or not you're planning your first wedding, or are about to remarry, you would help yourself and your spouse-to-be by making the effort to prepare for success!

Body, Mind and Spirit

I have been the Director of Development and Marketing here at Samaritan Counseling Center since I was hired on November 7, 2011. From that day forward, I awake each morning feeling so blessed to be a part of this incredible organization.

I guess one of the points of this blog is really to emphasize the high level of professionalism, teamwork and integrity that is prevalent at Samaritan. Our staff consists of highly trained, professional men and women who work hard to empower people with the tools they need to heal and move forward in their lives

Second, I cannot emphasize enough to anyone who is reading this that getting help for emotional and/or mental problems is just as essential as getting help for physical ailments. God made us so that our minds, bodies and spirits function together. Our brains are not lumps of tissue that only guide our physical functions or help us learn new information. Our memories, thoughts, chemicals, hormones, DNA and all of the numerous and complex functions that "flow" through our brains and bodies 24/7 affect our entire being. Yes, (from Psalm 139) we are "fearfully and wonderfully made!"

Men, women and children seek help at Samaritan for a wide variety of reasons--reasons that have brought about periods of overwhelming anxiety and stress, depression, hardships within families and marriages and many other problems in their lives. I give a lot of credit to those who seek help! Contrary to what a lot of people still believe, it is not a sign of weakness nor it is "shameful" to seek the services of a counselor. Everyone encounters times in their lives when trials or traumas strike, often bringing about high levels of stress and feelings of being overwhelmed, scared or helpless. These circumstances often lead to sleeplessness, heightened emotions, fatigue, self-medication and numerous other problems--like lashing out at others or even at yourself. Instead of suffering in silence--and denying to yourself that you're not OK, and that your behavior is not adversely affecting those around you--getting professional help not only aids you in the process of working through your situation, but provides new and better ways of thinking, reacting and behaving. Different types of therapy can help us gain an understanding of how stress, emotions and disorders can affect our minds, bodies and spirits. We can learn ways to take care of ourselves better and reverse the "negative stuff" in our own heads.

If you or someone you know needs help, please give us a call. Samaritan's therapists help heal the body, mind and spirit using the resources of faith.

Beth Healey, Director of Development and Marketing

A Summer of Workshops at Samaritan Counseling Center

The Samaritan Counseling Center is preparing for the warm Summer months with a brand new collection of workshops. Starting in June, we will be conducting a Creative Journaling Workshop for women. During this four week course, participants will learn the power of journaling with others. Journaling is a way of telling your story, exploring your dreams, finding peace, discovering your passions, and nurturing your inner creativity. No creative artistic experience or talent is needed. The Samaritan Counseling Center is also offering groups that will be geared towards adolescents. Out licensed counselors will be conducting a Girls’ Wellness Group for girls ages 11 to 14. The theme of the group is “You’re an Original” and will work to promote healthy self esteem in young girls. Tween girls will also have the opportunity to take part in our Friendship Connections group. In this workshop, young girls will be able to understand the importance of relationships and connections to friends. Anger Management groups for adolescents are going to be available this summer, as well. There will be two separate sessions for ages 8 to 10 and 11 to 14. Finally, Samaritan Counseling will be addressing caregiver burnout with our Caring for the Caregiver workshop. This group will learn about self care and how to receive adequate support. All of these workshops will be held at The Presbyterian Church, Sewickley. Please visit our upcoming events page to view all of the details for these exciting opportunities!

New Additions to the Samaritan Counseling Staff

The staff at Samaritan Counseling Center continues to grow and expand. Rebecca de Vries has been hired as a member of our Counseling staff. Rebecca is a Licensed Professional Counselor as well as a National Certified School Psychologist. She has experience counseling individuals with mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, difficulty with drugs and/or alcohol, and other problematic behaviors. Rebecca has also helped children and adolescents with personal, home, social and school difficulties. She continues to further her education by pursuing a Doctoral Degree in School Psychology at Duquesne University. Rebecca will be seeing clients in our Butler satellite office located on East Jefferson Street.

To learn more about Rebecca de Vries and the rest of the team at the Samaritan Counseling Center, visit our staff information page here. Also, check back in the upcoming weeks for an exciting announcement on our blog about Samaritan Counseling Center’s expansion in the Pittsburgh area!

A New Year at Samaritan

As the Samaritan Counseling Center prepares for another exciting year of mental and spiritual outreach, we would also like to look back on the outstanding progress our Center made in 2010. The therapists of the Samaritan Counseling Center were able to conduct nearly 4,500 sessions in 2010, which represents a 13% increase from the previous year. The Samaritan Counseling Center opened a new office in the Mt. Lebanon area to extend our services in Western Pennsylvania even further. This satellite location is the first office to offer our extraordinary care in the South Hills region of Pittsburgh. Five new staff members joined our team as part of Samaritan’s expansion. In August of 2010, the Samaritan Counseling Center held a Golf Outing that yielded an excellent turnout. We were able to raise $41,000 to assist those in need of our counseling services. The growth of the Samaritan Counseling Center in the past year demonstrates not only the success of Samaritan in Western Pennsylvania, but also the growing need for our faith-based counseling services. Members of our staff continue to participate and lead outreach programs in the Pittsburgh area and its surroundings. Pastors’ Breakfasts were held at three of our locations and will continue to be held in 2011. Also, the Center was represented in 2010 at several church and professional summits. Another sign of Samaritan’s growth is the new website you are currently visiting. A considerable amount of work was put in to create a place online to inform and educate on Samaritan’s goals and position as a faith-based non-profit organization. As successful as 2010 was for the Samaritan Counseling Center, we anticipate an even brighter new year for our center. We encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to be sent directly to your email here so you can be up-to-date on the exciting happenings to come for the Samaritan Counseling Center. Also, check back to our blog to hear more about our upcoming events!