What is “biblical counseling”?
The approach and philosophy of this counseling center is to offer distinctively Biblical counseling and to offer lasting help and hope to individuals. Biblical counseling is an approach that uses the Bible to address the multifaceted issues in the lives of individuals, couples and families. The Bible teaches that destructive thoughts, motives, attitudes, words and actions flow from the sinful nature of man. Biblical counseling addresses this soul-sickness as the source of these offensive human actions and reactions and offers the wisdom revealed in the Bible as the cure. Biblical counseling is practical and effective. It does not view people as simply spiritual beings with spiritual problems. Instead the Biblical counselor sees the individual as a physical, emotional, cognitive and relational being as well. One focus of Biblical counseling is to help others develop a worldview of life that is consistent with the sacred Word of God. The goal of Biblical counseling is spiritual maturity and thus highly values the role of the local church in bringing about the heart change via authentic Christian community. True Biblical change is the result of the Holy Spirit working in one’s heart and often includes intervention by other people such as a pastor, a mentor or a counselor. The Biblical counselor helps people identify their problems in Biblical terms. As this is accomplished, the individual is challenged to seek the root issue and not merely apply band-aids to a spiritual cancer. This process is filled with grace and is ultimately redemption. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation for the work of Biblical counseling.
What types of counseling issues does Anchored Hope address?
People come to Anchored Hope with many different struggles. We believe that the Bible addressed all of life’s struggles. Thus, we apply a Christ-centered, Biblical worldview to all of life’s problems. Examples of common struggles that we often address include grief, marriage and family issues, anxiety, depression, anger, pornography, eating disorders, identity issues, sexual abuse, and addictions.
Is Anchored Hope Counseling right for me?
Anchored Hope may be right for you if you’re looking to improve your contentment and are seeking a Gospel-centered perspective. We also have counselors who work with issues, such as stress, anxiety, relationships, parenting, depression, addictions, eating disorders, trauma, anger, family conflicts, grief, religion, self-esteem and more. Anchored Hope is not the right solution for you if any of the following is true:
- You have thoughts of hurting yourself or others
- You are in an urgent crisis or an emergency situation
- You have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, or if you have been advised to be in psychological supervision or psychiatric care
- You were required to undergo therapy or counseling either by a court order or by any other authority
- You do not have a device that can connect to the Internet or you do not have a reliable Internet connection.
Is medication a substitute for counseling?
We believe that people are embodied souls, meaning that in helping a person we have to help their body and their soul. In some cases, a combination of medication and counseling is the right course of action in order to treat both the body and the soul. If we believe that the problems in your life might be a body issues, we ask you to seek help from a medical doctor. However, rarely are the issue we see just body issues; almost always there is a soul issue. Therefore, we do not see medication as a substitute for counseling.
Is counseling confidential?
No information is disclosed without prior written permission from the counselee. However, we take a few exceptions to this rule, which are:
- Suspected child, dependent adult, or elder abuse. The counselor is required to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.
- If a counselee is threatening serious bodily harm to another person. The therapist is required to notify the police.
- If a counselee intends to harm himself or herself, the counselor will make every effort to work with the individual to ensure his or her safety. However, since counseling is virtual, additional measures may need to be taken to keep them safe.
How long does counseling take?
The length of counseling can vary greatly, depending on the problems being addressed. The length of counseling will also depend on what you put into counseling. If you complete your homework assignments, spend time in the word and in prayer, involve yourself in your local church, and come to counseling ready to be transparent and vulnerable, you will significantly speed up the counseling process!
What are the qualifications of Anchored Hope counselors?
Anchored Hope counselors have formal training in counseling and they have formal training in the Bible. All of our counselors have gone through a rigorous interview process and are vetted for Biblical wisdom, counseling skills, and maturity. Please see the counselors page to learn about each counselors’ training. All counselors meet for case consultation, are involved in monthly supervision, and undergo yearly continuing education.
How are people matched with counselors? Can a particular counselor be requested?
Counselees can request the counselor with whom they would like to work. Assuming the counselor is taking new counselees and assuming your schedule fits with counselor’s availability, you will be placed with the counselor you request. If you don’t request a counselor, our office staff will match the counselee with the counselor most suited to meet your specific needs.
When can I see a counselor?
It depends on which counselor you are going to work with. Each counselor’s schedule and availability is different. You will be able to schedule your sessions based on the appointment times open or the possibility of accepting a cancellation opening. We will try our best to get you scheduled the week after you request an appointment.
How much does counseling cost?
For current counseling fees and info, visit our services page.
Does Anchored Hope qualify for insurance payment?
At this time, the Anchored Hope does not work with third-party insurers nor provide the diagnostic codes needed for reimbursement. All counseling charges are due prior to each appointment.
What is “Traditional Counseling” like?
Traditional Counseling is just like the face-to-face counseling that you would receive in an office. The only difference is that you are not in the same room as your counselor. Instead, you are meeting with your counselor online by video using your computer via our secure, HIPPA compliant platform. This platform has a very similar feel to Skype of FaceTime. Most people who do online counseling say it feels like they are in the same room as their counselor.
In the Traditional Counseling model, it is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions (each session is fifty minutes). However, depending on the issue for which you are seeking counseling, you might not need to meet with your counselor that regularly.
What is your cancellation policy for “Traditional Counseling”?
If you fail to give notice of cancellation, 24 hours before your scheduled appointment, your credit or debit card will be charged for the time you reserved.
All scheduling, rescheduling, or cancellation request must be made through the online calendar using our online platform.
When we hold an appointment slot for you we turn other people away. It’s not fair to the people we must turn away or to the counselor if you do not pay for the time held for you, even if the circumstances are beyond your control. Canceling or rescheduling your appointment as soon as you become aware you will not be able to make it, 24 hours before the appointment at the latest, allows us to offer your appointment time to those waiting for an appointment and those in crisis.
We apply the cancellation policy without favoritism and with uniformity to all clients to whom it applies.
Are children seen by the counselors at Anchored Hope?
Minors are seen on a case by case basis with the approval of the Counseling Supervisor. We strongly encourage the involvement of the parent or guardian.
How will I pay for my session?
After your session, you will receive a payment link to make a secure payment for the session. When the link provided is not used, the credit card filed when scheduling your Intake session is used to make an automatic payment for your appointment (s). Once the payment is processed for your session, the link becomes inactive to avoid duplicate payments.
How can I access my portal?
Clients can access their portal through the login page. To access, type in the user email and select “Lost Your Password”. It will send a link to reset your password. Once the password is reset, the client may login to schedule, edit, or cancel appointments.
Does Anchored Hope use licensed professionals?
Anchored Hope counselors have graduate degrees and/or various certifications from different counseling organizations. Anchored Hope does not provide professional clinical counseling or professional mental health services as defined by a particular state. While some AH counselors have additional training and/or licensure, they solely practice biblical counseling for AH. We are committed to the position that the Scriptures are authoritative and outline a standard of conduct. As biblical counselors, AH counselors are not operating as professional therapists. State laws mandate that the use of a licensure be used only in that particular state, and therefore the counselor’s ability to counsel outside of that state.