Samaritan Center of Samaritan Center of Puget SoundPuget Sound

Cherise C. BrownCherise C. BrownArgosy UniversityArgosy University

MISSION STATEMENTMISSION STATEMENT

The mission of this organization is to The mission of this organization is to express God’s love and compassion, and express God’s love and compassion, and they seek to rebuild hope, bring together they seek to rebuild hope, bring together relationships and contribute in the change relationships and contribute in the change

of people’s lives. This organization provides of people’s lives. This organization provides counseling, education, consultation, counseling, education, consultation,

mediation and other services for mediation and other services for individuals, families, parishioners and individuals, families, parishioners and

associations. associations.

Licensed Mental Health Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LH60222488)Counselor (LH60222488)

Client-specific consulting and Client-specific consulting and coaching for:coaching for:  

Musicians and Bands coping with Musicians and Bands coping with personnel or creativity strugglespersonnel or creativity struggles

Athletes wanting to overcome Athletes wanting to overcome “sticking points” and improve “sticking points” and improve their performancetheir performance

Individuals in leadership or Individuals in leadership or management who are impacted management who are impacted by Adult ADD symptoms  by Adult ADD symptoms  

Multicultural identity developmentMulticultural identity development

Parenting and adult family issuesParenting and adult family issues

Spirituality and faith (Samaritan Spirituality and faith (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, 2012).Center of Puget Sound, 2012).

Anthony Barr-Anthony Barr-Jeffrey Jeffrey

SERVICES PROVIDED BY SERVICES PROVIDED BY SAMARITAN CENTER OF PUGET SAMARITAN CENTER OF PUGET

SOUNDSOUND

Family therapyFamily therapy

Individual Individual therapy therapy

Marriage Marriage counseling counseling

Divorce therapy Divorce therapy

Group therapy Group therapy

Helping people cope with Helping people cope with a wide range of troubling a wide range of troubling

situations such as situations such as Handling the symptoms Handling the symptoms

of anxiety and depressionof anxiety and depression

Understanding and Understanding and resolving marital and resolving marital and family conflicts family conflicts

Coping with loss and griefCoping with loss and grief

Transitions related to Transitions related to career and life changescareer and life changes

Issues of aging and long-Issues of aging and long-term illness (Samaritan term illness (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, Center of Puget Sound, 2012) 2012)

Advantages of Faith-Advantages of Faith-based Counselingbased Counseling

CompetentCompetent

EthicalEthical

LovingLoving

AccountableAccountable

CompassionateCompassionate

GenuineGenuine

Low fee help in difficult Low fee help in difficult economic times (Barr-Jeffrey, economic times (Barr-Jeffrey, 2012) 2012)

Members of the Staff Members of the Staff

Psychologists Psychologists

Marriage and Family Marriage and Family therapiststherapists

Social WorkersSocial Workers

Mental Health CounselorsMental Health Counselors

Pastoral CounselorsPastoral Counselors

Each of the staff members is Each of the staff members is licensed by the State of licensed by the State of Washington (Samaritan Washington (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, Center of Puget Sound,

2012) 2012)

Population being Population being servedserved

ChristiansChristians

MuslimsMuslims

AgnosticsAgnostics

Children & Children & AdultsAdults

Low income Low income clinics are clinics are offered to make offered to make available available counseling for counseling for people who are people who are limited with their limited with their finances but still finances but still need care (Barr-need care (Barr-Jeffrey, 2012) Jeffrey, 2012)

Funding SourcesFunding Sources

Counseling/Program (payments Counseling/Program (payments from the clients) from the clients)

Contributions Contributions

The Samaritan Fund- This fund is The Samaritan Fund- This fund is dependent the fundraising events dependent the fundraising events that are hosted by this that are hosted by this organization (Samaritan Center of organization (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, 2012). Puget Sound, 2012).

Training Training RecommendationsRecommendations

Counseling skillsCounseling skills

Understanding child Understanding child developmentdevelopment

Understanding human Understanding human services administrationservices administration

Management skillsManagement skills

Multicultural Counseling Multicultural Counseling

Planning and Planning and organizational skillsorganizational skills

Creating concise reports Creating concise reports and essays (World Wide and essays (World Wide Learn, 2012)Learn, 2012)

Understanding Grief Understanding Grief (Martin, 2007)(Martin, 2007)

Working knowledge of Working knowledge of substance abusesubstance abuse

Diversity (Racial Sensitivity) Diversity (Racial Sensitivity)

Ability to recognize trends Ability to recognize trends and patterns and patterns

Oral communications skillsOral communications skills

Grant writing skillsGrant writing skills

Research skills (World Wide Research skills (World Wide Learn, 2012)Learn, 2012)

Personal ReflectionPersonal Reflection

I have learned that a faith-based counseling agency I have learned that a faith-based counseling agency deals with the same issues standard counseling deals with the same issues standard counseling centers deal with.centers deal with.

I also learned that everyone that had become I also learned that everyone that had become counselors at a faith-based agency were not looking counselors at a faith-based agency were not looking specifically to work at a faith based organization.specifically to work at a faith based organization.

The counselor I interviewed stated that, “Honestly, I The counselor I interviewed stated that, “Honestly, I wanted a job as a counselor at a well run, trusted wanted a job as a counselor at a well run, trusted organization with well, trained therapists and organization with well, trained therapists and administrators who operate with integrity and the administrators who operate with integrity and the client and therapist's wellbeing at the forefront.  I client and therapist's wellbeing at the forefront.  I wasn't looking for any particular faith-based wasn't looking for any particular faith-based organization.” (Barr-Jeffrey, 2012) organization.” (Barr-Jeffrey, 2012)

Personal Reflection Personal Reflection (con’t)(con’t)

I have learned that you will have situations such I have learned that you will have situations such as a helping clients wrestle with sexual identity as a helping clients wrestle with sexual identity issues and as a counselor helping the client truly issues and as a counselor helping the client truly is your first priority.is your first priority.

I have learned how much empathy and I have learned how much empathy and compassion play a role in the field of counseling.compassion play a role in the field of counseling.

As a faith-based counselor you do not always talk As a faith-based counselor you do not always talk about religion and how it affects a clients life.about religion and how it affects a clients life.

Faith-based counseling sounds like a road I may Faith-based counseling sounds like a road I may consider looking into because I have a deep love consider looking into because I have a deep love for God and people and as a Christian we are not for God and people and as a Christian we are not to judge but show the love of Christ. to judge but show the love of Christ.

Impact of Samaritan on Impact of Samaritan on the Communitythe Community

The community knows they have a organization of The community knows they have a organization of people that genuinely love them, and will do what is people that genuinely love them, and will do what is possible to give them help and closure.possible to give them help and closure.

Members of the community make donations to go Members of the community make donations to go towards counseling for people who can not afford towards counseling for people who can not afford counseling counseling

The community has someone they can consider as an The community has someone they can consider as an accountability partner. accountability partner.

I asked the the counselor I interviewed how he liked I asked the the counselor I interviewed how he liked working outside his office and he stated, “People do not working outside his office and he stated, “People do not live in a counseling office so they need reinforcement in live in a counseling office so they need reinforcement in their lives from places that matter to them and I love their lives from places that matter to them and I love when I get the privilege to "work" in those places.” (Barr-when I get the privilege to "work" in those places.” (Barr-Jeffrey, 2012)Jeffrey, 2012)

Impact of Samaritan on Impact of Samaritan on the National/Global the National/Global

Society Society The Samaritan Ministry is one of the largest providers The Samaritan Ministry is one of the largest providers

of professional counseling in the United States.  of professional counseling in the United States. 

There are 481 Samaritan There are 481 Samaritan Center offices in 389 cities in Center offices in 389 cities in the United States and Japan the United States and Japan (Samaritan Center of Puget (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, 2012).   Sound, 2012).  

Annually, more than $20 Annually, more than $20 million of subsidized million of subsidized counseling is provided for counseling is provided for those who cannot afford the those who cannot afford the full cost of counseling.  full cost of counseling.  Samaritan Centers promote Samaritan Centers promote holistic health: integrating holistic health: integrating mind, body, spirit, and mind, body, spirit, and community (Samaritan Center community (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, 2012). of Puget Sound, 2012).

The Centers are supported The Centers are supported by 26 denominations and by 26 denominations and faith traditions and have faith traditions and have an active relationship with an active relationship with about 4,000 congregations about 4,000 congregations (Samaritan Center of (Samaritan Center of Puget Sound, 2012). Puget Sound, 2012).

ConclusionConclusion

If I had the opportunity to work at this organization I If I had the opportunity to work at this organization I would like to have the position of being a family would like to have the position of being a family counselor. I have a love for working with children, and counselor. I have a love for working with children, and I believe that it is important to have the parents I believe that it is important to have the parents involved, which is why I’d like to work with families. I involved, which is why I’d like to work with families. I currently am a youth leader at my church and I deal currently am a youth leader at my church and I deal with many issues with young people, and after with many issues with young people, and after interviewing Anthony he enlighten me that I would be interviewing Anthony he enlighten me that I would be dealing with the same issues at a Faith-Based dealing with the same issues at a Faith-Based organization and I think that is great. I want to be able organization and I think that is great. I want to be able to give back to the community and at the same time to give back to the community and at the same time let a person know they are loved and their life is let a person know they are loved and their life is important. important.

ReferencesReferences

Barr-Jeffrey, A. (2012, March 22). Interview by C.C. Barr-Jeffrey, A. (2012, March 22). Interview by C.C. Brown [Personal Interview]. Faith-based counselor. Brown [Personal Interview]. Faith-based counselor.

Martin, M.E. (2007). Martin, M.E. (2007). Introduction to human services Introduction to human services through the eyes of practice settingsthrough the eyes of practice settings. Boston: . Boston: Pearson Education Inc.Pearson Education Inc.

Samaritan Center of Puget Sound. (2012). Samaritan Center of Puget Sound. (2012). Restoring Restoring hope, reconciling relationships, and transforming hope, reconciling relationships, and transforming lives.lives. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://samaritanps.org/

World Wide Learn . (2012). World Wide Learn . (2012). Human Services.Human Services. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/social-science/human-services-major.htm