At a time of increasing demand for counseling services, there’s a new option for those seeking help in Habersham County.
Northeast Georgia Christian Counseling (NGCC) cut the ribbon Monday on its new counseling center in the student building at River Point Community Church. The church is located at 350 Ansley Road in Demorest.
This is the NGCC’s second location. The nonprofit opened its first counseling center in White County three years ago.
“We opened our Cleveland Center in June 2020 with only three counselors. Now we are opening our second location in Habersham, and we have ten counselors that range from doctoral level, fully licensed, associate licensed, and master level student counselors,” says NGCC Counselor and Operations Manager Trista Blankenship.
Affordability
NGCC offers its services on a sliding scale to those who qualify financially. The group also has a counseling ministry program that is donor funded which can offset the price of counseling even more for families with the greatest need. The organization relies on private and public donations to its counseling assistance fund to make its services more accessible.
“We take that money and we put it to good use,” says NGCC Executive Director Dr. Jim Gant. “We take that counseling assistance fund money and we use it to provide counseling to people who otherwise can’t afford counseling services. It is a very worthy cause.”
For those who qualify for assistance, sessions can be as little as $20 each. The normal fee is $95 per session for individuals and $105 for couples and families. NGCC does not accept insurance.
While NGCC is a faith-based organization, its website states, “You don’t have to be a Christian to work with our counselors. We won’t push our faith on you.”
With a growing list of clients – the nonprofit went from providing 321 counseling sessions during the pandemic in 2020 to over 2,300 counseling sessions last year – NGCC is poised to become a valuable resource in Habersham for those seeking help coping with any variety of mental health and emotional issues.
The counselors see clients by appointment only. The new center’s hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, some counselors may be able to meet in the evenings, adding flexibility for those who work during the day.
Several of the counselors live in Habersham County, and Blankenship says, “We feel blessed to be able to serve in our own community.
To make a donation, visit NGCC online at www.negachristiancounseling.com. NGCC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3). All donations are tax deductible.
