Lay Counseling
At some point in our lives, all of us need to talk with someone who can help us sort out the puzzle pieces of life. We need to talk to someone we can trust. Our counselors are highly trained and committed to seeing individuals achieve their goals in counseling. Counselors have worked through their own healing journey through Christ-centered and Chapel Hill-based trainings, working within our value and faith structures.
Our counselors help individuals with a variety of non-clinical concerns which may include grief and bereavement, fear, life wounds, loss of faith or identity, self-esteem, anxiety, marital concerns, parenting issues, sin struggles, anger or issues of the like.
Individual Counseling
The Lay Counseling ministry provides a safe, confidential place for an individual to tell their story and work through various life issues. Lay counselors offer encouragement, support, Biblical insight, prayer and help connect the individual to resources available at Chapel Hill and the community.
Marriage Counseling
Chapel Hill has created a program designed to stabilize the marriage relationship and strive to provide hope for couples longing for their marriage to be restored. Each married couple are paired with highly qualified marriage lay counselors, who create a safe place to work through struggles, foster an environment of trust and security and help couples master healthy communication.
Pre-Marriage Mentoring
Marriage is a journey with many ebbs and flows. Before you decide to embark on this voyage with your beloved, take time to explore what makes a healthy marriage before you say “I do.” The Pre-Marriage Mentoring program begins with couples completing an assessment, which generates a comprehensive evaluation. Areas assessed include personality, spiritual beliefs, role expectations, money matters and other marital topics. Discussion of the evaluation is facilitated by skilled and experienced marriage mentor couples. The mentors guide the engaged couple through several sessions, with the hope of building a strong relationship foundation. Total cost is $35 for assessment and materials.
To schedule a session, contact the Counseling Office at 253.853.0291
FAQ about Lay Counseling
What is Lay Counseling? Lay counseling is made of up lay people, trained specifically to offer brief, non-clinical counseling services to Chapel Hill Church attendees and the surrounding community.
Are Lay Counselors licensed? No, lay counselors are not licensed. Lay counselors attend an eight month intensive training before they counsel and are required to attend ongoing trainings thereafter. If the case requires a licensed professional, we are happy to make a referral to a local therapist.
What materials do you use for training? Materials come from a variety of sources. The bulk of our training materials are from the American Association of Christian Counselors, “Caring for People God’s Way”. Other materials include webinar trainings or from other credible teaching sources from our local community.
What kinds of issues do lay counselors help with? Our counselors are equipped to handle a variety of non-clinical issues including grief and bereavement, fear, loss of faith or identity, self-esteem, anxiety, marital concerns, parenting issues, sin struggles and issues of the like.
Is my information confidential? We make it a top priority to keep all counseling records stored in a password protected storage vault.
How many visits are allowed? The counseling we provide is usually short term, up to a pre-set number of sessions, determined by specific need of the counselee. Typically, we offer 8-10 sessions for marriage counseling and up to 15 sessions for individual counseling.
Is there a fee for lay counseling? No. There is no cost for counseling services. There is a minimal fee for materials for couples in pre-marriage mentoring or marriage counseling. The fee is typically less than $50
Will you accept donations? We appreciate donations of any value. Your generous support allows us to continue to provide a much needed service in our community.
Want to become a Lay Counselor?
Lay Counselor Training
Lay Counselors need to have faith in Jesus Christ, a heart for helping people, acknowledged spiritual gifts, surrender to God’s will, and a call to demonstrate God’s grace and mercy.
Training focuses on Biblical foundations related to counseling, understanding your own healing journey, counseling skills development and foundational knowledge of mental health issues. Training typically begins with an intensive eight month course, followed by ongoing quarterly training.
Ongoing commitment requires at least 1-2 hours per week dedicated to counseling and regular participation in supervision meetings.
To become a Lay Counselor, please call the Counseling Office at 253.853.0291