August 12, 2002
BGCT counseling center branches out
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___The name has changed. The services have changed. But the mission remains the same.
___The Counseling and Psychological Services Center of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which has blossomed to perform a variety of services, is celebrating 30 years of ministry this summer.
___In the fall of 1970, Charles Miller of Wharton asked the convention to research the feasibility of beginning a department to counsel ministers.
___Although Miller requested an office to help only "pastors and other full-time staff members who find themselves in need of counseling and assistance," the Ministers Counseling Service, launched in 1972, has evolved to counsel ministers' families and BGCT staff, as well as perform a variety of other services.
___The service, which took its current name in January 2001, now refers some counseling requests to one of more than 100 psychology and counseling professionals in its statewide network.
___All members of the network are carefully screened by the counseling center and are licensed by the state of Texas. The center also investigates their training, experience, faith and church affiliation. To ensure continued excellence, the center is planning continuing education classes to help the professionals better understand how to counsel ministers.
___The center's three-person staff found ministers needed more than just referrals.
___"Not only were ministers seeking consultation, (they) were asking for training in pastoral care such as dealing with divorce, loss and hospital visitation," said Dan McGee, director of the center.
___The center also consults with churches that want to begin counseling services. It is negotiating with a national accrediting organization for funding five new counseling centers in Texas.
___"Churches are starting counseling centers all over Texas," McGee said. "The problem is not all of them are doing it well. There are professional, ethical and legal issues in counseling because the counseling profession is governed by law, and churches often don't have the background or knowledge to do it."
___McGee, whose specialization is human sexuality, has led the center to focus on ministers' marriages. Through the center, the BGCT offers counseling for ministers and spouses of ministers and will co-sponsor its first large marriage enrichment conference Oct. 24-26 in Fort Worth.
___The organization also has changed the testing of Texas college ministry students. The old tests were clinical instruments and an effective way of helping achieve ministry goals, McGee said. The new method is to help determine a student's strengths, interests and needs for ministry.
___Despite the new duties of the center, counseling remains the top priority. McGee said he counsels people for at least four hours a day. Amy Branch-Lambert, pastoral care consultant, became a full-time employee June 15 to help keep pace with counseling requests.
___"Our main focus is the health and growth of ministers," McGee said. "Counseling remains our first and foremost responsibility."
___For more information about the Counseling and Psychological Services Center, call (214) 826-6591.
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