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Address
1850 Colfax Avenue,
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
269.926.6199
Copyright
© 2014 | CENTER[ED] ON WELLNESS
On January 16, 1974 The News-Palladium of Benton Harbor ran a story about a new non-denominational counseling program at the First Congregational Church in Benton Harbor. The concept of this community service was not to duplicate any current services offered but tot embrace "a cohesive effort to treat a person as a whole by providing assistance with the many related factors governing total health." This wholistic health approach was introduced 10 years earlier by Rev. Dr. Granger Westberg of the Wholistic Health Center Project at the University of Illinois. Because there were only a handful of similar programs up and running in the United States, the exploration for this concept in Southwest Michigan began by a pioneering Board of Trustees who saw the need and vision for such a service. Mr. and Mrs. Elisha 'Bud' Gray, past CEO of Whirlpool Corporation, donated the seed money to fund the model. Diligent research revealed a similar center in Elkhart, Indiana, and after an insightful presentation, the Board of Trustees agreed that the twin cities area would be home to the second Samaritan Counseling Center in the country.
Jump forward 40 years and you will find we have provided over 150,000 hours of professional counseling in Southwestern Michigan, and more than 3,500 children and adults received individual, couples, families, or group counseling annually.
We have had satellite offices in a dozen area churches, purchased our own administrative and counseling building at 1850 Colfax Avenue in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and expanded our clinical time from the original 8 hours a week, to 50 hours a week today.
Our name may be new, but as a good samaritan since 1974, we are faithfully serving SWM through behavioral counseling, coaching, consulting, education, and prevention.
PARTNER AGENCY
Our name may be new, but we have been serving the professional counseling needs of this community since 1974.
To honor our original mission-driven dedication of "providing professional services that help to find a balance between spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and relational elements," our new identity highlights our innovative approach to total behavioral wellness.
By combining area services and partnering with businesses in Southwest Michigan, we will treat total behavioral wellness with a [w]holistic approach, focusing on you.
CENTER[ED] ON WELLNESS can bill most insurance plans, including Medicaid and medicare plans. For those who are not covered, the CENTER applies annually for a variety of grants, scholarships, and foundation dollars to help subsidize a portion of the fee. We also hold community fundraising events throughout the years. This allows us to offer a sliding fee scale to clients who may not otherwise be able to receive counseling. Payment plans may also be an option.
We offer out-patient counseling for more than 60 different identified services ranging from anxiety, depression, and child or parenting problems; to addiction, PTSD, and geriatric issues. We have enhanced services in personalized counseling, personal or professional coaching, consulting, education, and prevention. From groups tackling specific topics, specific gender, health, or age concerns, to classes educating clients on a variety of wellness topics, we will constantly listen to the needs of each client and find collaborative partners for their total behavioral wellness.
As a 501(c)3, we are a proud community partner of the United Way of Southwest Michigan, and have satellite office locations in Benton Harbor, Coloma, Niles, St. Joseph, Sawyer, Stevensville, and South Haven.