COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – One local organization is spreading awareness about the resources available to the community ahead of Mental Illness Awareness Week. The Family Center is a non-profit organization that offers several resources for the community.
Rosemary Warren-Spangler, the Director of Counseling at The Family Center, said the center offers family counseling, individual counseling, several courses like financial literacy and a Big Brother Big Sister mentoring program.
“We focus on individuals who a lot of times have maybe fallen through the cracks and they may have trouble accessing the resources and community services that are available,” said Warren-Spangler.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters program focuses on youth mentoring in the community. Through a partnership with the schools in the area, Warren-Spangler and other counselors as well as volunteers visit various schools and serve as mentors to many of the young students.
The services are provided for free or on a sliding scale basis and they are available for children and adults of all ages.
Shakiatra Jackson is a Counselor at The Family Center and she said the center offers counseling for many things like trauma, stress, anxiety and domestic violence. She said the center offers a family environment to everyone who seeks resources.
“They’re a part of a family unit when they come here so having that safe space and that environment to really be comfortable to speak to a stranger,” said Jackson.
She also said the center offers a lot of diversity and client’s often feel well represented by the bilingual counselors and different specialties.
The center uses several different therapy methods to help clients express themselves like art therapy and narrative therapy. Jackson said using the creative methods allows the counselors an inside look at the client’s perspective.
For more information on The Family Center please call 706-327-3238 or visit their website.