Carolina Caring expands community counseling program

For many individuals, addressing the mental health concerns tied to grief and loss can feel overwhelming, complicated, or out of reach.

Recognizing the profound impact that loss can have on one’s well-being, Carolina Caring — which serves Burke and a dozen other counties across Western North Carolina and the Charlotte region — has expanded its community counseling program to support individuals who have experienced a major loss of any kind.

Using a holistic approach, sessions will help clients navigate the mental health challenges that come with their unique experience of grief, such as a major life transition, the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or a recent serious illness diagnosis.

Traditionally, organizations like Carolina Caring provide bereavement services to families of hospice patients for up to 13 months. But through its expansion, Carolina Caring’s community counseling program redefines what it means to provide compassionate care to the whole person, both physically and emotionally.

“At this organization, we are committed to helping individuals fill each day with purpose,” said Director of Counseling Services Rebecca Jones, MSW, LCSW, LCAS. “This program is another opportunity to fulfil this mission through compassion and personal connection.”

Jones’ approach to counseling services is grounded in her deep empathy for the human experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Social Work, and her clinical background spans private practice, outpatient treatment for substance use disorders, and hospice care.

The community counseling program provides private, in-person sessions at three Carolina Caring facilities: the Carolina Caring office in Newton, the Carolina Caring Robin Johnson House in Dallas, and the Carolina Caring office in Gastonia. For clients who wish to receive services but are unable to attend in person, the program offers confidential virtual sessions.

To reduce financial barriers for clients, the program offers a sliding scale payment plan.

For more information about the community counseling program at Carolina Caring, including payment policies and locations closest to you, call 828-466-0466 or visit carolinacaring.org/grief-and-healing.

To learn more about Carolina Caring, its services, and its mission to provide compassionate care for patients living with serious illness, visit carolinacaring.org.

— JM