Mission & History
Cathedral Counseling Center helps people make sense of their lives during difficult times through professional, affordable mental health services. Cathedral Counseling fulfills its mission by providing psychotherapy and psychiatric services on a sliding fee scale based on income. Experienced clinicians participate in the mission by contracting their services at a portion of the market rate. They also build and support the professional community through commitment to high standards, education, training and supervision.
In the early 1970's, a group of mental health professionals, diverse in their clinical and religious affiliations, were similarly dedicated to a holistic treatment model that addressed clients' psychological, medical, social, and spiritual concerns. These practitioners recognized a pressing and unmet need among low to middle-income people who desperately needed mental health care but could not afford it and were not eligible for public programs. They were determined to create an organization that could provide private practice quality mental health services for people who would otherwise go without treatment. One member, both a clinical social worker and an Episcopal priest, approached the leadership of St. James Cathedral and was given support in the form of donated space, funds, and board members for a new, independent 501(c)(3) agency. This priest, the Reverend Anthony Henllan-Jones, became the agency's first director and continued his support of the Counseling Center until his death in mid-2003.
From its founding, Cathedral Counseling Center grew from one individual therapy office in 1974 to five offices in 1998, housed in the basement of the diocesan center at 65 E. Huron adjacent to St. James Cathedral. The Center-s ability to meet an increasing demand for service eventually was limited by the available space in the diocesan center. In 1997, the board of directors launched the Center's first capital campaign, and succeeded in raising the $500,000 needed to build larger quarters in the undercroft of the Cathedral at 671 N. Wabash. In mid-1999, the Center moved into the undercroft, increasing the number of individual therapy offices to nine and adding group therapy and conference rooms.
In 2001, the Center opened satellites in churches Hyde Park and in Evanston. Both these new sites make services more accessible and available in the Chicago area, however by 2005 it was apparent that the Center's ability to meet increasing demand was again limited by space in the downtown offices. The board launched a second capital campaign, succeeded in raising $1.3 million to acquire and build-out space in the Garland building at 50 E. Washington. In March 2007, the Center moved into its new downtown facility which has 16 individual therapy offices, two of which may be used for small group therapy, one large group therapy room and a large conference room for professional development, staff, and board meetings.
Cathedral Counseling Center is a member agency of Episcopal Charities & Community Services.
