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Welcome
to Cathedral Counseling Center
Cathedral Counseling Center is a private, non-profit organization
that provides the highest quality mental health care at fees adjusted
to client’s financial resources. It was founded in 1974 by
mental health professionals and the leadership of St. James Episcopal
Cathedral. For more than 34 years, the agency has embraced these
goals and grown to meet the growing need for mental health services
in the Chicago area.
Mission
The mission of Cathedral Counseling Center is to provide high quality
mental health services at fees adjusted to the client’s ability
to pay and regardless of the client’s religious beliefs, race,
gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The Center is further
committed to providing its clients with sensitivity to their spiritual
concerns and beliefs.
History
| 1974 |
Cathedral
Counseling Center opens its doors with one office at St. James
Episcopal Cathedral. With a budget of $30,000, the agency’s
two therapists provide 450 hours of therapy for 26 clients.
Their average fee is $25. |
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| 1981 |
The agency
experiences a spike in growth, offering more than 1,700 hours
of therapy, a 42% increase over the previous year. This growth
corresponds with significant cuts in federally funded mental
health programs. |
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| 1984 |
When Cathedral
Counseling Center marks its 10th anniversary, it has expanded
to provide 2,800 hours of care, approximately six times the
sessions offered in 1974. The budget is more than $118,000. |
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| 1994 |
In its
twentieth year, the agency opens the Advanced Clinical Training
Program, which provides supervision, instruction, and clinical
experience for clinicians seeking an in-depth understanding
of psychotherapy. The first clergy consultation, facilitated
by Center therapists, is formed. The budget is $359,000. The
third and current Executive Director is hired. |
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| 1995 |
The agency
presents the first annual Professional Development Series, a
continuing education program for Cathedral Counseling Center
staff and Chicago area clinicians. |
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| 1996 |
Services
are expanded to include more couples treatment and a formalized
premarital counseling program, as well as professional consultation
and training for staff members providing these services. |
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| 1997 |
The board
of directors launches a successful $500,000 capital campaign
to build and furnish a new home in the undercroft of St. James
Cathedral. |
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| 1999 |
Cathedral
Counseling Center moves into its new home in the Cathedral undercroft
with nine offices, a group meeting room, and a conference room
– almost twice the previous space. In the new facilities,
the agency provides 8,400 therapy sessions to 590 clients. |
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| 2000 |
The agency
opens its first satellite offices at St. Paul and the Redeemer
Episcopal Church in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood,
to better serve clients in that area, including the students
and staff of the University of Chicago. A formal Group Therapy
program is added, along with professional consultation and training
for staff members who facilitate groups. |
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| 2002 |
A second
branch office is opened at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
in Evanston. |
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| 2004 |
Cathedral
Counseling Center provides 13,378 hours of service to 916 clients,
with an average out-of-pocket payment of $39. In the last decade,
the Center has more than doubled its activities, and budget. |
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| 2005 |
The Center
has reached close to maximum capacity in the undercroft offices,
and has been informed by St. James Cathedral that the offices
will be needed during the teardown and construction of new office
space for the Diocesan Center. The board of directors works
with the Illinois Facilities Fund and decides to launch a new
capital campaign in order to purchase office condo space. |
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| 2006 |
The Center purchases an office condominum at the Garland Building and construction begins in October. |
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| 2007 |
The Center moves into its new beautiful home with 15 therapy offices, a library/group therapy room which overlooks Millennium Park and a larger conference room. |
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