Our Services

Bridgehaven is a parachurch counseling practice started by The Summit Church in 2012 for the purpose of providing gospel-centered, clinically-informed biblical counseling to individuals, couples, and families, both locally and globally. While Bridgehaven was started by The Summit Church, we operate as an autonomous, non-profit 501c3 parachurch ministry, separate from The Summit Church.

OUR COUNSELORS

All of the counselors who serve with Bridgehaven are evangelical Christians, all are active church-members in a variety of churches, and all hold to a philosophy of counseling that is consistent with Bridgehaven’s statement of faith (taken from the Biblical Counseling Coalition).

While all of our counselors have similar graduate degrees and clinical training, each of our counselors have individual interests and specialized training to meet the particular needs of various clients. Additionally, most of our counselors have chosen to serve as non-licensed counselors on the ecclesiastical side of the separation of church and state in order to allow greater freedom for working with local churches. As such, most of our counselors do not currently hold state licensure.

To read more about each of our counselors, their training, and the types of clients each serves, please see the Our Counselors page.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What types of counseling issues does Bridgehaven address?

• Marriage: Communication, Restoration, and Enrichment

• Parenting & Family

• Pre-Marital

• Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Fear, Grief, & Other Emotional Struggles

• Eating Disorders

• Responding to Abuse & Trauma (i.e., Verbal, Physical, Sexual)

• Pornography and Other Life Dominating Habits

• Insecurity

• Codependency

• Identity Issues

• Same Sex Attraction

• Guilt & Assurance of Salvation

What is “biblical counseling”?

By biblical counseling we mean that your counselor is a Christian with special training and experience in applying the truths of the Bible to life. We believe that the Bible speaks to all of life and to all of its problems, but sometimes it takes careful thought and prayerful wisdom to know how to make those connections. We don’t believe that the Bible is simply a how-to book or a recipe book for happiness. We believe that the Bible ultimately points us to a person and a relationship – Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. We believe that real change comes when people learn to see themselves and their problems in the context of a living, vital relationship with Christ. This does not mean that you must be a Christian to profit from our counseling, although we believe that deep and lasting change is brought about only by God himself. However, the Bible is never brought to bear in an artificial or heavy-handed way.

How much does counseling cost?

All of the counselors at Bridgehaven work on a donation basis. We have made intentional efforts to keep our operating expenses extremely low. However, there are some expenses that are unavoidable. While the comparable-market-value for counseling services in the Raleigh-Durham area has increased in the last several years, we have closely examined our budget and determined we are currently able to maintain our suggested average donation of $75.00 per 50-minute session, with a suggested donation range to between $75.00 to $125.00 per 50-minute session. It is because of your generosity that we are able to serve the most clients possible. Thank you!

If making an average $75.00 donation for counseling services would be difficult for you, we ask that you consider making a minimum donation of $50.00 per 50-minute session.

What if I cannot make the minimum suggested donation?

Donations should be in accord with what an individual has, not according to what he or she does not have. Therefore, no one will be refused counseling because of the amount of his or her donation. If you do not feel like you can make a minimum donation at this time, we encourage you to either talk to your counselor about what you may be able to commit to donating per session, or to ask your local church for help. Many churches are happy to help their members receive the care Bridgehaven provides. If you would like more information about talking with your church about a scholarship, please contact our administrative offices.

How are donations made for counseling services?

Prior to your session, it is your responsibility to pray about the amount that God would have you donate for the counseling you receive, and then to be faithful to God in your giving. After your session, your counselor will simply ask you how much you would like to donate for the service you received. Afterwards, you will receive an invoice via email for the amount you have agreed upon with your counselor.

What if I miss my session or cannot make my appointment?

We require a 48-hour notice if you wish to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Please always contact your counselor directly to cancel or reschedule your appointment. If you fail to provide a 48-hour notice, your counselor may ask you to make a $50 donation for your missed appointment.

Are donations made for counseling services tax-deductible?

Unfortunately, no. The IRS has determined that, “If you receive a benefit as a result of making a contribution to a qualified organization, you can deduct only the amount of your contribution that is more than the value of the benefit you receive” (See IRS Publication 526). As such, when donations are made to Bridgehaven in exchange for personal counseling services, the donation is considered non-tax-deductible. Only the amount donated in excess of the maximum comparable-market-value would be deductible for a given counseling session.

Can I make a tax-deductible donation to support the ministry of Bridgehaven?

Absolutely! We seek supporters (individuals and churches) who would like to contribute to Bridgehaven so we have the financial flexibility to serve those who cannot afford the full expense of the help they need. There are three ways you can become a supporter of Bridgehaven:

Make a one-time donation;
Make a recurring automatic monthly, quarterly, or annual donation;
Sponsor someone in need who does not have the resources available to receive counseling at Bridgehaven.

If you would like more information about becoming a financial supporter of Bridgehaven’s ministry, contact our office at info@bridgehavencounseling.org or 919-321-2275. If you would like make a tax-deductible donation, see our Donations page.

Are donations requested for other services your counselor may provide?

Yes. As a part of your care, there may be times when either you or your counselor may desire to involve the insights or participation of other individuals or professionals (mental health, medical, educational, spiritual) for the purpose of consultation or cooperative care. When required, we comply with legitimate requests for the process of legal proceedings (e.g., in the event of a subpoena). Or, there may be a time when you ask your counselor to provide you a Summary of Record. For a summary of these items and the suggested donations requested for these services, please see the Suggested Donations page.

Does Bridgehaven qualify for insurance payment?

Neither Bridgehaven nor any of our counselors are currently paneled with any insurance provider. We cannot file insurance on your behalf. Additionally, while we can provide you with a receipt for each session and you can try to file with your insurance provider, because most of our counselors have chosen to serve as non-licensed counselors, our counselors do not generally provide any medical or diagnosis codes. Any particular arrangements for reimbursements by an insurance provider remain strictly between the client and the insurance provider.

How does Bridgehaven work with local churches?

We believe that the church is God’s chosen context for change. We consider all of our counseling to be an extension of the ministry of the local church and a way of serving and promoting its ministry. In a sense, our counselors serve as “temporary staff” to the churches that refer their people to us for help. In that spirit, we seek to partner with the church in any way that will facilitate and sustain the desired changes in a counselee’s life. Most often this will mean counseling in a way that highlights the consistency of what is being learned in counseling with what is being taught at their church and encouraging more authentic relationships within the counselee’s church. When appropriate, it may also mean keeping a pastor, small group leader, or other shepherd informed about the counseling process, or even (with the counselee’s permission) inviting them to be part of the counseling sessions. Having said this, Bridgehaven is very sensitive to the issue of confidentiality. The Bible repeatedly warns against gossip and indicates that trustworthy people keep confidences. To release counseling information without a counselee’s consent would violate biblical standards as well as commonly accepted codes of counseling ethics. However, situations in which a counselee or another person is in imminent danger of physical harm may require reporting information to the appropriate legal authorities.

ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS:

When you arrive at building 2304, you will find our glass door entrance at the right end of the building facing S. Miami Blvd. Enter in through the center glass door (#Suite 222), which opens to the stairway to the second story office suites.

At the top of the stairs, please enter the 1st door on your left – this is our waiting room. There is no need to check-in; just make yourself at home and your counselor will greet you soon as he or she is available. If no one comes to greet you within ten minutes of your appointed time, please proceed down the hallway to the administrative office for assistance. Thank you.

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