Pricing
How qualified are your counselors?
Eternal Light is a Christian Counseling Clinic that provides 3 Tiers of Professional, Pastoral Counseling:
Tier 3: Doctoral Degree in Christian Counseling and an active license to practice.*
Tier 2: Master's Degree in Christian Counseling and an active license to practice.*
Tier 1: Bachelor's Degree or higher in Psychotherapy or Social Work and a Commission into Counseling Ministry from their home church.
What will your services cost me?
Although our counselors provide professional counseling services at reduced, fixed rates, your costs may be reduced even further through church referrals and financial assistance.
How do I find out my costs?
Financial assistance is based on referral and need.
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Referral: As a parachurch, Eternal Light serves as an adjunct ministry to select churches. If you are referred by one of these churches, our goal is to provide counseling services as you would receive them through your church (at no charge to you).
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Need: Even without a church referral, your counseling costs can be reduced dramatically based on need. We determine your need through a generous Financial Assistance Program that makes Professional, Pastoral Counseling accessible to everyone. Ask your counselor for an application.
Who covers my counseling costs?
Donors and Counselors. We want to primarily lean on our donors because counseling for free is not a sustainable model. ELCCS does not provide laypeople for your counseling. Our counselors are professionally educated in psychotherapy. So, their reduced rates are a testament to their devotion to feed His sheep.
* A Counselor's Active License to Practice must come from one of these organizations:
The National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA) is a prominent organization that specializes in training and licensing Christian counselors. This organization is distinct for its approach that integrates Christian theology with psychological counseling principles. The NCCA offers a variety of certification and licensure options for individuals who are interested in providing faith-based counseling.
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A significant focus of the NCCA is on Temperament Therapy, which is a counseling approach that considers the individual's inborn temperament to understand their behavior patterns, social interactions, and personal needs. This therapy is rooted in the belief that understanding one’s temperament can help in providing more effective counseling.
The NCCA requires candidates to undergo specific educational programs that include a combination of psychology and theology. These programs are often available through affiliated colleges and educational institutions that offer distance learning options.
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American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC): This organization is known for its rigorous standards and offers certification to pastoral counselors who meet their criteria. The AAPC emphasizes the integration of theological understanding with psychological knowledge.
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Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE): ACPE is recognized for providing education and certification in clinical pastoral education, particularly for chaplains and spiritual care providers. They offer training that is particularly relevant in healthcare settings.
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The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC): AACC is a large organization that offers resources, conferences, and certification for Christian counselors, which includes pastoral counselors. They focus on integrating Christian principles with counseling practices.
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The Association for Clinical Pastoral Therapy (ACPT): This organization provides certification for pastoral therapists, which is a specialized area within pastoral counseling. ACPT emphasizes a combination of theological education and clinical mental health training.
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Faith-Based Counselor Training Institute (FBCTI): FBCTI offers training and certification for pastoral and faith-based counselors. Their programs are designed for those who want to integrate faith with counseling practices.
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International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC): IABC focuses on providing certification for counselors who adhere to biblical counseling principles. They emphasize the use of scripture in the counseling process.