The mission of "interfaith counseling services" is to provide counseling that integrates psychotherapy with spirituality and faith, i.e., faith-integrated counseling. When a counseling recipient chooses to have faith-integrated counseling, the faith of the counseling recipient becomes a resource to the healing process. The foundation underlying this mission is the belief that one’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs are inextricably connected. More specifically, when people suffer in one area of their lives, all areas are affected through this mind-body-spirit connection.

Delivering faith-integrated counseling services is not dependent upon counselors and clients agreeing on religious doctrine or tenets of faith. Instead, it requires that counselors be grounded in their own faith, and how it impacts their use of self in the counseling process, as well as grounded in effective psychotherapy techniques and knowledge. A counseling recipient can present with any religious background, or none at all, and still benefit from faith-integrated counseling.
For more information, contact: (540) 563-5316.

Merger of Interfaith Counseling Services (formerly the Pastoral Counseling Center) with Family Service of Roanoke Valley Two Roanoke Non-profits Announce Merger During Press Conference

Roanoke, VA, March 25, 2010- Janet Crawford, Board President of Interfaith Counseling Services (ICS), and Whit Ellerman, Board Chair of Family Service of Roanoke Valley (FSRV) today announced a merger between their agencies. The two long-standing non-profit agencies both provide counseling services to the Roanoke Valley on a sliding fee scale basis and together serve over 4,000 individuals and families annually.

Interfaith Counseling Services (ICS) began as the Pastoral Counseling Center of the Roanoke Valley, Inc. in 1974. Second Presbyterian Church has provided seed funding, continuing financial support and facilities for the center since its inception. The Center’s name was changed to Interfaith Counseling Services in 2009 as part of the transition to becoming an affiliate of the Samaritan Institute, Inc. This conversion placed emphasis on the mission to serve those of any faith both within the walls of the center and within the community.

Through its new partnership with Family Service of Roanoke Valley, Interfaith Counseling Services will continue its long and respected history of providing effective faith-integrated counseling services which includes: offering individual, couples and family counseling to people of all ages and faiths and continuing to assist clergy by supplementing programs and expertise in their congregations by providing presentations, workshops and other programs.  

To maintain and grow community outreach, Interfaith Counseling Services sought an organizational partner with a similar mission and a more highly-developed infrastructure to support service delivery.  This merging of resources will allow both agencies to operate more efficiently and reduce the duplication of services offered in the Roanoke Valley.

On April 1, Family Service of Roanoke Valley will assume the operation of Interfaith Counseling Services’ counseling program, and will begin offering services formerly delivered by ICS. By early summer, Interfaith counselors will move from their offices at Second Presbyterian Church to their new location at Family Service of Roanoke Valley’s main office at 360 Campbell Avenue.

Family Service of Roanoke Valley is a dynamic, multi-service United Way agency serving a diverse population of clients by providing critical services to Roanoke Valley residents since 1901. Organized around the mission of strengthening individuals, families and the community—FSRV offers a broad range of Counseling, Older Adult Services and Youth Development Programs on a sliding fee scale to ensure accessibility to all. The expertise FSRV has gained through 100+ years of experience serving the needs of individuals and families leaves the agency in a unique position to provide information and practical solutions to the challenges we face in our community.

For more information, please contact the Intake Specialist at (540) 563-5316, ext. 3014.