Recently, a few of our clinicians sat down to talk about how the benevolence fund has impacted their clients. The benevolence fund provides an option for clients to continue therapy even if they have hit financial limitations that would otherwise make it difficult to continue. The fund has been used for a number of different situations including family medical emergency, loss of job, or divorce. Any one of these situations would be cause for stress. They can seem even more unbearable when a person is already facing debilitating anxiety, depression, strain in their relationships, managing day to day tasks, or any other number of reasons that people seek counseling. The financial cost of therapy can seem like a huge burden. With bills piling up, and each dollar coming in already designated to something, finding help for mental health issues can seem impossible.
Several clinicians expressed how they have seen the benevolence fund impact the lives of their client by giving them an opportunity to continue getting the help that they need at a price that they can afford. The benevolence fund is for clients who are highly motivated to pursue therapy and do the work required to improve their lives. When the burden of paying for therapy has been lifted, the client can dive into the work that needs to be done with one less stressor in their way. One clinician talked about the progress he has seen with a client because he has been able to come to therapy more regularly, rather than spreading it out over time. This client had lost his job and thought he would have to cut back on sessions. Through the benevolence fund, this client was able to continue weekly sessions and not slow the work that he had already done. When a client can have regular and consistent care, progress can be made so much quicker which actually shortens the amount of time (and therefore cost) that a person might need to devote to therapy. One goal of the benevolence fund is to give people some breathing room to continue pursuing therapy and improving their lives and the lives of those around them.
Another clinician spoke of a client who first came to Grace Counseling through Crime Victim’s Compensation. This is a program that allows victims of crime to receive therapy for the psychological distress at no cost to them. This person had been in a domestic violence relationship and had experienced other severe traumas in her life including being raised in foster care. This client was able to start her work toward healing and recovery through Victim’s Compensation. When those limited sessions ran out, this client was able to continue with weekly therapy sessions through the benevolence fund. The clinician spoke of the amazing progress that this client has already made, but also recognized that the healing for these past traumas would be long term work for this client. The benevolence fund gives this client the option to continue long term counseling without the financial burden.
Giving to the benevolence fund is an opportunity to help people in crisis manage their financial stress. Another clinician described the benevolence fund as an investment in the life of the client. Then that client is also able to invest and contribute to the people around them and have a positive impact. 100% of every donation goes directly to helping clients pay for sessions. You can give online through our GoFundMe campaign or you can send a check to the office, and you will receive a donation receipt for your tax purposes. We appreciate your support as we try to positively influence our community.
