The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry is an outreach ministry of The Cove at Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Saint Johns, Florida. The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry provides Christ- centered, solution-focused counseling that is designed to help individuals and couples find answers to the trials and problems encountered in their daily lives. This ministry is based on biblically based principles and how these principles can be applied to the person’s life to produce a more meaningful and purposeful outcome

Counselors serving in The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry are NOT state licensed professionals. Our counselors have been trained in a biblical model of guidance and counseling through the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), and are certified or pursuing certification through the International Board of Christian Care (IBCC) as lay counselors and/or mental health coaches. Pastoral staff assigned to The Cove Counseling Ministry hold at least a master’s degree in counseling or help-related field. 

It is the policy of The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry to provide the highest quality in sound biblical guidance and counsel. The ministry endeavors to meet mental, emotional, and spiritual needs through individual, group, and marital and family guidance services.

This information is being provided so that you will understand the conditions for participating in our Cove Care & Counseling Ministry. Please read this carefully and be prepared to ask questions about anything that seems unclear when you meet with your counselor. Please sign at the end of the document that you agree with terms and conditions to receive counseling from The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry at Fruit Cove Baptist Church. 

 

EXPECTATIONS

Clients are provided a maximum of eight (8) sessions unless arrangements have been made with the lay counselor and approved by the Director. Sessions will last approximately 50 minutes. If the issues presented indicate a need for intensive clinical counseling or psychotherapy; then, in accordance with church policy, appropriate referrals will be made to Christian mental health professionals. Lay counselors may terminate the counseling relationship with the client if the lay counselor determines that the client is not actively participating in achieving goals.

 

COST

The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry provides counseling free of charge. Donations of any amount can be made to the Fruit Cove Baptist Church/Cove Ministry.

 

CHILDREN

While the counseling is offered to you free of charge, we do not provide childcare. You are responsible to secure childcare arrangements prior to the time of your appointment. If childcare arrangements that you have planned fall through, we understand and would be glad to reschedule a time for you. Bringing young children, (9yrs. and younger) is not permissible.

 

APPOINTMENTS (CANCELLATION AND RESCHEDULING OF…)

We believe that your time is important. We ask all participants seeking lay counseling to be seen by appointment only. Our lay counselors volunteer their time to assist clients seeking counseling. Therefore, clients who are 30 or more minutes late will need to reschedule their appointment for another time, unless they have called ahead and notified the church office of the delay. If you have scheduled an appointment and cannot attend, please notify us 24 hours in advance so that  someone else who is in crisis may be scheduled for that appointment time.

 

CONFIDENTIALITY

Confidentiality is an important aspect of the counseling process. The Cove Care & Counseling Ministry and its counselors are ethically bound under the AACC Code of Ethics to protect your personal information and all records of your counseling session(s). The following are examples if/when it may be necessary for us to share information with others:

• If a counselor is uncertain how to address a particular problem and needs to seek advice from another minister/supervisory counselor in this church;
• It is determined by the counselor that church authority has a need to know;
• If content shared demands that we must comply with any and all applicable state   and/or federal laws, such as those dealing with:
  •  Threat to harm self
  •  Threat to harm others
  •  Child abuse

 

COMMUNICATION

We request that all counseling contacts with the Cove Care & Counseling Ministry staff be made through the office at 904-287-0996.

 

TRAINING MINISTRY

The Cove Counseling Ministry includes training and equipping lay counselor interns to serve Fruit Cove Baptist Church and the community. Lay Counselor Interns may attend sessions in order to observe the lead counselor in live sessions to develop and cultivate healthy practices for the future. Upon successful completion, Lay Counselor Interns will be commissioned as lay counselors to serve in the Cove Care & Counseling Ministry.

Each Lay Counselor Intern is bound by all the agreements contained in this document, especially the statements of confidentiality.

 

RESOLUTION OF DIFFICULTIES 

On rare occasions a conflict may develop between an individual and our Cove Care & Counseling Ministry. To ensure the conflict will be resolved in a Biblically faithful manner, we require all individuals to agree that any dispute will be settled by mediation and, if necessary, legally binding arbitration.

CLIENT'S RIGHTS

1. The client has the right to terminate the counselor-client relationship at any time.
2. Establish goals and evaluate progress with your counselor.
3. You have a right to participate voluntarily in and to consent to treatment.

AGREEMENT
 

1.     I am requesting to receive biblical counseling as it pertains to an issue in my life.

2.     I will, under no circumstance, have the church staff or lay counselor providing counseling to be subpoenaed or require them to provide documentation or appear in court or as part of legal proceedings, regarding any matters disclosed or discussed during the course of my participation, or that of any minor, in this ministry.

3.     I will, under no circumstance, have the counseling notes subpoenaed for any legal proceedings whatsoever.