Counseling Helps Families

Family Service Agency of the Central Coast

When adults are stressed out because of personal or relational issues, economic stressors, substance abuse or childhood experiences of abuse, they are at greater risk in their lives.

People have the power to change the direction of their lives. Adults can learn new coping skills to deal with the stressors they are experiencing. Parents can learn new parenting skills to prevent future problems for their children. People with addiction problems can develop the skills and support to end their addictions. Counseling enables people to make the changes which will relieve their stress and provide greater quality of life.

Prevention is a family and community issue. Change can happen through education and support. Families who are in counseling programs can develop trusting relationships with each other. Couples can learn new communication skills and improved ways of relating. Counselors are familiar with community resources and can refer clients to them for support and information.

Family Service Agency’s Counseling Services can offer help with abuse situations and other life stressors. FSA’s services are designed to maintain and strengthen family and community life and to reduce incidences of conflict and violence. FSA interfaces with other community agencies to which clients can be referred. The goal of counseling is to provide increased awareness of one’s situation, develop new coping skills and new ways of approaching one’s problems.

Services are offered on a sliding fee schedule. We accept Medi-Cal and Medicare as full payment. For more information about our counseling services call 423-9444 (Santa Cruz) 346-6767 (Soquel) or 728-9970 (Watsonville).

Family Services other programs for our community:

• The First Step Program provides wrap-around counseling for children with Medi-Cal (423-9504 or 728-9975)
• Survivors Healing Center offers groups for survivors of child sexual abuse (423-7601)
• WomenCARE runs groups for women with a cancer diagnosis (457-2273)
• Senior Outreach provides peer counseling and support groups to adults over 55 (459-9351)
• Suicide Prevention Program has a 24 hour line for people in crisis and offers a group for people who have lost someone to suicide (459-9373)

Many of these programs offer volunteer opportunities. I-You Venture places volunteers in nursing homes and congregate living facilities.

Most of our services are free or at very low cost to our clients. We rely on support from our local jurisdictions, United Way, our Daisy auxiliary and annual fundraising. We appreciate any tax-deductible contributions which can be directed to a specific program or to the agency.

For more information about our programs call 423-9444, or visit http://fsa-cc.org