The Selah Center for Women’s Ministry is the newest addition to the Y Shopping Center, (1727 W. Jesse James Rd, Unit 14) offering support groups, resources, and free peer counseling for all women. Selah means to stop, pause, and listen, which is exactly what the center’s community liaison, Tina Cook, hopes for those seeking to heal.
“That’s what we’re here to do. Just to stop. We’re going to pause on all the hard stuff, and we’re going to be here to listen to you so that we can help you through whatever it is,” said Cook. “Pausing on the hard stuff” sometimes means affordability. One of the hardships that many people face when seeking care for mental health is the cost. Selah dismantles that barrier by offering free services.
“I was kind of getting tired of hearing people say I really just need to talk to someone, but I can’t afford counseling because my insurance won’t cover it,” said Cook. “The great thing about Selah is that it’s always going to be free.”
To get started, anyone interested should fill out an intake form. The form is then sent to the center’s director, who matches the new patient with a counselor best suited to their needs.
The counseling is not clinical, but for those patients who may need something more clinical, the center can help refer them to a higher level of care.
Each counselor is selected carefully and thoughtfully. However, they must commit approximately 12 to 14 weeks to healing themselves before they can commit to others.
“One of the first things that is required is that you have to go through making peace with your past course,” said Cook. “We want to make sure our volunteers are healthy themselves before they start working with somebody else to help them get healthy.”
Aside from self-work, counselors and volunteers also go through legal, confidentiality, and procedural training to ensure their center remains a safe space for all the women that come through their doors.
“We want people to get healthy. We want people to have an avenue to go to feel supported, to feel loved, and to feel heard,” said Cook.
The center is currently offering walk-ins on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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