New Directions Counseling Center was established in 1975 as a non-profit organization to address the emotional needs of the poor and less fortunate including men, women and children. Our staff is constructed of dedicated individuals that open their hearts to people that may never find the help they need to overcome fears and everyday issues with life.

      New Directions is a wonderful example of American volunteerism: people helping people. In the last decade, New Directions has been honored four times with the coveted J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award for outstanding volunteer service to the community. We have become a primary referral from Crisis and Suicide Prevention, Contact Care Center, Contra Costa Mental Health, Social Workers and Therapists in private practice.

      About Our Counselors:

      In order to manage the large numbers of needy people, young and old, New Directions has created a unique teaching and supervisory environment comprised of:

• Licensed therapists that counsel and supervise
• Post graduate interns who are obtaining the required hours prior to licensing
• Paraprofessional / Lay Counselors that have a unique gift of empathy

      1) Paraprofessional / Lay Counselor

      A paraprofessional / lay counselors are required to take a 24-week training course given by two psychologists, meeting 3 hours a week. Personal psychological test are given before and after the course to each member, and those interested in counseling at New Directions is then screened before being accepted as volunteer counselors. Their training includes: "How to Develop a Helping Relationship", "Self-Awareness", Elements of the Counseling Interview", and "Techniques of Counseling."

      2) Interns

      Interns are masters or PhD level students from local Colleges and Universities who are gaining the clinical, supervised experience required by the State of California to obtain a license. Three thousand hours of such experience must be gained by each intern at centers like New Directions.

      3) Professional Supervision

      Licensed Clinical Psychologists and Marriage and Family Therapists supervise the paraprofessional counselors and interns. Each supervision group meets for two hours a week and is comprised of no more than eight counselors. The Interns are supervised weekly on a one-to-one basis. Each supervisor is licensed with two years experience and has taken advanced training for doing supervision.

      4) Advanced Training

      Providing a high quality training program for the counselors at the center is a high priority. New Directions is an approved training site for licensed therapists to get continuing education credits required for license renewal. Practicing professionals from the community as well as the New Directions staff participate in the training program. Three ten-hour trainings are scheduled each year. For 2001-2002 the training addresses the treatment of couples, depression and family systems.