Professional Mental Health Services for All People in the Abilene Community
Since 1977, residents in the Big Country have trusted Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment to provide professional mental health services for all people, regardless of their background or ability to pay.
Getting help can feel harder than it should.
Maybe you've been putting this off because you're not sure counseling is for you. Maybe you're worried about the cost, or what a faith-based organization might expect of you. Maybe you've picked up the phone before and put it back down.
Those concerns are real, and we hear them often. At the Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment, someone answers the phone when you call, ready to help with any questions or concerns you might have. From the first point of contact, our goal is for you to experience compassion and genuine care at every step of the process.
Professional counseling. Genuinely welcoming.
The Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment is a licensed clinical counseling center and a ministry of First Baptist Church of Abilene. Our therapists are credentialed professionals: Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs).
Our team also includes LPC-Associates, LMFT-Associates, and graduate interns from Abilene Christian University and Hardin-Simmons University, all working under the close supervision of our Clinical Director. Associates have completed their graduate training and are fully qualified to provide counseling, while continuing to receive weekly guidance from one of our clinical supervisors — giving clients the benefit of an additional experienced professional supporting their care.
Faith is a part of who we are. Our therapists hold a Christian worldview and are trained and equipped to integrate faith into practice as much or as little as clients want. At the Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment, we consider our clients as whole people: physical, psychological, emotional, relational, and spiritual. The client's values are always at the center of the conversation.
Cost shouldn’t stand between you and help.
Cost is one of the biggest barriers to mental health care. We've built our practice to address that directly.
The Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment accepts several major insurance plans, including Blue Cross/Blue Shield, TriCare, CHIP, and Medicaid, and files insurance on behalf of clients when applicable. For those without insurance or with limited means, we offer adjusted fee options, including limited grant funding and a Fee Agreement Tool that provides cost flexibility.
We accept most insurance.
50 years in this community, and counting.
In 1977, First Baptist Church of Abilene saw what was happening to families in this community. Divorce rates climbed, relationships fractured, and, often, children were caught in the middle. In response, the church opened the Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment. That need hasn't gone away. Neither have we. A pioneer and forerunner in counseling ministries in West Texas, the Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment has grown into a full clinical team of fully licensed clinicians, supervised associates, and graduate interns, serving clients from every background and every stage of life.
Take the first step.
You don't need to have it all figured out before you call. That's what the first conversation is for.
We’re equipped to help with a wide range of needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Ministry of Counseling and Enrichment is a professional clinical practice, not a pastoral counseling center. Our therapists are licensed mental health professionals, not ministers or life coaches. While we are a ministry of First Baptist Church of Abilene and faith is part of who we are, it is never something we impose on clients. People of every faith background, and no faith background, are genuinely welcome here. If you want to integrate your beliefs into the counseling process, your therapist will welcome that conversation. If you don't, they'll follow your lead.
Our mission is that people can receive counseling regardless of their ability to pay. We accept several major insurance plans, including Aetna, Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield, Baylor Scott & White, Campus VA, Cigna, Medicare, Medicaid, TriWest, VA-US Department of Veteran Affairs, and United Healthcare/UMR. For clients without insurance or with limited financial means, we offer adjusted fee options based on income. We also have professionals at varying levels of licensure, along with generous donors who support limited grant funding, to help clients who don't have insurance or aren't able to pay the full fee.
A real person will answer most calls. If the line is busy, or it's outside normal business hours, a voicemail will pick up, and you can expect a returned call within the next business day. You don't need to have everything figured out before you call. Our receptionist will help you get scheduled with a therapist who's a good fit for your needs, and if it doesn't feel like the right fit after the first couple of sessions, we're happy to refer you to someone who is.
If something in your life, a relationship, an emotion, a situation, a pattern you can't seem to break, is making it hard to function or feel okay, that's enough of a reason to reach out. You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from counseling. Most people who come to us wish they had come sooner.
We work with clients of all ages, from young children through older adults. Our team includes therapists with specialized training in child and adolescent therapy, and we have dedicated play therapy rooms designed specifically for younger clients. If you're a parent wondering whether your child could benefit from support, call us and we'll help you think through it.
Yes, your privacy is protected. What you share with your therapist stays between you and your therapist, the same as it would at any licensed counseling practice. Your clinical records are securely stored electronically within our practice management system (Therapy Appointment), and only authorized users will have access to them.