Southern California Counseling Center, Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles skyline with palm trees
5615 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA, 90019

Southern California Counseling Center Overview

Located in the Southern California city of Los Angeles, Southern California Counseling Center is counseling and mental health care center which has been providing sliding-scale and affordable counseling services to people in need for more than five decades. The center focuses on providing mental health care to marginalized communities and individuals who have trouble accessing quality health care.
The non-profit center was founded in 1966 by a group of people, led by Dr. Ben Weininger, a psychiatrist and Hans Hoffman, a psychologist who believed that mental health counseling should be affordable and accessible to all. In its beginnings, the organization began training caring and concerned members of the community who were willing to serve as counselors. At the moment, Southern California Counseling Center acts a counseling center and training facility for pre-licensed therapists seeking to provide counseling services to those in need. These therapists operate under the strict supervision of licensed professionals. The center’s model of treatment is based on the services of volunteers. The facility has more than 60 volunteer clinical supervisors and pre-licensed counselors who contribute to the recovery and treatment of 5,000 men, women, and children annually. Additionally, the center offers various programs including counseling services, teen violence prevention, psychiatric services, support groups for seniors, and an abuse prevention program.

Treatment And Therapy

The center offers various treatment and therapy options depending on the unique needs of the client. Some of these are:

  • The Abuse Prevention Program
  • Women in Transition
  • Psychiatric care services
  • Trauma and residency training
  • School-based counseling

The Abuse Prevention Program

This program began in 1986 and seeks to address violence and anger in relationships. The program helps adult men and women adopt values that emphasize mutuality and equality within intimate relationships. Clients learn self-care, empathy, and communication skills.

Psychiatric Services

On-site psychiatrists provide clients with mental health care services including medication assessment and follow-ups.

Trauma & Resiliency Training & Services

This program provides counseling to help clients heal from and process traumatic incidents and experiences. The center offers treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and also offers Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR).
The following are a list of conditions treated at the facility:

  • Substance abuse
  • Trauma
  • Family conflicts
  • Loss and grief
  • Depression
  • Anxiety

Therapy Options

The facility offers various options of therapy which include:

  • Individual counseling
  • Family counseling
  • Couples counseling
  • Trauma therapy
  • Group counseling
  • Support groups

Pricing

Southern California Counseling Center operates on a sliding scale basis, which means, the price for treatment is calculated based on the income of the patient. No insurance or government funding is accepted as it is believed that clients should be able to foot the bill, as it is largely based on their income. The average payment for a counseling session is $22 but the center boasts that more than half of its clients pay $16 or lower.

Southern California Counseling Center Advantages

The counseling center offers school-based therapy to clients at different locations within the Mid-City of Los Angeles and other parts such as Koreatown and Watts. The facility also offers psychological assessments to clients and other services including, psychiatric services, anger management, family therapy, LGBTQ counseling, couples therapy, and many more.
The counseling center also offers a 52 weeks abuse prevention program to clients who have been court-ordered to do so and also to individuals and women experiencing life transitions and senior issues. After completion of an intensive primary care, counselors will work with clients to create an aftercare plan.
In all, the counseling center is a non-profit, community-oriented organization with treatment options available for all ages with clients in all works of life. Clients looking for an affordable resource and a facility that offers a flexible schedule, evidence-based treatment options, and educational groups might find this place to be a good choice, but clients looking for a more intense program might need to find additional help.

Staff

  • Gail Wilburn – Executive Director

Gail holds a Master’s degree from Pepperdine University, School of Education and Psychology where she majored in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling. She is professionally licensed to practice Marriage and Family Therapy and Clinical Counseling. She has held the position of Executive Director at the facility since 2008.

  • Robert Mendelsohn– Clinical Director

Robert went to the Antioch University and Harvard University and has held the position of Clinical Director for over 10 years now.

Find The Treatment
You Need