CATHEDRAL COUNSELING CENTER A member agency of Episcopal Charities and Community Services FALL 2008 Client Satisfaction Survey Results roviding quality mental health services” is a significant part of Cathedral Counseling’s mission. One of the ways the Center monitors quality is through a client satisfaction survey con- ducted every year. Earlier this year, about 20% of active clients completed the survey. In the survey, clients were asked to consider several state- ments and indicate their response on a 5-point scale; for example, when asked their level of agreement with a statement, the scale ranged from 1 for Strongly Disagree to 5 for Strongly Agree. When asked to rate their levels of Overall Satisfaction with Cathedral Counseling Center, 98% of the clients were Very Satisfied. When asked whether they would recommend Cathedral Counseling Center to family or friends, 100% responded “Yes.” Clients were also given the opportunity to write in comments for each statement. Some of the comments provided constructive feedback that is being used to improve our operations and counseling programs. Some comments were humorous and others plucked our heartstrings. It is these we’d like to share with you here: I feel safe speaking freely with my therapist. • She’s the only person that I really feel comfortable talking with about the issues that affect my life. • Yes! Even though I know my therapist talks to many patients, I feel like my therapist remembers every story I told. I do not feel like I am just another patient. • I have a very strong relationship with my therapist. And I have had some big problems since my therapist met me. My therapist is the BEST. I feel that my therapist genuinely cares. The cost of my therapy is fair and manageable. • I’m a student, so payment is difficult, but not unfair. • Probably fair – but times are hard – low salary, student loans making it a bit hard to manage. • I wish my insurance would cover more, especially since health insurance is why I have a day job. • You are a wonderful organization. But even the lowest fee is hard for me to manage. But without you, I would have nothing. Thank you! • I couldn’t be receiving this important care without the sliding scale. Thank you! Overall satisfaction. • I am very appreciative of Cathedral Counseling. I would not have become a stronger, mentally healthy person without being here. • This is my first mental health provider. I got lucky. • My therapist is an excellent therapist and listener. My psychiatrist is very attentive to my medication/ personal needs. They’re both a great team. • I am happy to have found CCC. Other places in Chicago offer sliding-scale therapy, but they usually assign you to therapists-in-training, who don’t have much experience. Yea for Cathedral! • They’ve created an environment here that makes everyone feel very welcomed and comfortable. Thank you! • I have made great changes in my life. Thank you for your work! P “ Fall 2008 Newsletter_release.qxd 10/17/08 12:27 PM Page 1
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C AT H E D R A LCOUNSELING
C E N T E R A member agency of Episcopal Charities and Community Services
FALL 2008
Client Satisfaction Survey Resultsroviding quality mentalhealth services” is a significant part of
Cathedral Counseling’s mission.One of the ways the Centermonitors quality is through aclient satisfaction survey con-
ducted every year. Earlier this year, about 20% of activeclients completed the survey.
In the survey, clients were asked to consider several state-ments and indicate their response on a 5-point scale; forexample, when asked their level of agreement with a statement, the scale ranged from 1 for Strongly Disagree to 5 for Strongly Agree. When asked to rate their levels ofOverall Satisfaction with Cathedral Counseling Center,98% of the clients were Very Satisfied. When asked whetherthey would recommend Cathedral Counseling Center tofamily or friends, 100% responded “Yes.”
Clients were also given the opportunity to write in commentsfor each statement. Some of the comments provided constructive feedback that is being used to improve ouroperations and counseling programs. Some comments werehumorous and others plucked our heartstrings. It is thesewe’d like to share with you here:
I feel safe speaking freely with my therapist.
• She’s the only person that I really feel comfortable talking with about the issues that affect my life.
• Yes! Even though I know my therapist talks to many patients, I feel like my therapist remembers every story I told. I do not feel like I am just another patient.
• I have a very strong relationship with my therapist.And I have had some big problems since my therapist met me. My therapist is the BEST. I feel that my therapist genuinely cares.
The cost of my therapy is fair and manageable.
• I’m a student, so payment is difficult, but not unfair.
• Probably fair – but times are hard – low salary, studentloans making it a bit hard to manage.
• I wish my insurance would cover more, especially since health insurance is why I have a day job.
• You are a wonderful organization. But even the lowest fee is hard for me to manage. But without you, I would have nothing. Thank you!
• I couldn’t be receiving this important care withoutthe sliding scale. Thank you!
Overall satisfaction.
• I am very appreciative of Cathedral Counseling.I would not have become a stronger, mentally healthy person without being here.
• This is my first mental health provider. I got lucky.
• My therapist is an excellent therapist and listener. My psychiatrist is very attentive to my medication/ personal needs. They’re both a great team.
• I am happy to have found CCC. Other places in Chicago offer sliding-scale therapy, but they usually assign you to therapists-in-training, who don’t have much experience. Yea for Cathedral!
• They’ve created an environment here that makes everyone feel very welcomed and comfortable. Thank you!
• I have made great changes in my life. Thank youfor your work!
P“
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osttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been identi-fied among soldiers for generations under euphemismslike “shell shock” or “battle fatigue.” In 1980, it was
recognized as a formal diagnosis as an emotional illness thatdevelops after a person experiences or witnesses an extremelyviolent, life-threatening or frightening event. Besides battle,the person may have been assaulted, abused, in a terribleaccident or a witness to a terrorist attack. Symptoms of PTSDinclude flashbacks or nightmares about the event, avoidanceof places and people that remind the person of the initialevent, an emotional numbness, as well as difficulty sleepingand concentrating, and a quickness to anger. UntreatedPTSD can be devastating for a person because it underminestheir relationships with family, friends and the rest of society.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have once again focusedthe public’s attention on PTSD. While Cathedral CounselingCenter staff don’t see many veterans, since they’re generallytreated through the Veterans Health Administration, therapistsare treating a number of family and friends of deployed sol-diers who are dealing with the stress and trauma of war froma distance.
Additionally most of the clients at the Center suffered fromsome form of childhood trauma, such as physical or sexualabuse, and many have developed PTSD, says staff therapistAmy Zajakowski-Uhll. The therapists have treated clientswith PTSD for years, and are dedicated to getting trained inthe most current treatment methods.
This is why Zajakowski-Uhll and Barbara Fleming-Claussenwent through intensive training at the Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy Institute, traveling one weekend a month tothe institute’s Boulder, Colorado campus for six months. Thetraining focuses on treating the physical and neurologicaleffects of trauma, such as hyper-vigilance, where a person’scentral nervous system is always on high alert.
Cathedral Counseling Center staff have always been good attreating the psychological effects of trauma, such as the feel-ings of betrayal after childhood abuse, so this adds a newdimension to their work. “This is pretty much the cuttingedge of trauma treatment,” Zajakowski-Uhll says.
In order to bring the training to more therapists, both at theCenter and within the Chicago psychotherapy community,Cathedral Counseling is hosting several of the institute’straining sessions here. More than 100 people attended one-and two-day workshops earlier this year, and a full, eight-month training session will begin in late fall or early winter.
The treatment of PTSD is a focus area of the 2008-2009Professional Development Series and was an integral part ofthe outreach mission to Rwanda. Both are featured in thisnewsletter. Look for more information about the impact of this illness on clients’ lives in the Spring issue of ournewsletter. D
Survey continued from cover
• I feel very blessed to have found Cathedral. I have been suicidal since my teens. Without the help and support and medication of the many people who have cared and helped me and been there for me… All I can say is thank you.
Would you recommend CCC to a friend? Why or why not?
• Yes. I have 4 times!
• Yes. Results and good people.
• Yes. It’s such a relief to know that it’s possible to get good therapy from experienced clinicians for an affordable rate.
• Yes. I have recommended a work peer. I make $31,800/year but my take home is $23,000. I don’t have a car note, but I do have a student loan payment but I do this because I really feel its value to me.
• Yes. Because of my well-trained and skilled counselor and the professional environment of this facility.
• Yes. I have on several occasions recommended Cathedral.A wonderful caring facility.
We can help all of these people and more only by having the support of our many generous donors. From these responses, wehope you will feel assured that your contributions are indeed appreciated and make a difference in our world by helping changelives for the better. D
PAn Introduction to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Untreated PTSD can be devastating for aperson because it undermines their relationships with family, friends and therest of society.
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id God return to Rwanda every night to be with thosewho could not sleep? Since the genocide in 1994,when a million people were murdered in 100 days,
very little psychiatric help has been available for the sur-vivors who have suffered from terrible Posttraumatic StressDisorder, depression, grief and fear. Responding to a pleafrom a Rwandan psychiatrist friend, Chicago psychiatristsLisa Rone and Kristen Underhill Welch volunteered to help.Cathedral Counseling Center approved our first MentalHealth Outreach Project and raised over $7,000 for much-needed medications and supplies for the psychiatrists to takewith them.
Lisa and Kristen, accompanied by Kristen’s multi-talentedhusband Barclay, spent a month in Rwanda last summer.They stayed with their friend, psychiatrist Dr. NaassonMunyandamutsa and his family in his secure compound nearthe capital of Kigali (along with four children, two dogs, andone rooster!) During the day, Naasson drove them to clinicsand training institutes, and introduced them to the profession-als who could help them have an impact.
Lisa and Kristen taught primary care providers basic psychi-atric assessment and treatment skills, and how to recognizeand treat the psychological effects of trauma. They workedwith providers in clinics for HIV-positive women and theirchildren where they advocated for the inclusion of psychi-atric care along with other medical treatment.
During the mission Lisa e-mailed, “We saw everything:women who are still having active flashbacks, women whoare so depressed they have thought of suicide every day forover a decade. They worry about who will take care of theirchildren when they die. Many are widows from the genocideand although they have hardly been able to function, many
took in orphans they now consider their own children.” WhenLisa and Kristen visited a group counseling session and askedwho would like to meet with them, all 12 women raised theirhands. They saw trauma counselors who were themselvesstruggling with the same devastating symptoms as their clients.They could not sleep, had no energy, cried often, and thoughtof the genocide every day as does everyone in Rwanda.
Although the care the doctors provided was a small part ofwhat is needed, the doctors were gratified when, upon returnvisits to the clinics, women smiled and said they felt better.One of their most satisfying accomplishments was makingsure that the clinics hired psychiatric nurses to continue thework they had started.
Perhaps since Doctors Lisa Rone and Kristen Underhill Welchwere in Rwanda over the summer, God doesn’t have to hurryback at night as more people are finally able to sleep. Manythanks to our very generous donors who contributed to theMental Health Outreach Project. If you would like to learnmore about the Project, please join us for an evening of stories and photos from Rwanda on Friday, November 7, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Counseling Center. D
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“God spends the day elsewhere but sleeps in Rwanda.”
–Rwandan proverb
Drs. Lisa Rone and Kristen Welch with participants in the program in Kigali, Rwanda
D “We saw everything: women who are stillhaving active flashbacks, women who areso depressed they have thought of suicideevery day for over a decade. They worryabout who will take care of their childrenwhen they die.”
— Lisa Rone, Psychiatrist, Mental Health Outreach Project in Rwanda.
Treating PTSD in Rwanda
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Case Study: Anna’s Story
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nna” was struggling with feelings of despair andfearfulness. Thirty years old, she dragged herselfthrough her days working full-time for a telemar-
keting company. Her schoolwork at one of the CityColleges had ceased to be interesting. She was worriedabout her mother who was recuperating from a heart prob-lem. One of her friends recommended she contactCathedral Counseling Center and she was paired with atherapist with experience working with her concerns.
When Anna started her therapy, she felt skeptical about it.Her previous experiences with therapy had been unsuc-cessful in helping with her eating disorder and bouts ofdepression. As a result, she did not have confidence in herability to change. Shortly after her call to the Center, shedropped out of school.
Early in her therapy, Anna agreed to meet with one of theCenter’s psychiatrists to evaluate whether medicationmight be helpful as part of her treatment. The doctor pre-scribed a medication that helps Anna keep her depressiveand anxious symptoms in check and allows her to work onher pattern of self-defeating behaviors.
During the sessions with her therapist, Anna began toexplore the relationship between her emotions and food.She did not like her physical body and was highly criticaland judgmental of everything she did. The sudden death ofher mother left her feeling even more vulnerable, weaken-ing her trust in herself and her ability to make decisions onher own.
A“
Anna’s therapist used art therapy to help her build trust in herself.
Continued on next page
Growing Our BoardWelcoming new board members and volunteers
he Board of Directors of Cathedral CounselingCenter is instrumental in ensuring that the activities,programs and plans of the Center are consistent with
and help fulfill the organization’s mission. In the past, theboard has typically consisted of about 10-12 active members.Since our move in 2007 and resulting growth in number ofclients served, we have been pursuing expansion of theboard in order to provide fresh skills, a diversity of ideas, andan opportunity to network in new communities. In 2008 weare delighted to have added the following people to ourboard: Ann Nash, partner, Nash Disability Law; MaggieGibbs, LCSW, clinical social worker and part-time
University of Chicago faculty member; and Christy Fisher,partner Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal LLP. We hope tohave a board of at least 15 to 18 active members within thenext year.
Each board member serves a 3-year term with an option forrenewal. The full board meets at the Center once eachmonth. Members serve as officers, participate in or chaircommittees, and volunteer for one-time projects. Ongoingcommittees include the Executive Committee, BoardDevelopment Committee, Financial Committee, MarketingCommunications Committee and The Event Committee.The camaraderie and satisfaction of contributing to anorganization that is so highly effective and creative in carryingout its mission makes board membership a very worthwhileexperience.
In addition to board members, the Center welcomes volun-teers who wish to participate on a committee or project.Such a role not only helps the Center but also can help thevolunteer determine their interest in becoming a regularboard member. If you are interested in finding out moreabout our board, committees, or projects please call PhilHale at 773-508-7450 or [email protected]. D
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With president Loretta Ferlauto (second from left), new board directors (left to right) Maggie Gibbs, AnnNash, and Christy Fisher
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Anna’s Story continued When Anna learned that her therapist could offer her arttherapy, she requested it be a major part of her treatment.Through different art-making sessions, Anna was able torecognize her vulnerable self and her sabotaging behaviors.
She began to explore the disgust she felt toward her physicalbody. This exploration took the form of a human size draw-ing on paper of her body. Through this ongoing projectAnna has begun to strengthen trust in herself. She hasincreased her emotional assertiveness in her relationshipswith family and friends and at work. She has also enrolled in
Weight Watchers again. This time she is really losing weightand feels more positively about her physical body.
The teamwork between her therapist and psychiatrist hasprovided Anna with a sense of safety that enabled her tochange and accept herself. She recently had a meeting withan admissions counselor at the University of Illinois atChicago where she would like to resume her studies. D
f success has many parents, Burton Faldet was one of the great fathers of the success of CathedralCounseling Center. Burt, who died this past July, served
on the board of directors from 1993 to 1999, as president from1994-1997, and chaired the first capital campaign from 1995-1998. Burt’s care and leadership were essential to the agency’ssuccess during that time of rapid growth.
Like a wise parent and the educational psychologist he was,Burt often used developmental theory to describe the needsof a growing agency. When the Center was at maximumcapacity in the few offices we used at the Diocesan Center,he led the board in committing to build out St. JamesCathedral’s undercroft as our new home. Asking for supportfrom the Cathedral, Burt made the analogy that sometimesyoung adults need to come home and ask for help beforethey can move out on their own. St. James’s leadership recognized the wisdom of Burt’s proposal and provided great
support for the campaign, along with many other individualsand organizations.
Also like a good parent, Burt’s dedication to the CounselingCenter was unwavering. The board had never undertaken acapital campaign before and when he told them that theywould need to come up with 10-15% of the $500,000 goal,directors paled. But Burt was determined and after he taughtthem about the value of this type of philanthropy, theboard’s contributions totaled 18% of the goal. He organizedthe capital campaign like a field marshal commissioning histroops, hiring a consultant to train directors in “the ask”,and eventually the board succeeded in reaching its goal.Chris Nugent, who served on the board with Burt during the first capital campaign and graciously returned to chairthe recent second campaign, recalled, “In my years on theBoard, I learned a great deal from Burt. Most importantly, I always found his quiet demeanor and thoughtful approachto problem-solving an inspiration, especially when we weretrying to raise large contributions. He was truly a leader.” In 1998 Burt was chosen as the first “Honored AgencyVolunteer” by Episcopal Charities and Community Services.
Burt was able to engage people from all walks of life with his enthusiasm for many things, including the work ofCathedral Counseling Center. He loved a good story. Heknew how to tell one, and appreciated that talent in others.Burt was sensitive, and always careful to make sure his wordsdid not hurt others. He brought many new friends into our circle, evidenced recently by all those who made gifts in his memory.
Burt’s death was a great loss, but his place in the history of Cathedral Counseling Center is secure. We are grateful heused his many talents to nurture the growth of the CounselingCenter. We would not have been able to negotiate the pathto maturity without his wise paternal help. D
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R E M E M B E R I N G B U RT FA L D E T
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In this workshop, Dr. William Borden will discuss how integrativeapproaches enlarge ways of seeing, understanding, and acting in the clinical situation.
Workshop IIFebruary 13, 2009
Against Certainty:The Rhetoric of Diagnosis and thePractice of Psychotherapy
Dennis McCaughan, Ph.D., Rita McCleary, Ph.D., Annita Sawyer, Ph.D.
This workshop will explore the dangers of certainty in psychotherapyand consider the uses and abuses of psychiatric diagnoses within ongoing psychotherapies, supervisions, and consultations.
Workshop IIIMarch 27, 2009
Ways into the Mystery: Creative Treatment Modalities
Gena Demos, ADTR, Louise Dimicelli-Mitran, MT, Beatriz Ledesma, ATR-BC, LCPC
This panel presentation will increase clinical understanding of howthree complementary therapies – music, dance, and art – can be utilized in treatment.
2008-2009 Professional Development Series
Working with Uncertainty, Mystery and Doubt: Contemporary Psychotherapy
Each workshop will be held atCathedral Counseling Center’s location in the Chicago loop at 50 E. Washington Street, Suite 301.All workshops begin at 9:00 a.m.and end at 12:15 p.m. 3.0 CEUs areavailable for each.The fee for eachseminar is $75 and $175 for theentire series. A special student ratewith school ID is $45 per workshop.
For more information about theseries and registration, pleasedownload the brochure available onthe Home page of our website at:
www.cathedralcounseling.org.
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“In an era when every one seems to want quick and easy answers,Cathedral has the guts to look atthe hard questions and I appreciatethem for it. We know there aremany paths up the mountain, thatwe deal with doubt and uncertaintyall the time and that much of ourexperience remains a mystery.Congratulations to them for sharingthe hard questions with no guaran-tee of a quick fix. As Will Rogerssaid ‘For every problem there is a solution that is simple, obviousand wrong.”
– Don Halperin, LCSWDirector of Social Work at Christopher House
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Stay Informed
athedral Counseling Center isincreasing its use of email andInternet to help you more easily stay
informed about our activities and communi-cate with us. Please visit our website atwww.cathedralcounseling.org. Besides learn-ing more about our services and programs,you can:
• Sign up to be on our mailing list so you’ll receive timely information about upcoming activities. Our email service, Constant Contact, is very strict about confidentiality so you will not be ‘spammed’ and your information will not be provided to anyone.
• Send our Home page to a friend so they can learn about Cathedral Counseling Center.
• Set up a reminder to celebrate a special event by making a donation to Cathedral Counseling Center.
• Make a donation easily using your credit card by clicking the Donate Now button on our Home page or our Support page. This service is provided by Network for Good. Their website is safe and secure; it meets the BBB Wise Giving Alliance standards for charity accountability. In fact, since inception more than 450,000 donors have contributed more than $200 million dollars using the Network for Good giving system!
C
C AT H E D R A LCOUNSELING
C E N T E R
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Loretta Ferlauto, PresidentPhilip Hale, Vice President
The Rev. Andrea L. Mysen, TreasurerDiane Todd, SecretaryThe Rev. M.E. Eccles
Christine FisherMaggie GibbsJon Hagstrom
Ann NashAnne Taft
Judith Tribbett
EX OFFICIO
The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee,Bishop of Chicago
The Very Rev. Joy Rogers, Provost, St. James Cathedral
Georgianna Gleason, Executive Director Episcopal Charities & Community Services
