At True Life Church (TLC), our mission is to meet people where they are and help them become fully devoted followers of Christ. The counseling ministry is an extension of this mission. We seek to meet people where they are in life situations such as emotional pain, abuse, addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, and other difficult circumstances and issues. We use Biblical truth, counseling principles and techniques, and therapeutic relationship with a caring professional to promote healing, change, care, and recovery, so that people can live out God’s purpose, calling, and identity in their lives.
We use the Bible as the primary authority and foundation of our counseling. The Bible is God’s Word to mankind and gives real direction and real answers to real problems. The counseling techniques and theories we employ affirm Scripture. Counseling is a process, and we believe it requires work, reflection, change, prayer, and willingness on the client’s behalf.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12
We use the Bible as the primary authority and foundation of our counseling. The Bible is God’s Word to mankind and gives real direction and real answers to real problems. The counseling techniques and theories we employ affirm Scripture. Counseling is a process, and we believe it requires work, reflection, change, prayer, and willingness on the client’s behalf.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12
Dr. Lori Arwood, LMFT, LCPC
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Tennessee since 2000, and a licensed clinical pastoral counselor since 2001. I hold a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Doctorate in Christian Counseling. I have been working as a therapist since 1995 and have specialized training that includes, but is not limited to: play/art/child therapy, marital therapy, family therapy, physical and sexual abuse, addiction recovery, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, grief and suicide prevention and treatment. I have experience teaching at the Masters level in the counseling profession and have offered a variety of counseling training in the United States and Honduras.
Veronica Ramsey, MDiv, MAMFT
I am in the process of licensure as a Pastoral Counselor with the state of Tennessee. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy degree. I began working as a therapist in 1997. I have experience in counseling and crisis intervention with individuals, couples, families, and groups in a variety of settings and circumstances. In 2005, I paused an intensive counseling career to build my family and focus on caring for and educating my children. In service to the Lord Jesus, and in response to seeing great need in the world that cannot be ignored, I have returned to a formal counseling career.
Samuel J. Long, LPC-MHSPt.
I am a Licensed Practicing Counselor with Mental Health Services Provider temporary designation in the state of Tennessee. I also hold an active teachers license in K-12 School Counseling. I obtained my Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling from Lincoln Memorial University in 2019. I have experience in community mental health as well as the college level and public-school settings. I enjoy working with couples and families as well as a number of mental health struggles on the individual level such as but not limited to anxiety, depression, and addictions. Also, I have experience with crisis and suicide prevention treatment and intervention.
Confidentiality
By law and professional ethics, your sessions are confidential. All clients have a right to privacy ensuring that matters disclosed to the therapist are not relayed to others without informed consent of the client. Generally, no information will be shared with anyone without your written permission. There are limits and exceptions to confidentiality including:
- Therapists are legally and ethically required to act to maintain safety in situations of immediate danger of serious harm to the client or someone else. These include imminent threat of suicide, homicide, or destruction of property that could endanger self or others.
- Therapists are mandated reporters. When a therapist has a reasonable suspicion that a child (under 18 years of age) or elder adult has been or may be abused, neglected, subject to financial exploitation or trafficked, the therapist is required by law to make a report to the appropriate state agency and/or law enforcement.
- The client is a minor child, under the age of 18, and the counselor deems an issue that is disclosed in the course of treatment needs to be brought to the parents’ attention.
- If we are ordered by the court to testify or release records.
- If the client signs a consent form and/or release of information authorizing such disclosure.
Fees
We are independent contractors and not employees of TLC. It is our mission to make counseling services available and affordable. For members and regular attenders of TLC, we have developed a sliding fee scale based on the number of persons in household and annual household income. We also take into consideration seasons of financial hardship and use the scale as a general guideline. The scale ranges from $0 to $35 per hour with TLC supplementing the fee as needed. The counseling fee for those outside of the TLC community is $70 per hour, and TLC does not supplement the payment of this fee. We do not accept insurance. During your intake session, a fee agreement sheet will be provided. All billing is confidential between client and counselor. In the event of legal issues that would require counselor involvement, the client would assume all responsibility for fees in regards to the legal issue.
Appointments
Counseling sessions are by appointment and are generally one hour in length. Appointments are scheduled with your counselor directly. A 24-HOUR NOTICE is necessary to cancel your scheduled appointment. (Genuine medical or other emergencies are excluded.) Coming late to appointments will shorten your session length, and the full hourly session fee will be due given that your counselor has set aside a dedicated hour of time to be available to you for your scheduled appointment. Chronic missed or late appointments may result in no further appointments being scheduled. Please contact the church office at 865-471-5530 if you would like to schedule an appointment.