Couples & Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the complex needs of Central Virginia families through counseling services and educational programs.  Since its beginning in October 2000, Couples & Kids has served over 456 families. 

☺ New Faces ☼

C&K announces the appointment of Mark Faulconer as Director of Programs and Administrative Services.  Mark will provide clinical counseling to those who have Medicaid and to the underinsured.  Mark graduated from Gordon Cronwell in May with a Master’s in Christian Counseling.  Mark also holds an MBA from Lynchburg College.

We said good-bye to long-time C&K Office Manager, Debra Crowder, who went to work with the Legal Aid Society in Lynchburg.

Wavolyn Shelton, who has her B.A. in psychology from George Mason, was hired as Office Manager.

Brenda Van Fossen has a Master’s in Education from Lynchburg College and will serve as our Receptionist.

Kathryn Nash, a Licensed Professional Counselor from Appomattox and School Counselor for Appomattox Primary, provides counseling on Monday evenings.

Denise Jones has her Master’s in Education from Lynchburg College and is the School Counselor at Heritage Elementary School.  She provides counseling for our clients on Tuesday evenings.

$ $ Grants $ $

C&K received grant funding from the Bedford Community Health Foundation to help offset the cost of Project Hope for Bedford County residents.  Project Hope offers counseling to families and individuals who do not have health insurance.  An income-based sliding scale is used to determine fees.

We received a grant from the Junior League of Central Virginia for Mind at Pride.  Mind at Pride is a program developed by C&K to teach anger management and healthy coping skills to middle school students at the Amelia Pride Center, an alternative school for the Lynchburg City School system.  Through private funding, Mind at Pride will continue for the 2004-2005 school year.

The Retail Merchants Foundation helped fund The Outreach Program at Lyn-Cet.  C&K sends our counselors on site to the Commerce Street location in Lynchburg and to their site in Bedford to partner with The Lynchburg Community Action Group program “Central Virginia Works.”   Lyn-Cet assists unemployed women with jobs skills training and re-entry into the workforce.  Our counselors provide a weekly two-hour life skills training component for the Lyn-Cet program. 

Stepfamilies

More than 60% of couples who remarry have children from a previous relationship.  Members of stepfamilies—parents and children—often believe that, if they try hard enough, their new family will be a success.  However, a stepfamily created after a divorce and remarriage is different.  The ghosts of past relationships affect new relationships.  Adults must create new solutions to family living and have only an unsuccessful model from which to work.

A stepfamily is born from loss.  There is the loss of the original family.  Homes, neighborhoods, schools, friendships, and economic security are other losses.  Conflict is common.

The emotional tasks of children in a stepfamily include:  finding their place in a new family structure; forming new relationships while grieving over the loss of the former family; and continuing to experience the growth, change, and learning that takes place during childhood.

Some of the challenges children in stepfamilies face are:

Some indicators that children are not adjusting and may need professional help:

Educational Program

Congratulations!

Norma was invited to sit on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Clinical Counselors Association.

**Attention Counselors**

Gibbs Arthur To Speak

Gibbs Arthur, a Licensed Professional Counselor, will present a workshop on “Counselor Ethics, Confidentiality, and Legal Issues” here at C&K September 28, 2004 from 6:30 to 8:00. 

Gibbs will speak again on October 26, 2004 from 6:30 to 8:00 on HIPAA.  The topic will be “Are Counseling Offices HIPAA Compliant?” 

We are grateful to our very supportive Board of Directors:

Norma S. White, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

Kathy Husted, President

Carol Spencer-Read, Vice President

Barbara Johnson, Secretary

Mark Faulconer, Treasurer

Rae Creammer

David Crowder

Elizabeth Farnsworth

Melissa Thornton

Bedford Community Health Foundation

Ms. Louise Beirne

Ms. Judy Bird

Dr. and Mrs. E. Noel Bowling

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey C. Burdett

Mrs. Susan Carrington

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Carroll

Mr. William Chapman

Mr. and Mrs. Buzzy Coleman

Rosalie B. Craft

Robert Crawley

Rae Creammer

Debra Crowder

Dina & Dave Crowder

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey P. Dunn

Carol England

Elizabeth Farnsworth

Mark Faulconer

Dr. and Mrs. J. Gregory Fisher

C. B. Fleet Company, Inc.

Mr. and Mrs. J. William Garry 

Ms. Linda Grubba

Angela Hart

Kathy Husted

Husted Living Trust

Mr. and Mrs. George Jessen

Ms. Barbara Johnson

Denise & Richard Jones

Junior League of Lynchburg

Mr. and Mrs. John K. Kuhfuss

M. Leach

Rosemary Lee

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lemon

Mr. and Mrs. James Losty

Lovelace, Tibbs, Wyatt, Norvelle & Mathews, PC

M & J Developers, LLC

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Milanovich

Marty Murphy

Therese M. Namenek

Kathryn Nash

Ms. Ellen Owens

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Owens

Jane Pitts

Portobello Road, Inc.

Mrs. Ann Potter 

Retail Merchants Association & Foundation of Lynchburg, Inc.

Mrs. Susan Roehrich

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Saitta

Wavolyn Shelton

Dr. and Mrs. David Smith

Mrs. Robert P. Smoot, Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Smoot, Jr.

Carol Spencer-Read

Betsey & Dexter Stulz

Target Stores

Melissa Thornton

Mr. T. D. Thornton, II

Timberlake Christian Church

TPS Displays

Brenda Van Fossen

David Vose

Mrs. Elizabeth Webb

Drs. Patty L. and G. Kenneth West

Abbie White

Mr. and Mrs. David White, Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. David White, Jr.

Mr. John T. “Jay” White

Mr. John White

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew White

Norma S. White