The recently renovated Marriage and Family Institute at Abilene Christian University will hold an Open House April 28 from 2-4 p.m. The Marriage and Family Institute, located on the second floor of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, provides low cost therapy services for underinsured families in Abilene and the Big Country.
The renovations were made possible by an anonymous donor who is supportive of the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy, said Dr. Jackie Halstead, associate professor and chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy Department. The donor gave $113,000 for the purpose of creating a warmer environment for the clientele the Marriage and Family Institute serves.
"The clients are at the heart of what we do in the Marriage and Family Institute," said Halstead. "We offer quality counseling to those who might not be able to afford it elsewhere. It is also our desire to offer a warm, inviting environment along with the care we offer. This gift allowed us the opportunity to provide the needed atmosphere for the benefit of our clients."
Renovations to the institute's 11 client therapy rooms and lobby area began in February. The renovations included new paint, lighting, flooring, accessories and furniture. New furniture was also purchased for the play therapy room, a room that allows children to receive therapy in a setting that is comfortable for them.
During the Open House, Halstead and Dr. Jaime Goff, director of the Marriage and Family Institute and assistant professor of marriage and family therapy, will comment on the renovations and the institute’s services during a brief ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Clinic tours will be available from 2-2:30 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.
The Marriage and Family Institute has been providing therapy services since 1989. Services are currently provided by 38 graduate student interns in ACU's Marriage and Family Therapy program. Each graduate student provides therapy approximately 10 hours a week and is supervised by licensed marriage and family therapists.
"Each year, the institute logs approximately 8,000 hours of counseling to residents of Abilene and the surrounding communities." said Goff. "It is one of only a handful of programs in the area that offer low cost counseling services. In a real and concrete way, the interns of the Marriage and Family Institute accomplish ACU's goal of changing the world one family at a time."
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