Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church
495 Duckers Road
Midway, Kentucky 40347
859/873-1967 OR 859/879-8473 OR 866/371-5600 (Toll Free)
Todd Lester, Pastor
Counseling and Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation. This can range from home visitation, to formal counseling by pastors who are licensed to provide pastoral counseling or counseling in a clinical setting.
'Pastoral care' is also a term applied where Christians offer help and caring to others in their church or wider community. Pastoral care in this sense can be applied to listening, supporting, encouraging and befriending. At Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church the ministers and members of the congregation stand ready to support you in any way possible by listening, encouraging and befriending.
What is 'pastoral' counseling?
Pastoral counseling is care of the soul in a holistic context that blends religion and theology with methods of contemporary and traditional psychology. Pastoral counseling is rooted in a tradition of deep understanding from the perspective of faith and the varieties of human suffering, and finds meaning in the complexity and ambiguity of life. In addition to being licensed psychotherapists, pastoral counselors are typically ordained clergy and/or persons with advanced degrees in theology.
How do you know if you need counseling? If you experience several of the following you may need to contact a counselor for further assessment:
- feel sad, tired, moody, uninterested in things that usually interest you and suffer from sleep disturbances;
- feel panicked, anxious and fearful most or all of the time
are troubled by thoughts and memories from the past; - are in a relationship in which you are, or have been, abused physically, sexually or emotionally;
- are a caregiver or living with someone who is seriously mentally ill, depressed or dealing with addiction;
- find your family, friends, job, or self-esteem jeopardized by your actions or feelings;
- experience dissatisfaction, lack of communication, or frequent conflict with your spouse or partner;
- experience tension, confusion and anger in your relationship with your children;
- are in the midst of a major life event, such as the loss of a loved one, marriage, divorce, caring for aging parents, work stress, loss of employment or a move to a new location;
- feel directionless, uncertain of what you believe or what life means; or feel separated from God and/or your faith community.
Those seeking counseling, who are not members of Forks of Elkhorn Baptist, are scheduled privately by Bill Adcock during evening hours. Fees for nonmembers are currently $1 per thousand of income up to $75. The lowest fee is $50 per session. Scholarships may be available to those who need it. No one will be turned away. Sessions last no longer than 1 hour. Sessions continue until the counselor and/or client determine that further sessions are no longer necessary.
ABOUT THE COUNSELOR AT FORKS
William (Bill) M. Adcock, MCM, MSSW, CSW, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and a Master of Science in Social Work (Clinical Track). In addition he holds a BS in Education (Music) from the University of Tennessee and Masters in Music from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
Bill is under supervision as a Clinical Social Worker seeking licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The Supervisor of Record is George Dunn, LCSW with Norton’s Psychiatric Center in Louisville. Both Bill and George practice within the guidelines prescribed by the National Association of Social Work (NASW) code of ethics. A copy of the NASW code of ethics is provided upon request.
WHAT IS COUNSELING?
Counseling involves the development of a therapeutic relationship between a counselor and a client. While counseling cannot guarantee results, it is a process intended to help the client deal with mental, emotional, and behavioral problems and develop personal awareness and insight into oneself and others. Although many clients feel that they are able to make better decisions about their life following counseling, some clients experience changes that could produce disruption and turmoil in their lives. Should this happen, clients are encouraged to discuss this with their counselor. Clients are free to terminate counseling at any time.
LIMITS OF SERVICES
Counseling at Forks is made by appointment during regular office hours and at other times when scheduled in advance and in collaboration with the counselor.
WHAT HAPPENS FIRST?
Your initial appointment with a counselor is called an intake session. During this session, the counselor asks you detailed questions about your personal history, life situation, and your present concerns. You are also asked to read and sign the informed consent, a notice of privacy practices, and complete an intake form. If you have any questions or concerns about either form, you are encouraged to discuss this with your counselor. Follow-up appointments may be scheduled unless the counselor believes that you would be better served by seeking counseling in the community.
LIMITS OF SERVICES
Counseling at Forks is made by appointment during regular office hours and at other times when scheduled in advance and in collaboration with the counselor.
IS EVERYTHING CONFIDENTIAL?
Information is kept confidential except when the counselor is compelled to release information as mandated by state law. Circumstances that require a counselor to release confidential information include:
- The written consent of the client, or in the case of death or disability, the person's personal representative, other person authorized to sue, or the beneficiary of an insurance policy on the person's life, health, or physical condition.
- Disclosure of information that concerns potential harm to the student or others.
- Review of the file by the counselor’s supervisor.
- If the client is a minor, and the information acquired by the counselor indicates that the client was the victim or subject of a crime, the counseling consultant may testify upon any examination, trial, or other proceedings in which the commission of the crime is the subject of the inquiry.
- If the client waives the privilege by bringing charges against the counselor.
- In response to a subpoena from a court of law - only records related to a complaint or report under Kentucky Statutes.
- The counselor has reasonable cause to believe that a child, adult dependent, or a developmentally disabled person has suffered abuse or neglect.
For more information please contact Bill Adcock at 859-873-1967, 606-219-0551 or at this email address bill.adcock@fewpb.net.