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2019 IMPACT REPORT

The Refuge Center’s mission is to offer affordable, professional counseling services to empower, educate and support individuals, couples and families in need. 

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Letter from Executive Director & Co-Founder

Amy Alexander, LMFT

“Our clients are finding safety and shelter amid life’s storms, and sometimes that truly means the difference between life and death. We give thanks to God for your generosity that makes this LIFE-GIVING work possible every year.”

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About The Refuge Center for Counseling

The Refuge Center for Counseling opened in December 2005 as the vision of its founders Amy Alexander and Jennifer Gillett. Amy and Jennifer had discovered that there were few opportunities for affordable counseling in the area, as many local therapists charge $150 – $250+ per session. They wanted to offer therapy to those who could not afford those fees, so they created a sliding-scale fee structure that ranges from $25 – $120 per session and is based on each individual’s income level.

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Read about our mission and history.

Read about the counseling services available, all on a sliding scale based on income.

Current staff, interns and post-master’s volunteers at The Refuge Center.

Current Members. 

Click here to read letter from the 2019 Board Chair, Doug Edwards 

The Refuge Center collaborates with eight other local and international nonprofits for a greater impact. 

Your gifts provided hope through counseling.

Click Here for Full Client Stats & Demographics

The Refuge Center for Counseling

2019 Board of Directors

Click here for a full listing of the 2019 Board of Directors

"We achieved retention growth of therapists, experienced 100% retention of board members, had a record year of new donors and donations..."

Doug Edwards, The Refuge Center Board Chair, 2019 Tweet
Read Doug's letter
Board Meeting Feb 2019

Growing home

How you can get involved

In 2018, we launched our first-ever capital campaign “Growing Home.” With the demand for our services at an all-time high, it is imperative that we build our larger, more permanent home.

Watch our Growing Home Video

Hope Grows 2019
Our seventh annual fundraising dinner was held on Tuesday, October 22, 2019 with musical guests GRAMMY-award winning artists Jars of Clay.
Read More Here
"Live Intentionally Speaker Series"
We held our third annual speaker series on Friday, April 26th titled “Healing Through Connection: Overcoming Trauma, Toxic Stress & Disease With Speaker Dr. Thomas Cabell”
Read More Here
The Big Payback
We participated once again in this online day of giving on May 2, 2019 put on by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
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Stories of Hope
Watch our 2019 Client Stories of Hope
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2019 Blessings
Click here to read about all the ways 2019 was one of our best years yet.
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New Book Published
We are excited about our new partnership with Media Trauma Care and Jenny Black, LMFT, to offer a new book, Inner Technology: How to be Human in a Digital World
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We are grateful for the support of these organizations and foundations in 2019

Full List of 2019 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
Story of Hope
"When I first started seeking counseling, I did not know how to identify my emotions or process them in a meaningful way. Speaking with a counselor brought me clarity almost immediately and has equipped me to experience my own complexities and the world around me in a way that builds me up instead of tears me down."
Male Client, Age 24
Story of Hope
"I have struggled with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts all my life...I now feel like I'm standing on my own two feet and not just surviving, but THRIVING. I can't say thank you enough to my counselors and everyone at The Refuge Center. This has been life-saving."
Female Client, Age 36
Story of Hope
"The Refuge Center saved my life and my sobriety. Through EMDR and counseling, I was able to find healing and hope that I otherwise would not have had access to. The Refuge Center made appointments affordable and the counselors easy to connect with. I'm truly thankful for the blessings this group has brought into my life."
Male Client, Age 23
Story of Hope
"I came to The Refuge Center after coming to the acceptance that I was an alcoholic. My purpose was to identify why I would drink, even though I never enjoyed the taste. My therapist helped me to get to the core of why I drank and how to effectively deal with my problem. I coupled The Refuge Center with AA to begin my recovery. After 90 days, I feel armed with the tools to be the best that I can be. Thank you to my therapist and The Refuge Center for your compassion, empathy, and direction for my life."
Male Client, Age 52
Story of Hope
"Trust may always be an issue in my life. I don't know where I will be at the end of our time together, but I have found trust among these beautiful souls and hope. Thank you for caring for all of me and not just my recovery. Thank you for treating us and our stories with reverence and respect, and for not driving us to get better, but offering help and hope."
Wounded Heart Group Participant, Female, Age 51
Story of Hope
"For a long time I had been looking for a trained counselor who could help me with the issues of caring for my husband and his long-term Alzheimer’s. I could not afford their services. After my husband when to Heaven I continued to try to find a counselor. I heard of The Refuge Center and the sliding fee scale. It was affordable for me. I made an appointment and from my first counseling session until now I am amazed at how God has healed me in every area of my life. Much to my surprise we dealt first with the death of my daughter years earlier and then moved on to sessions concerning my husband. I call my time at The Refuge Center a quick work primarily because of my counselor’s skill as a therapist and her knowledge and use of EMDR."
Female Client, Age 75
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