Members of the InTown Chamber of Commerce and contributors to the Center for Counseling and Life Enrichment attend a ribbon cutting held in the Center’s Garden Labyrinth, the largest outdoor labyrinth in Houston, to celebrate the opening of the Center. Pictured Front (left-right): Phil Stewart, Intown advertising sales manager; Janie Brewster, Houston InTown Chamber of Commerce president; Amy Birchill, director of St. Luke’s United Methodist Center for Counseling and Life Enrichment; Dr. Tom Pace, St. Luke’s UMC senior pastor; Derek Prins, Krist Samaritan Center counselor; and Rev. Linda Christians, executive pastor of discipleship at St. Luke’s UMC.

The Center for Counseling and Life Enrichment provides comprehensive counseling to couples, families, adolescents and adults of all ages, addressing a wide range of concerns and problems. The life enrichment program offers support groups and speakers that cover areas such as grief and loss, marriage enrichment, divorce support, parenting, substance use disorders and many other topics for adults and children.

Derek Prins, MA, LPC, of the Krist Samaritan Center, will be providing counseling and treatment opportunities to St. Luke’s members and the community. He received his Master of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Counseling Psychology from Houston Baptist University and serves as Director of Community Relations for the Krist Samaritan Center. He also worked in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program of the Houston VA Medical Center, counseling veterans in various stages of drug and alcohol recovery.

“We are so excited to have Mr. Prins offer his expertise to support the Life Enrichment Center’s mission,” said Amy Birchill, M.Ed., director of the Center for Counseling and Life Enrichment. “He displays a passionate commitment to helping people discover personal growth and change.”

On Thursday, May 15, a celebratory ribbon cutting with InTown Chamber of Commerce officials took place to celebrate the opening and partnership with the Krist Samaritan Center. The event also included a tour of the Center and special guest speaker Dr. Jason Powers of the Right Step Alcoholism and Drug Treatment Center. Dr. Powers, a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction, Medicine and Board Certified in Family Medicine, spoke on how to recognize the disease of addiction and how to get help.

The St. Luke’s Center for Counseling and Life Enrichment is located at 2719 Joanel in Houston, Texas. To access counseling services or to learn more about the referral service or enrichment programs at the Center, please call 713.402.5046 to schedule an appointment.

The Carole and Ronald Krist Samaritan Center for Counseling and Education is a not-for-profit faith-based organization committed to providing affordable counseling services and educational programs to people of all economic backgrounds, as well as training for church and mental health professionals. Founded in 1986, the Center is accredited as a service center and training program by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the Samaritan Institute. The Center has served over 30,000 families and has 18 office locations throughout the Houston and Galveston area.

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