Counseling for You & Your Church

Q&A with Dr. Robert Crosby, Ph.D. – President of Emerge 

 

“For churches in Ohio, Emerge can support all of your local church’s  

and family’s counseling needs via telehealth. Soul care is just a click away.” 

Dr. Robert Crosby 

 

 

OFJ Mag: I know Emerge has a rich history of providing mental health care for pastors, church leaders, and missionaries throughout the nation and around the world. What other kinds of counseling does Emerge provide that may be of help to our churches in Ohio? 

 

Dr. Crosby: While we are best known nationally for our ministry services to pastors and church leaders, we provide even more counseling care for people every week from every imaginable walk of life. Most of our counseling over the years has been for church parishioners and people throughout Ohio. We work with individuals, couples, families, teenagers, children, veterans, college students, business leaders, and so many more. 

 

What are some of the best ways for Ohio churches to utilize Emerge’s counseling services today? 

 

Dr. Crosby: One of the best ways is via tele-counseling (telehealth). Before the pandemic, Emerge was only doing about 1-2% of its work via telehealth. At the peak of 2020, those numbers went up to 70%. Today, Emerge consistently does around 30% via this platform. Now, churches throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania have access to Emerge counseling via telehealth. 

 

What makes telehealth at Emerge such a good option for Ohio churches? 

 

Dr. Crosby: In a word – convenience. Since Emerge is based out of Akron, that means we can provide counseling services to anyone in the state of Ohio either in person or via telehealth. But our physical location isn’t convenient for people in every part of the state. The use of telehealth has increased nationally 38 times over since before the pandemic, and we are pleased that Emerge counseling is available through this quickly-accessible tool. 

 

How long does it take to get an appointment at Emerge? 

 

Dr. Crosby: Once someone applies on our website – emerge.org – our intake team will respond within a day or two. Usually, we can get you in for an appointment within 10 days – two weeks from the time you apply. 

 

What are some of the benefits for pastors choosing Emerge as a primary counseling partner for the church they lead? 

 

Dr. Crosby: 50 years of proven Christ-centered counseling ministry. Also, we work with Assemblies of God churches and pastors throughout Ohio and the entire United States, so we understand many of the unique needs, challenges, and worldviews embraced by AG leaders and parishioners.  

 

In what ways has Emerge changed or grown in the last year?  

 

Dr. Crosby: We have added 14 new clinicians to our team in the past year alone. As we continue to grow, we are addressing the need for more office space and tele counseling is one of the solutions we have embraced. In addition to offering counseling support, Emerge is positioned as one of the leading voices for faith-based mental health offering Soul Care Experiences in local churches, an annual Soul Care Conference hosted at Emerge, and growing partnerships with churches and districts around the country, developing online and video resources, etc. 

 

What is the counseling philosophy or approach at Emerge? What sets it apart and would make me want to choose it? 

 

Dr. Crosby: Our clinical director, Dr. Dave Blankenship, often says, "At Emerge, we believe counseling is more than simply talk therapy. We believe that each of our clients deserves a sense of progress in their counseling experience. So, we practice Christ-centered therapies that combine the best of biblical insight, psychological skill, and neuro-science understanding in the leading of the Holy Spirit." Christ-centered counseling has always been our focus and still is today. 

 

Is counseling at Emerge affordable? 

 

Dr. Crosby: Our rates are very competitive. Also, we have an administrative staff that enables us to work with our client's health insurance programs.  

 

What are some of the insurance companies Emerge works with? 

 

Dr. Crosby: The top ones are Aetna, AmeriHealth Caritas, Anthem, Aultcare, Buckeye, CareSource, Evernorth (formerly Cigna), Humana, Medical Mutual, SummaCare, United Healthcare, Molina, Medicare, Medicaid, and TriCare.   

 

Some local churches provide pastoral counseling. Why would someone seeking support want to consider counseling at Emerge?" 

 

Dr. Crosby: Most pastors are not licensed clinicians. The expectations of handling deep emotional needs produced from trauma or abuse, or chronic mental health challenges, are overwhelming to most. That is where an Emerge clinician steps in, and led by the Holy Spirit, can be a great support to the local pastor, staff, and church. Our clinicians have years of training in understanding the mental and psychological needs of their clients. We desire to remove the weight of counseling loads and expectations from pastors so they can focus on prayer, caring for their flock, ministry of the Word, and leadership. 

  

What are the best ways for someone seeking support to make Emerge tele-counseling easily available and accessible to people in their church? 

  

Dr. Crosby: There are a few ways I would suggest, including hosting an Emerge ad on your website as a convenient place you can refer for soul-care needs.  When you host an Emerge ad, your congregation can simply "click" and find Christ-centered mental health help and support either in-person or via tele-health. You can also use a periodic ad in your church e-blasts or newsletter updates to the church, mention it in any sermon that deals with soul-care or mental health topics, and perhaps the best, host a Soul Care Weekend, Marriage or Leadership Conference with an Emerge guest speaker.  

You’ve mentioned Soul Care several times, for our readers who may not know, what is Soul Care and what are Soul Care Weekends/events?

Dr. Crosby: Soul Care can be a church service or a two-day event. Our team will bring mental health experts to your church to talk about overcoming anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. You can customize the experience by choosing topics that best fit your congregation's needs. Attendees will hear powerful stories of people transformed by Christian counseling and receive tools to help them in their journey to care for their minds and souls. 

Anything else you would like to say to pastors and church members? 

  

Dr. Crosby: A final reminder that we at Emerge are here to serve you, coming alongside your ministries to serve those with specific needs. Telehealth has made it possible for so many to gain support without leaving the comfort of their homes or offices; single moms who can't leave their children, the elderly, ministry staff who don't want the awkwardness of a waiting room, married couples that have two different schedules, and more. As a church in Ohio, you have the unique privilege of being within the state lines of a caring Christ-centered counseling ministry. Instead of pastors carrying the load of counseling their parishioners, Emerge has a growing team of Christ-centered licensed clinicians ready to fill that need for you. Soul care is just a click away. 


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