PathPoint's Counseling Center Anniversary

Santa Barbara, CA - This month, PathPoint is celebrating its Behavioral Health Counseling Center’s one year anniversary! As part of PathPoint’s holistic approach to care, the Counseling Center offers confidential therapy to the local Santa Barbara community, with services aiming to help clients throughout the many stages of their life. 

Initially, the Counseling Center was conceptualized as the staff understood more about the Affordable Care Act. Jennifer Newbold, PathPoint’s Vice President of Behavioral Health, noted that “Because of the act, we recognized that some of our residents in PathPoint’s Residential Services would most likely be able to receive therapy provided by us through their insurance plan. With the appropriate funding, we knew PathPoint’s Counseling Center would be a great addition to the services we already provide.”

Lauren Hawksworth and Ellen Cook have been PathPoint’s therapists since the Counseling Center opened and both noticed its immediate positive impacts on the community. Lauren pointed out that at PathPoint, the counselors are excellent, caring and experienced with a range of backgrounds and expertise, not to mention that they are “currently working to get broader insurance coverage to facilitate continuity of care for our clients.” Ellen agreed, adding that “PathPoint counseling is all about reconnecting to that quality of life that is part of your dream”.

In addition to the Counseling Center, Behavioral Health also offers different services, including Integrative Nursing, Residential Support, and Paths to Recovery. Dr. Ruzica Vuskovic, a temporary psychiatrist provided by Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness, recently worked with PathPoint’s Behavioral Health Paths to Recovery. When asked about her experiences with PathPoint, she commented, “As a traveling psychiatrist, I have worked with a number of programs throughout the United States. The quality of care provided at PathPoint is outstanding.” Dr. Vuskovic explains that the quality comes from PathPoint’s team treating the whole person, not just the mental illness. She further noted, “The Case Managers are so involved and really make the effort to know their clients on a fundamental level.”

In particular, one of the Case Managers at PathPoint is Jay Caldwell, a Paths to Recovery Case Manager. With over 30 years of service, Jay is the Behavioral Health Division’s longest term employee. When asked about the most satisfying part of his PathPoint position, Jay identifies it as “getting to know and work with clients. After working with my clients for many years, I have built relationships with these individuals that go beyond that of Case Manager and client.”

Jay feels that those moments when he knows he has made a positive impact on the life of a client is the most worthwhile. Specifically, he vividly remembers a moment when an individual was not only grieving the loss of his mother, a woman he had lived with his entire life, but was also facing the foreclosure of his home as a result. Jay helped this client escape homelessness by securing permanent housing at one of PathPoint’s Paths to Recovery properties. This client continues to express his gratitude for Jay’s help.

PathPoint’s highly trained and supervised therapists and interns provide services to children, adolescents, and adults that are individualized, client-centered, and strength-based.