LJWorld.com

Twenty-five years ago, Mack Harnden had a vision.

Harnden, who earned his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1978 from Kansas University, imagined a special kind of mental health clinic.

"I was wanting to create an organization that would provide therapy that is consistent with Jesus' teachings on how to live a healthy life and relate effectively to others," Harnden says.

"No. 2, I wanted to create an organization that would provide services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. And No. 3, it would encourage individuals to become part of a church community."

The result of that vision was the Christian Counseling Center of Lawrence, which started out in a remodeled classroom provided by First Christian Church, 1000 Ky.

"I had a full caseload within 11 months," he says.

The modest center that Harnden helped found, along with a board of about 10 other people, is still going strong today. Now called Christian Psychological Services, 500 Rockledge Road, the mental health clinic has remained true to Harnden's original idea of a place where sound psychological principles are blended with a belief that people's faith can be a powerful source of healing.

The outpatient clinic will celebrate its 25th anniversary Oct. 11.

"I just feel really blessed that so many people have been involved in supporting this idea. I feel that God has supported and sustained it as well," says Harnden, who left the clinic in 1989, after 12 years of serving as executive director.

KRIS JOHNSON, LEFT, and Barrie Arachtingi will help Christian Psychological Services celebrate its 25th anniversary Oct. 11. Johnson is a psychologist and Arachtingi is the executive director at the outpatient mental health clinic.

He is senior vice president in organizational consulting at Right Management Consultants in Overland Park.

"The clinic's success has something to do with having a quality staff, and it's also a testimony to a need that people have -- to meet with professionals who really care for them and share some of their same values."

Positive regard

Christian Psychological Services operates much like many other mental health clinics, offering individual, marital, group and family counseling for a wide range of issues, such as depression and anxiety or bi-polar disorders.

The clinic -- which has a staff of nine professionally trained therapists, as well as a student doing her field work -- does psychological evaluations for diagnostic and court-related purposes, refers clients who need medication to a psychiatrist or primary-care physician, as well as arranging for hospitalization when necessary.

But there is a difference.

"Some clinics are uncomfortable in dealing with spiritual issues, and we're very comfortable in dealing with those. I've had clients tell me that previous therapists have not wanted to talk about God or have encouraged them to do behaviors that were inconsistent with their values," says Barrie Arachtingi, a licensed psychologist and the clinic's executive director.

All of the therapists on staff are committed, church-going Christians, who come from a variety of denominations.

Discussions about God and faith are welcome in counseling sessions, but only if clients express a desire for that.

"We work where the client is, in terms of their emotional life and their spiritual life. People who are dealing with specific, spiritual issues, we help them to work through those to help their lives be consistent with what their spiritual values are. Sometimes, people are at a crossroads that is very confusing," Arachtingi says.

The clinic employs four doctorate-level therapists, three counselors who are licensed clinical social workers and two staff members with master's degrees who are under supervision.

The staff includes one member of the clergy, the Rev. Verdell Taylor, pastor of St. Luke AME Church, 900 N.Y.

Arachtingi, who joined the clinic in 1991 as a master's-level therapist, earned her doctorate from KU's counseling psychology program in 1996.

Clients do not have to be Christian, or belong to a certain denomination, to seek help at the clinic.

"We work with whoever comes in, and there's no requirement in terms of what their spiritual background is, race or religion or anything like that," Arachtingi says.

"Our goal as an organization is to offer grace and care to anyone who walks through the door. Unconditional, positive regard for clients."

God's grace and promise

Christian Psychological Services offers a haven for professional therapists who want to acknowledge the importance of God and spirituality in the lives of clients.

That's how it feels to Kris Johnson, who earned her doctorate in counseling psychology from KU in 2001.

"I used to be a CPA, but I changed fields and went back to school so that I could do work that was more meaningful to me," says Johnson, who joined the staff as a psychologist three years ago.

"This is a place where my own personal faith is fostered as a staff member, and I'm charged with using that in my work as a psychologist. That's not always something that's going to be appropriate at other clinics."

The clinic feels like the right place for Johnson to help people heal what is broken in their lives, incorporating faith in the process.

"I get to use my concept of God's grace and God's promise to be with us as a way to get through really seriously painful times for people until they get some answers," Johnson says.