The Friends Counseling Service (FCS) serves members and attenders of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) who are in search for guidance, comfort, and assistance. This service offers accessible mental health care to Friends across PYM with counselors providing individual therapy, couples counseling, and family therapy sessions. We connected with Janaki Spickard Keeler, Friends Counseling Service Coordinator, who provided additional insight into the service by answering some key questions.
How does the Friends Counseling Service support Friends and their families during tough times?
The Friends Counseling Service provides professional, affordable, and spiritually sensitive counseling to members and attenders of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
Does Friends Counseling Service offer support to couples or families interested in taking sessions together?
Yes! We offer counseling to individuals, couples, and families.
What does Friends Counseling Service do to help Friends stay connected to Quaker values during personal challenges?
Our counselors are seasoned Friends. While some counselors in the wider world might shy away from a religion that believes we can communicate with the Divine, FCS counselors can (if you wish) integrate your Quakerism into the counseling. They can help you explore the spiritual dimensions of the challenge you are facing, they can help you request a clearness committee from the meeting, and they can help you navigate the resources available to Friends in the meeting and the yearly meeting.
Are sessions available by telehealth?
Yes, all of our counselors offer telehealth sessions as well as in-person sessions.
How does financial assistance make counseling accessible to everyone in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting?
The counseling service uses a sliding scale based on income, so sessions range from $20 for those with very little income up to $95 for those who are financially comfortable.
Can I use my insurance?
Different counselors accept different insurances, so you may be able to use your insurance.
How does Friends Counseling Service ensure privacy?
Because Friends are a small community, FCS has anonymized all our systems using numerical codes instead of names so that no outside person can discover by mistake who is in counseling. Only you and your counselor will know that you are in counseling.
Is it possible to change counselors if the one assigned is not the right fit?
The right fit is essential to good counseling. You can see a different counselor if the first one didn’t work out.
How easy is it to sign up?
If you are ready to start counseling, read through the counselors’ bios and choose one or two that feels right to you. If you’re not sure, we can talk by email or phone to find a good fit. Email us at friendscounseling@pym.org or call 215-241-7019 to get the process started.
FCS provides complete mental health care, mixing professional skills with a deep respect for Quaker values. The counselors, who are also part of the PYM Quaker community, understand the unique problems Friends might face and are dedicated to offering caring and professional help. They offer a safe and supportive place for healing, whether you’re looking for help for yourself, your family, or as a couple within the PYM community.
If you have additional questions please email friendscounseling@pym.org or call 215-241-7019.
The Friends Counseling Service of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is currently seeking additional qualified mental health practitioners to join their staff. If interested or would like more information on those opportunities, follow this link.
For those who may be looking for a one day in-person opportunity focused on grief, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is hosting Grief, Loss & Bereavement: A pastoral care Thread Gathering. Join Friends on October 19th for a day of sharing, learning, and working together on the topic of pastoral care at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting. Register here.
