New counseling center to open in Tiffin

With the abrupt closing of the Christian Counseling Center, two counselors are working to continue the mission with opening a new center to continue help clients. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors Erin Perry and Shelley Loesser are establishing Counseling Connections Center. Loesser and Perry served at the Christian Counseling Center and are now partners. The Christian Counseling Center had been in service of those in need of counseling services for the past 26 years. "Counseling Connections Center is opening to keep alive the mission and vision of the former Christian Counseling Center," Loesser said. Loesser said very little will change as all staff will continue with the new agency and will remain at the same location, First Lutheran Church — 300 Melmore St. "We know that changes such as this can be difficult for clients," Loesser said. "Our team vows to make this transition as smooth as possible." According to Loesser, "Our relationship with First Lutheran Church has been wonderfully beneficial. We are grateful to be able to continue that relationship." "We believe in the mission of serving our clients who may not be able to access services elsewhere," Perry said, on why they decided to keep the center going. "We have established the new Counseling Connections Center to serve our current and future clients in a nonjudgmental, welcoming environment, where spirituality can be part of the therapeutic process if the client wishes," Perry said. We are open to clients of all faiths or no religious faiths." Loesser and Perry said that if your counselor was on your insurance plan before, they still will be. The counselors are credentialed individually, not as an agency. Perry said they are going to work towards becoming more present within the community. Services provided are counseling for individuals, couples and families. According to John Kobelt, former board president, "The Christian Counseling Center closed on February 14, 2020, for financial reasons." For more information on Counseling Connections Center, email tiffinconnect@gmail.com. Website and phone number are to come.