Lighthouse counseling now open
Lighthouse Counseling Services Inc. recently opened a clinic location in Hawesville at 225 Monroe Street. According to Chief Clinical Director Stephanie Montgomery, James and Janet Messer and Jane Brown, of Henderson, opened the first Lighthouse location in Henderson over 20 years ago. The clinic offers therapy and case management services for children, teens, adults and families.
“Our counselors are licensed professionals seeking to provide the highest quality services to our clients,” Montgomery said. “We have all kinds of different programs we offer.”
In ancient times, and even today, a lighthouse on the seashore offered sailors hope, guidance and safety. She said the clinic offers the same general ideas.
“The premise of Lighthouse was to be that beacon of hope,” she said.
The clinic serves patients referred to them from other places, and also takes walk-in clients.
“We are referred from all over the place,” Montgomery said. “We are referred from social services, doctors and the schools.”
Montgomery said they try to work with everyone regardless of their ability to pay. The clinic takes private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. If someone cannot pay, they try to find funding sources to help the patient.
“We have interns we can refer people out to if there is not a payment source,” Montgomery said.
The clinic consists of Montgomery and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Barbie Matthews, a Hancock County native. Matthews served the health needs of the people of Hancock County for many years.
“I am licensed in Indiana and Kentucky,” Matthews said. “If Indiana patients want to come over here, I can do that also.”
Matthews graduated from Hancock County High School, received her Bachelor’s degree from Brescia University and her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Louisville. She said when a patient comes to her for counseling she asks them what difficulties in life he or she is facing.
“I let them explain it to me,” Matthews said. “We discuss what type of feelings they are having, how it is impacting their life and what strategies they could use in order to help themselves.”
The goal of the therapy sessions is to give patients a toolbox of strategies to help them cope with their problems.
Montgomery started to work in Hancock County over 10 years ago providing case management services in both the school system and the community. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bethel College, and her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University, and is licensed in Kentucky.
Though a medical clinic, Lighthouse cannot prescribe medications. Montgomery said if a patient needs to be prescribed medication to deal with a medical condition, they refer the patient to a doctor. She said they work with a variety of doctors in several different locations.
“Referrals are determined by where a person lives,” Montgomery said.
To schedule an appointment with Lighthouse Counseling Services, call 270.689.0073.
By Ralph Dickerson
