Superior counseling center reaches 10 years

SUPERIOR – A week-long celebration accompanied the tenth anniversary of Mineral County’s local counseling center as they hosted an open house for community members to get more information about their services.

The open house for Choices for Change Counseling was fairly quiet and had sporadic traffic. The event took place over the whole week. The open house began on Monday, February 3, and ran until Friday, February 7.

Homemade cookies were available to visitors as well as a flashlight as a gift. Tours of the center were available as people were welcomed to talk about the history of the center. Information about the various services offered was also available.

The counseling center also incorporates the Body Changes Gym. According to Smith, exercise works as a form of therapy, which helps to bring mind, body and soul together in harmony.

Beth Price, administrative assistant and member of the Area on Aging Persons, said the gym is popular. It has proved useful in therapeutic sessions and has also been a place for others to do regular workouts.

Nancy Smith, founder of the counseling center, also opened the Choices Conference Center as a location for meetings, classes and other functions. With the change of location as well as opening the gym and conference center, the business has seen plenty of change over the last 10 years. Even more changes are made on a regular basis.

According to Smith, more services are added weekly. Because of how many different clients they see and what treatments are required, there is a need for a large amount of flexibility in what services are offered.

“Whatever people need, I’m qualified to provide it,” said Smith. “They adjust and change as the need [comes].”

Choices for Change opened in February 2004 in the old schoolhouse. Smith worked for the Department of Family Services for 11 years, becoming a licensed addictions counselor and licensed addiction social worker in the process.

She could not work as a therapist, however, because of her work at Family Services. When she retired from the organization, she went into private practice.

The counseling center has grown quickly in the last 10 years. In 2008, the practice moved to its current location. After a remodel, the new Choices for Change opened. A short while later, the gym was constructed and opened as a supplement. Approximately two years ago, Smith bought what was once The Bread Board restaurant and turned it into the conference center.

“[I wanted to] have bigger groups there,” said Smith. “It just kept growing and growing.”

As time went on, her staff grew as well. She now has five people working with her. Apart from Price, there is also Charlee and Joe Thompson, Jeannette Diaz as well as Randy Van Huss-Meyer.

Smith said she was amazed by how fast 10 years had gone by. She wanted to let people know about the anniversary and put the word out of the center’s services.

The miracles, which happen in the community as a result of her work are what make the job worth it for Smith. She said she loves the community and getting the opportunity to help them.

“I think it’s a good community and I believe there’s an awful lot of good people who live here,” said Smith. “It’s not me, it’s the people themselves, who have an opportunity to learn what they need to know. Then I see miracles happen and people learning to enjoy their life and get their life back.”