Family Counseling Service

Jeff:

"The first time I met with a counselor at FCS, I was very angry and defensive. I felt like the whole world was against me. I didn’t believe my counselor the first time she tried to explain that I had more control over my anger than I realized. I agreed to stick with the counseling, for a while anyway. With my counselor’s help, I eventually learned that being angry is a choice I make. Now I have learned to manage the way I think and react to situations in a more productive way. Even my family has noticed that I seem happier and less defensive."

		Counseling Services Available What Do I Need To Know About The Cost Of Counseling? What Should I Expect In The First Session? How Long Should I Expect Therapy To Last? Notice of Privacy Practices For an Appointment Directions to Family Counseling Service
Family Counseling Service has provided counseling to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama community and surrounding areas since 1963.

Janet: "Bryan and I had been married for 10 years before we came to Family Counseling Service. Things had really gotten rocky for the five years leading up to it. Bryan seemed distant and withdrawn. I felt so tired with being a mother and holding down a job, I just didn’t have the energy to focus on our relationship anymore. We were both surprised by how much we argued. We felt powerless. Our FCS counselor helped us re-establish our priorities and focus on each other for a change. He was able to help us remember that we really do love each other. We learned to make better use of our family time and limit the things we allowed to interfere. We’re growing closer now, and even our children seem to have a more positive attitude."

The Mission of Family Counseling Service is to improve the quality of life for the people of West Alabama by providing accessible, expert counseling services and state-of-the-art programs that promote mental, emotional and social well being.

Counseling Services Available

Family

• Marriage/Couples • Elderly Issues

• Pre-marital • Team Building

• Divorce Adjustment • Communications

• Blended Family Issues • Crisis Management

• Budgeting & Financial Matters

Parenting

• Teens • Grieving Children

• Children • Childhood Fears

• Affects of Divorce • Sibling Issues

Individual

• Anxiety • Life Adjustment

• Depression • Stress Management

• Grief • Goal Setting

• Anger • Success Planning

Tammy: "When I began counseling, I really didn’t like the person I had become. I always felt tired and wanted to be left alone. My family was frustrated that I wouldn’t spend any time with them. It took all the energy I had just to make it through a full day at work. When I came home, I would just crash. It seemed that no matter how much sleep I got, I was always exhausted. There were lots of times I couldn’t even get a good night’s sleep, but I wasn’t sure why. My counselor at FCS helped me examine what was going on in my life. She helped me identify the sources of worry that were stealing my concentration. I learned to take control of my thinking about myself and circumstances around me. Now I feel much more satisfied with my outlook on life and the way I handle situations."

What Do I Need To Know About the Cost Of Counseling?

Counseling sessions are $65. Fees may be lower upon a completed client application for a sliding scale based on verified household income.

What Should I Expect In The First Session?

You will need to arrive about 15 minutes early for your first appointment. You will be asked to fill out some paperwork and sign an agreement which outlines some of the terms of the counseling arrangement.

Each counseling session is planned to last one hour.

For marriage counseling, the therapist will usually see the couple together initially, then spend some time with each one individually either during the first session, or at the next appointment. This is to help ensure that the therapist has a thorough understanding of the problem you have identified from each perspective.

In cases of family counseling, the therapist will want to spend the first session with only the parent(s) to discuss the nature of the problem and gather some family data. It is best if children do not accompany parents to this first appointment to avoid having them think the parents are setting them up before they get to talk with the therapist themselves. From there, which family members to involve at various stages of therapy will be determined as therapy progresses.

Jill:

"I didn’t know what to do with my 14-year-old son. He had been getting in trouble at school and even skipping classes. He had withdrawn from the entire family since his father and I divorced. I was really worried about the friends he was with and the kinds of things he might be involved with. Our FCS counselor helped us begin to communicate with each other. The counselor also helped me understand the difference between normal adolescent behavior and problem behavior. Now, my son and I are able to talk more without feeling defensive. And I don’t overreact when we disagree. I can feel some of the old bonding we had when he was younger."

How Long Should I Expect Therapy To Last?

Most counselors see individuals, couples or families once a week for about six to eight sessions. As progress is maintained, you can expect your therapist to gradually lower the frequency of the appointments until your success in therapy can be maintained without regular follow up visits.

Overall, you can typically expect between eight and fifteen sessions. This may appear to be a large investment in time and money, but there are few things that will have the impact on your quality of life that a healthy marriage and a positive outlook on life can have.

Family Counseling Service Notice of Privacy Practices

For an Appointment...

Family Counseling Service is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) Monday through Friday. Evening appointments are sometimes available. The office is located at 2020 Paul W. Bryant Drive in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

For appointment information, call 205-752-2504 or toll free 1-866-916-2504.

Directions to Family Counseling Service

From I-59/20

* Exit I-59/20 onto I-359 (Highway 69 N) at Exit 71-B

* Follow I-359 approximately 2 miles until you come to traffic lights in downtown Tuscaloosa

* At the second light, turn Right onto Bryant Drive

* Follow Bryant Drive 4 blocks to the corner of 21^st Avenue and Bryant Drive

* Family Counseling Service is on the corner to your Left

From Highway 82 W (from Montgomery)

* Upon entering Tuscaloosa, you will immediately see I-59/20 crossing HWY 82 in front of you

* Turn Left to enter I-59/20 traveling west

* Exit I-59/20 onto I-359 (Highway 69 N) at Exit 71-B

* Follow I-359 approximately 2 miles until you come to traffic lights in downtown Tuscaloosa

* At the second light, turn Right onto Bryant Drive

* Follow Bryant Drive 4 blocks to the corner of 21^st Avenue and Bryant Drive

* Family Counseling Service is on the corner to your Left

From Highway 82 E (from Columbus, Mississippi)

* Follow HWY 82 into Northport

* Turn Right onto Highway 69 S (At this intersection you will see Taco Bell, KFC, McDonalds, and K-Mart)

* Follow 69 S through Northport and across the river into Tuscaloosa (approximately 1.5 miles)

* After crossing the river you will see several traffic lights, starting with University Blvd.

* You will then pass 6^th Street, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and come to Bryant Drive

* Turn Left onto Bryant Drive

* Follow Bryant Drive 4 blocks to the corner of 21^st Avenue and Bryant Drive

* Family Counseling Service is on the corner to your Left