Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation
Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation
A focused first session for adults who need help naming what is happening, clarifying the presenting issue, and determining the next right step for pastoral counseling, clinical spiritual care, referral, coordination, or ongoing support.
The Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation is available virtually across Texas, with in-person appointments by arrangement in Hill Country Texas.
This is not psychotherapy, diagnosis, medical care, psychiatric care, emergency care, or treatment of mental-health disorders.
What This Consultation Is For
The first session is designed to clarify the care lane before a client commits to ongoing support.
Many people arrive knowing something is wrong, but not knowing whether it belongs in therapy, pastoral counseling, spiritual care, medical care, psychiatric care, or another kind of support.
This consultation gives the presenting issue enough structure to identify what is happening, what kind of care fits, and what next step makes sense.
Who This Consultation May Fit
This consultation may fit adults carrying:
- Grief after death, disaster, divorce, diagnosis, or major loss
- Faith questions, spiritual distress, anger at God, or loss of belief
- Moral injury, guilt, regret, or unresolved responsibility
- Church harm, spiritual trauma, religious conflict, or loss of trust
- Disaster exposure, responder burden, or flood recovery impact
- Hard decisions involving family, faith, caregiving, work, ministry, or identity
- Repeated survival responses under stress, including fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or scan
- A need for support alongside licensed therapy
- Uncertainty about whether pastoral counseling, therapy, medical care, psychiatric care, or referral is the right next step
What the Session Helps Clarify
This is not a vague intake conversation. It is a structured first session focused on naming the presenting issue and determining what kind of care fits.
The consultation may help clarify:
- What is happening and why it has become hard to carry alone
- What grief, guilt, anger, belief conflict, or moral weight is present
- What part of the issue fits pastoral counseling or clinical spiritual care
- Whether licensed mental-health care should also be involved
- Whether referral, coordination, or another level of care is needed
- Whether an ongoing package is appropriate
- What next step is responsible, honest, and possible now
Session Fee and Package Credit
The Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation is $125.
If an eligible package is booked within 72 hours of the consultation, the consultation fee may be credited toward that package.
Regular private session rate is $175.
Clinical Spiritual Care, Not Psychotherapy
Dr. Charlie Michele Hornes, DMin, BCC, MCPC, is a Doctor of Ministry, Board Certified Chaplain, ordained PC(USA) minister, and clinical spiritual counseling provider with more than two decades of experience in hospital chaplaincy, crisis response, palliative care, pastoral care, grief care, moral injury support, higher education, and leadership environments.
Her work uses chaplaincy-based clinical spiritual care assessment and pastoral counseling. It is not psychotherapy, diagnosis, medical care, psychiatric care, emergency care, or treatment of mental-health disorders.
Clinical spiritual care can stand alone when pastoral counseling is the right fit. It can also work alongside licensed therapy when mental-health care is needed.
When Another Type of Care May Be Needed
If the presenting concern is outside the scope of pastoral counseling and clinical spiritual care, referral or coordination may be recommended.
Licensed therapy, medical care, psychiatric care, emergency care, or crisis support may be needed when the presenting concern involves immediate danger, suicidal intent, psychosis, active substance-use crisis, severe trauma symptoms, eating disorder risk, domestic violence danger, child abuse reporting, or another clinical need outside this scope.
This practice does not provide emergency or crisis care.
Available Across Texas
Virtual Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultations are available across Texas.
In-person appointments may be available by arrangement in Hill Country Texas.
Schedule the Initial Consultation
Start with one focused session to clarify the presenting issue, identify the care lane, and determine the next step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation?
It is a focused first session to clarify the presenting issue, identify the care lane, and determine next steps for pastoral counseling, clinical spiritual care, referral, coordination, or ongoing support.
How much does the consultation cost?
The Initial Spiritual Counseling Consultation is $125. If an eligible package is booked within 72 hours of the consultation, the consultation fee may be credited toward that package.
Is this therapy?
No. This is pastoral counseling and clinical spiritual care. It is not psychotherapy, diagnosis, medical care, psychiatric care, emergency care, or treatment of mental-health disorders.
What can I bring to the consultation?
Clients often bring grief, faith questions, anger at God, moral injury, church harm, disaster exposure, hard decisions, spiritual distress, repeated survival responses, or uncertainty about what kind of care is needed.
Will I be told whether I need therapy?
The consultation can help identify whether pastoral counseling is appropriate, whether licensed mental-health care may also be needed, or whether referral or coordination would be responsible.
Can this work alongside my therapist?
Yes. Clinical spiritual care can work alongside licensed therapy when mental-health care is already involved or needed. Coordination can happen with client permission.
Do I have to be religious?
No. Clients may be Christian, interfaith, spiritual-but-not-religious, agnostic, atheist, unsure, done with church, or carrying no formal belief system.
Can I talk about anger at God?
Yes. Anger at God, doubt, numbness, loss of belief, guilt, grief, and the question “How could this happen?” are welcome here.
Do you take insurance?
No. Sessions are private pay. Texas Spiritual Counseling does not bill insurance directly.
Can I submit receipts?
Yes. Upon request, an itemized receipt can be provided for clients who want to attempt reimbursement through insurance, EAP, HSA/FSA, employer assistance, church assistance, disaster-relief, or other benefit programs. Reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Is this emergency or crisis care?
No. This practice does not provide emergency, crisis, medical, psychiatric, or suicide-intervention care. If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Do you work virtually?
Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Texas. In-person appointments may be available by arrangement in Hill Country Texas.