Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Schwarz.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been a minister for the Church of Christ for 14 years. In that time, I have done a lot of counseling, but was never formally trained in that area. I had a few classes in college, but counseling was certainly an area I needed to improve in. I got an email one day from a fellow preacher about a Counseling Skills Certificate Program being offered at Harding University in Arkansas, designed to help preachers (and others) improve their counseling skills. It is an 18-hour master’s level course over 6 different counseling areas – Family, Sexuality, Multi-cultural, Addictions, Techniques, and Group Counseling. To date, I have completed all but the last course. By next year, I will have my completed certificate and 18 hours of a master’s degree under my belt! During these courses, my professor explained that I could practice without completing the degree because I work for a church. It’s called Pastoral Counseling. My therapist also explained this to me and encouraged me to begin practicing now! After checking with several other agencies in Texas that have unlicensed counselors practicing under Pastoral Counseling, I decided to go for it! Though I plan to finish my master’s degree in counseling and get a license, that will be a few years down the road. After working with my own counselors and seeing the need in our society and community for counseling, I decided I didn’t want to wait that long to serve my community in this way, so I opened One Hope Christian Counseling in September of 2024. I made a free website, a Facebook page, and listed myself on Google – and right away, I started getting calls! In the last 10 months, I have seen several people within the ages of 9 to 73 with problems ranging from anxiety, depression, identity issues, and pornography addiction to relationship issues, anger, and spiritual growth. I have found this so fulfilling! I am truly helping people in a way I never have before! I can offer the kind of help people need at a fraction of the price of other counselors, and I have the freedom to fit the client’s schedule. Most counselors are so over-booked these days that you have to wait on a list for months. I can almost guarantee you a spot in the same week you call me, if not the same day! I enjoy the extra income, but for me, it’s not about the money. My life has always been about serving God and serving others, and I am so happy to have found a new way to do that. I am available to meet in person at my office at the Carter Lake Rd. Church of Christ in Bowie, TX or on my HIPAA-approved virtual platform. I’d love to meet you and hear your story!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not exactly. In my 14 years of ministry, I have done some very uncomfortable things. But this new step has been a challenge! Though I have had some classes, I certainly don’t know everything. So, I have to do a lot of prep work and follow-up work with each client. In general, I do a lot of research, reading, and listening about a variety of different topics to try to be prepared as best I can for my clients. For example, my 9-year-old client would come in all bubbly and talk for 50 straight minutes! Just asking her questions was a challenge! I had to give her a soda to hope she would take a sip so i could redirect her back to the question! My 73-year-old client came in with incredible back pain. Helping him navigate that was a challenge, as well as physically getting up every 20 minutes and continuing the counseling while we walked. Meeting with each client has come with a new set of challenges and has stretched me for sure. I have had to learn how to set up and take digital payments. I have had to learn about marketing. I have had to learn about social media and ads. I have had to learn about how to start my own business! It has all been new to me. But I continue to love it and look forward to every opportunity I get!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One of the benefits you will get from me is flexibility – not only in the types of counseling I offer, but in scheduling. What I lack in experience and licensure, I make up for in availability and pricing. I charge much less than typical counseling, and I work with your schedule. If Saturday is your best day, I’ll see you then. If you and your spouse can only meet in the evenings, I can make that work. I have one guy that likes to call me when he’s on the road, and sometimes I have 15 minutes’ notice – and that’s ok. My paper work is very simple – you sign 1 line. That’s it. One of the things I am most proud of is the practical nature of what I offer. Yes, we will go through an intake process, which is a list of questions I will ask to get a better understanding of your situation, but I’m not just here to listen and ask questions. I am here to offer you real solutions, things that you can put into practice today to make your life better. Also, as my business name implies, I offer solutions based on the time-tested quality of God’s Word. Yes, secular counseling has its benefits, but the One who made us knows us best. He has told us how to improve our lives right inside Scripture. I want to help connect you to God and His Word.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Empathetic listening. I offer you an hour of distraction-free listening. I truly care about you, the client.
Pricing:
- $75 / session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/alumni.oc.edu/one-hope-christian-counseling
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564949787835
- Other: https://ctct.me/nq1tz/
