About CCC: The Christian Counselors Collaborative

Our Mission

The mission of the Christian Counselors Collaborative is to be a professional, therapeutic setting, where belief in the healing power of the resurrected Jesus Christ can be integral to the process of therapy. Both therapist and client can freely address a spiritual walk with Christ as it relates to emotional, psychological, and spiritual brokenness within. Because the CCC is a Christian non-profit, many clients seek a spiritual application to their counseling. Therapists here have a faith belief based on a traditional interpretation of Scripture.

Along with this mission, we hold to the following goals:

To provide competent, professional therapy for all seekers, Christian and non-Christian.
To provide counseling to all who seek it, regardless of ability to pay, as funding and therapist availability permit.

Our Vision

We share a vision to minister to those struggling with emotional, psychological, and spiritual issues through professional counseling. As therapists who have a personal relationship and walk with Jesus Christ, we come together in this unique collaborative to serve God as a community of Christian therapists, counseling clients with professionalism, dignity, cultural sensitivity, and love.

Our History

As the Executive Director of the CCC, I am very excited to lead the CCC in pursuing our mission. In May of 2018, Priscilla Ortlip, the Founder of the CCC retired after leading the CCC since its beginning in 2006. I like to tell the story of how it came about. It is a real testament to how God moves and meets His people where they have need…

Priscilla was hired in 1998 by Allegheny Center Alliance Church (ACAC) to provide counseling for ACAC’s church family, giving an opportunity for those within the church to get help from their church from a Christian perspective. As the church was rapidly growing, it was evident within a year that one person could not meet the need, so I was also hired to assist in the effort.

Together as staff of ACAC, we provided Christian counseling for years, grateful to assist individuals and families, but also disappointed that we still could not provide counseling for all those who inquired, and had to refer many people to therapists outside of ACAC.

At some point, the Lord impressed upon Priscilla an idea for providing more Christian counseling at ACAC. As she worked out the concept of a collaborative of Christian therapists, we received great support from ACAC leadership. In the spring of 2006, we began providing counseling under the name of ‘Christian Counselors Collaborative’ with several therapists who were excited to counsel in a Christian environment, functioning as independent therapists, although part of the larger ‘whole’ of the CCC. We also engaged Pittsburgh Pastoral Institute, a seasoned counseling organization, as a participant in the CCC.

In October of 2010, we were approved as a separate non-profit organization in the state of Pennsylvania, with the mission and vision described above. Our main goal is to provide Christian counseling at an affordable price. As an IRS approved tax-deductible organization, the CCC intends to raise funds to assist those who cannot pay even our affordable fees. This is especially important during these challenging fiscal times in our country.

Churches in communities surrounding Pittsburgh have requested therapists through the CCC to participate at their churches to provide counseling. We are delighted to help provide professional Christian therapists to help minister through counseling. We have several locations, and are developing more as the need and requests arise.

Our Board of Directors is a group of dedicated individuals who offer the CCC their expertise in various professional arenas, as well as a strong Christian faith. Our Board of Directors consists of: Dr. Todd Wahrenberger, Chairperson; Lindsay Oliver, Vice Chairperson; Priscilla Ortlip; Matt Polka, Secretary; Pastor Donald Tucker, Pastor Sheldon Williams, Veta Farmer-McCoy, and Mari Stout.

We pray the Lord will bless you as you receive counseling through the CCC! It is our honor to walk with you during this portion of your life’s journey!

Blessings,
Tom Laird, MABC
Executive Director; Christian Counselors Collaborative