Walk-In Counseling Center

HISTORY & MISSION                                                                                                                                     

Walk-In Counseling Center is a 501.c.3 nonprofit that was founded in 1969 by a group of young psychologists as a radical approach to addressing the unmet need for accessible mental health services in the Twin Cities. We provide free, anonymous, easily accessible mental health counseling to people who have urgent needs and few service options. We help people stabilize during a time of crisis and resolve problems before they become so severe they require expensive hospitalization or police involvement, or result in tragedy or major life changes. Our services help people cope and function more effectively in their families, jobs, school and community. All services are provided by volunteers: clinicians, lay people from the community, and students from local Universities. Walk-In is as relevant today as it was in 1969. What a vision those founders had!

PROGRAMS & SERVICES--2023                                                                                                                                 

Mental Health Counseling

We operate free counseling clinics that are all accessible by phone or computer via Zoom. In January 2023, we re-opened in-person clinics three afternoons per week. People come for help with:

• Stress, anxiety, depression
• Relationship issues
• Concern about a loved one
• LGBTQ concerns
• Drug and alchol use
• Grief and loss
• Bullying and school problems
• Trauma and abuse
• Job loss and employment problems
• Suicidal thoughts
• Many more concerns

During clinic hours, clients are seen (via Zoom or in person) without an appointment. Counselors meet privately in Zoom “breakout rooms” or physical meeting rooms at our house on Chicago Avenue, with clients to discuss presenting problems, identify, and provide the most appropriate services. These include: future appointments for brief treatment counseling, direction for crisis intervention, affirmations and support, or referrals and connection to another agency for more appropriate services or for related needs (e.g., safe housing, basic needs assistance, chemical dependency treatment, employment, etc.). Clients who request it are also seen via appointments for “brief treatment” for several (up to about 12) sessions.

Demographics of the nearly 1,600 individual clients served in 2023:
• 47% were non-white (when race was identified)
• 58% women, 36% men, 6% other identification or unknown
• 73% were between the ages of 18-40; 2% were under age 18; 25% over 40
• A number could not use their insurance because of long waits for an appointment, their hesitance to seek “mental health” services; and not wanting a diagnosis on their health record.

In 2023, 100+ people volunteered at Walk-In. Clinically trained volunteer counselors, team consultants and lay receptionists served nearly 1,600 clients in 3,800 free counseling sessions. The contribution of those volunteer hours was valued at $890,000. Over the past 54 years, the value of their contributions is estimated at more than $32 million.

Training and Support of Volunteers

Although our volunteers are highly skilled professionals, ongoing training provided by Walk-In ensures they have the knowledge of and use best practices with our diverse clientele. We provide quarterly trainings for volunteers and representatives of sister agencies on such topics as: trauma, couples/relationship counseling, sexual assault, risk of harm to self or others, confidentiality, mindfulness, models/methods of assessment and interventions, co-occurring mental health and chemical abuse, and single session therapy.