Our story is probably a lot like yours…

The beginnings of Red River Counseling were born out of pain, disappointment, and confusion. Like so many times in our lives, hope was born out of struggle.

A little backstory about me (Branden). I grew up in the Arkansas hill country. Splashing around in creeks and hiking through mountains feels more home-like to me than any house I’ve ever lived in. After teaching in public schools and ministering to teens in the Delta, my wife and I moved to the Jackson area in 2009 with our 4 kids, for what we thought was a temporary stint in grad school at RTS. Those couple of years turned into a few years more, and we eventually found ourselves calling Mississippi home.

In 2017 we moved back to Arkansas to pursue some big dreams through the promises made by a treatment center that had offered me a job. Until then I had worked with an incredible group of counselors at The Shepherd’s Staff in Flowood but I felt the need to move out, partly because of the promises of this new job, but also because of something deeper that was stirring in me.

We moved to a small town on the Little Red River, quite possibly the most beautiful river east of Colorado. Robert Bly talks about water being the ‘places where the ordinary person goes for inspiration, spiritual food, and wisdom.’ In stories, it is in the water that we do our soul work. I knew I needed this kind of deep work, but I had no idea what diving into it would entail.

As it turns out, the promises from this new job were empty and the workplace was toxic. I fell into a deep depression, but kept spending habitual time wading in the waters of the Little Red River, fly fishing for rainbow trout, and showing up for the deep work of transformation that is offered in seasons of pain. Eventually, I left that workplace, something which was tremendously costly, both financially and relationally, but my wife and I both knew that we had to risk the pain of change over the pain of staying the same.

It was in that season of risk, disappointment, and confusion that we bought a 100+ year old house in Heber Springs, Arkansas, and we set up shop as Red River Counseling. I was able to spend a couple of months rehabbing and rebuilding the old house as my own mind and heart were rehabbed from the years of struggle before. This wasn’t my first time to struggle, I carry the healed scar of recovery from addiction, but it was without doubt one of the most difficult times in my life as I sought to start over while caring for my family of 6 (plus three hungry dogs).

Red River Counseling was born out of my own desire to recover, heal, and be empowered to make changes in my life. It is and has been my hope to offer that opportunity to folks who are looking for the same.

Recover from that which binds us, be it depression, addiction, fear, or confusion.

Heal from those old wounds which still cause us pain, trip us up, and keep us from dreaming.

Empower us to make the changes that we long for but too often feel out of our reach.

The desire to move home began to grow in us, and in 2020 we were able to move back to the Jackson area. Again, the difficult choice to step out and step into something new was pretty overwhelming, especially in the midst of a pandemic. But if we have learned anything, it’s that the risk required to lean into a bigger vision for life is always worth it. RRC now offers that same chance for folks to recover, heal, and be empowered in the Jackson area, and I am overjoyed to be able to do so with a group of other counselors who share that same passion.

Now, in 2023, we’re entering the next phase of our growth. Our goal is to offer the same services you might find at a top-notch rehab, but for folks who can only afford the time and finances of an outpatient clinic. We are bringing together a team of independent healing practitioners under one-roof to try and meet this purpose.

Our story and your story are probably similar.
Life gets hard, painful things happen, and we are faced with the choice to stay the same or do something different.

Recovery starts when we want something new. Healing begins when we trust someone enough to help. And we are empowered when we take risks towards a better life.

It is our deep privilege to walk this road with you.

Branden