New Hope Online Counseling
The New Hope Crisis Counseling Center was established by Dr. Robert H. Schuller on September 15th, 1968 as America's first 24-hour nationwide suicide prevention and telephone counseling center sponsored by a church. On June 1, 1997 Rev. Tim Milner and I (Dr. Bill Gaultiere) started NewHopeNow, featuring New Hope’s free crisis counseling service in private chat rooms on the Internet, the first service of it’s kind in the world!
The heart of New Hope is its team of over 350 volunteer counselors! Telephone counselors serve in the Tower of Hope on the Crystal Cathedral campus in Garden Grove, California, USA. Internet counselors serve from their home computers and live in many states throughout America and in other countries around the world.
These extraordinary Christian volunteers offer eight hours a month to answer the calls of anonymous hurting people from around the world at all hours of the day and night - 160 calls per day, 42,000 calls per year, and over 1,350,000 calls since it's opening - all free of charge! Most every day someone who is suicidal finds New Hope for living by calling (714) NEW-HOPE or www.NewHopeNow.org.
New Hope Counselors are trained and supervised by Rev. Dr. James Kok, Minister and Executive Director of Care Ministries at the Crystal Cathedral, and myself, Dr. Bill Gaultiere, Clinical Psychologist and Executive Director of New Hope.
Trainees describe New Hope’s 40-hour Basic Training program as a life-changing experience. Over the years over three thousand people have participated and learned the spirit and skill of giving New Hope as a crisis counselor. Some of the subjects we cover include: active listening, crisis intervention, prayer, setting boundaries, and helping people with common problems. Additional continuing education classes are offered monthly.
As with New Hope Counseling itself, the most important part of New Hope Basic Training is interaction. Students participate in small groups (in which they tell their life stories of personal healing or growth), lively classroom discussions, and supervised telephone counseling. An internet version of New Hope’s Basic Training and Continuing Education program is offered on a private website for New Hope counselors and trainees.
In this spirit, volunteers offer a helping hand of encouragement, prayer, crisis intervention, and referrals to callers who are suicidal, lonely, or in need of support. Callers may be struggling with grief, depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship problems, spiritual issues, or other problems.
By caring for anonymous people in need at no cost - without regard for gender, color, socioeconomic status, religion, lifestyle, or personal problem - New Hope offers a cup of cold water in Jesus' name to thirsty souls.
On behalf of over 350 New Hope volunteers, Pastor Jim Kok and the New Hope staff and I thank you for giving us the honor of offering our services to you!
