CHARIS Counseling associates was founded in 1997 as a nonprofit Christian, professional counseling center. CHARIS was born as an outgrowth of a Legal and Ethical Issues class of the Western Seminary counseling program in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Kay Bruce and her students began to envision a faith-based counseling center that would uphold Christian principles, professional ethics and standards, state and federal laws, and serve as a major resource to area churches, schools, and the whole community.
The center initially opened for business in the basement of a rural historic church building. The first three years of business resulted in a doubling of growth each year. We added new counselors and quickly outgrew the facilities. In 1999, CHARIS moved into the parsonage owned by Brush Prairie Baptist Church, Vancouver, Washington. Many people donated materials, money, and time to repair and remodel the interior to make it conducive to a counseling center. Presently, we have three full time and three part-time counselors who serve a wide variety of clients and ages.
