University of Virginia Library

Family Service Provides Counseling
For Marital, Personal Relationships

By SUZY LAWSON

The Family Service Inc.
aims at preventing poor mental
health, unpleasant family
experiences, and, "mainly
stifling human relationships,"
according to Service counselor
Cathy Bodkin.

The Service, located at 116
W. Jefferson St., concentrates
on marriage and family
counseling, especially between
children and parents. Groups
are being set up for single
parents and for divorced
parents so that they can discuss
their problems together and
thereby help each other.
Counseling is also available for
divorced couples who are
having trouble coping with the
problems of divorced families.

Groups Started

Groups are also being
started to develop
"self-actualization." Mrs.
Bodkin emphasized that
Family Service is "basically
interested in prevention"
rather than waiting to work on
a cure for problems that arise.

Mrs. Bodkin asserted that
the service wants people to
look at their marriages and
relationships. "We want to help
improve communications,
perspectives, and goals, and
facilitate lives," she said.

Center Planned

A youth program has been
established by the Service to
provide help in pre-marital
counseling and human
relations. A "drop-in" center
was planned, but the funds
were not received for the
project.

The Youth Counselor is
Debbie Donald, who has a
bachelor's degree in social
work. Anyone with problems
may drop in to talk with Miss
Donald. "If necessary, groups
will be set up, but the volume
of youth visiting the service is
not on a large enough scale yet
to warrant the establishment of
such groups," Mrs. Bodkin
commented.

Percentage Received

Family Service received the
largest percentage of the
United Givers Fund in
Charlottesville, a grant of
$63.780. They are followed by
American Red Cross who
received $58.000.

The United Givers Fund is
an incorporation of all the
fund drives which were
formerly conducted in
Charlottesville. Any agency
wishing to receive money from
the Fund must submit an
in-depth study to prove need
for and proper use of the
money.

Family Service Inc. has 250
nationwide branch offices. The
Charlottesville branch dropped
out of the national
organization due to
disagreements. These conflicts
stemmed partly from the types
of personnel to be hired.

'More Than Social Work'

"The staff in Charlottesville
wishes to concentrate on more
than social work" said Mrs.
Bodkin. "Many of the national
offices are interested in the
psychoanalytic approach to
problems while the local
branch is more
communication, interaction,
and education oriented," she
continues.

Treatment includes use of
filmstrips and booklets for

discussion. Tests are also
implemented, but only as
discussion tools, not to
evaluate the counselee.

If medication is needed, the
Service refers the patient to
Blue Ridge Mental Health
Clinic or his own doctor. "This
rarely occurs," Mrs. Bodkin
added.

Stressing the "preventive
basis," Mrs. Bodkin said, "the
Service runs basically on what
the community wants. We are
open to any suggestions or
ideas anyone might have."

Executive Director for the
Family Service is Gary
Hardley. Three full-time
counselors are also employed.
Martha Keasley visits the
homes of elderly persons and
performs mostly homemaker
services.

Randall Somerville and Mrs.
Bodkin are also employed
full-time.

The board of directors
incorporates five youth board
members, two from the area
high schools and three from
the University.