During a difficult time, such as a death in the family or the end of a relationship, many people turn to professional counselors to help deal with the grief. For people with limited income, counseling is not always an option. Liberty Path, a 501c3 nonprofit in Cy-Fair, provides vital counseling for an affordable price to those most in need.

Liberty Path board members founded the organization in 2004 after pooling together $3,000, President and CEO Eriko N. Valk said. The organization's reputation grew with word-of-mouth, and it soon became known at local colleges as a good source of training for students in counseling programs.

Clients pay for Liberty Path's services on a sliding scale based on what they can afford. Families with limited income or special needs children are not required to pay at all. Of the 13,812 counseling sessions provided thus far, 10,956 have been provided at no cost, community outreach advocate Michelle Peters said.

"People immediately think of counseling as something they can't afford, but this place allows people to get the help and the hope that they can work through their issues," she said.

Valk has earned doctorates in both social work and psychology and developed a signature Liberty Path methodology used in sessions. Sessions involve a series of assignments that, when done in a certain order, help clients get to the root of a problem and identify the issues faster, Valk said.

Liberty Path helps people deal with issues such as addiction, grief, divorce and other relationship issues. In the past year, Valk said her team helped restore 31 marriages and helped 36 people refrain from addiction for at least six months.

Grace is a key part of the counseling, said Susan Zohn, a licensed professional counselor with Liberty Path.

"There is no condemnation," she said. "Counseling can make people feel uncomfortable, but we've had people tell us it makes them feel normal."

Only about 8 percent of Liberty Path's revenue comes from session fees, Valk said. The rest comes from donations. Liberty Path also depends heavily on volunteers.

Liberty Path's mission is based on Christian principles, and Christian teachings guide a lot of the counseling. Valk said everyone involved in the organization is an active member of a church. However, she stressed she does not turn anyone away based on religion.

"Our mantra is that we mend broken lives, heal emotional pain and restore lost hope," she said. "Everyone needs help at one time or another."

Liberty Path

12777 Jones Road, Ste. 104

Houston 281-890-0224

www.libertypath.org