Chicopee Counseling Center Names New Director

CHICOPEE — Marisa Brown has been named the new Director of Chicopee Counseling Center, located at 141 East Main St. in Chicopee Falls.

“I am committed to the people here,” Brown said. “I lived in Chicopee for 10 years when I first came to the Pioneer Valley, and I know that people who are born here often stay here. It’s also a place many immigrants come and settle and bring their friends and families. There is a diverse ethnic mix of people here, all of whom deserve support services that are sensitive to their culture and their family traditions.”

The center is a full-service mental health clinic run by ServiceNet, Inc., which provides a wide range of human services for people in the Pioneer Valley, including acute mental health services, outpatient clinical and counseling services, adolescent support programs, an employee assistance program, early intervention for young children, home health care, shelter and housing services for the homeless, and rehabilitation and residential programs for those with mental health issues, mental retardation, or head injuries.

Chicopee Counseling Center currently has 10 therapists and two psychiatrists on staff. A complete range of services is available, including medication evaluation and treatment, psychological testing, and counseling services. Treatment is provided for mental health and substance abuse problems on a short-term or long-term basis.

“We have a staff of very talented therapists who bring a range of skills to helping individuals and families, children and adolescents,” Brown said. “We serve people of all abilities, including those with mental retardation. Our focus is on giving people the support that meets their particular needs.”

Brown particularly noted her desire to reach out to the senior population. “The number of residents over age 60 is growing, and these individuals may face particular issues such as declining health and independence, isolation, depression, and loss of lifelong friends and partners.”

Brown brings diverse experience to area residents, having most recently worked for 10 years as a clinical social worker for Mercy Home Care and Overlook visiting nurse services throughout the greater Chicopee, Springfield, and Holyoke area. Brown had been an outpatient psychotherapist for ServiceNet in the Northampton area for three years.