What We Do

Life is often a mix of what happens to you and how you interpret and interact with your experiences. You are given the ability and power to have a say in the direction of your life. You have choice. However, you don’t always have control. A variety of circumstances can keep you from experiencing freedom and enjoyment. This is where CrossRoads can help. We work with people experiencing a broad range of symptoms from anxiety to depression, from fear to anger, and from the common pains in relationships to the ways you see yourself. We believe that there are deeper reasons you’re experiencing problems. We want to carefully collaborate with you to build hope and purpose in your heart, your life and your relationships, restoring freedom and enjoyment.

Take two people; each with different stories, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. Each person having positive and negative life experiences. This is the basic makeup of marriage. It can make for a joyful partnership. It can also be a bumpy if not deeply painful path. A path that you’re not sure you signed up for and may question if you want to stay on. Honestly, there is almost always some of each in marriage.

We work with marriages, ones on the brink of divorce, ones that have significant brokenness and ones that just need some help getting through a tough period. We can help each of you to know and be known more completely, to grow deeper intimacy and to face each other and life, truly together.

Families go through a lot, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. We want to help. We want to help moms and dads love their kids well. We want to help kids relate with and honor their parents. We strive to help families see their inherent strengths as well as pursue healing and change where it's needed. Whether your family is in transition, in crisis, or just needs some guidance, we hope you'll listen to the voice inside that wonders if counseling might help. We're here to help.

Adolescence is a confusing time for young people and parents alike. As a teenager transitions from childhood to adulthood, the aim is for a young person to emerge with a healthy sense of who he is and what he can handle apart from his family. Sadly, this journey sometimes leaves teenagers feeling separated rather than supported, uncertain rather than confident, misunderstood rather than valued. At CrossRoads, we desire to help adolescents navigate the ups and downs while restoring family relationships to empower healthy emotional growth. CrossRoads has experience treating teenagers with family difficulties, eating disorders, self mutilation, and sexual trauma. If you're wondering if we can help, call us to set up a consultation session.

In 2010, CrossRoads opened a play therapy room, giving our youngest clients new tools to tell their stories in a child's natural way. Play therapy invites children to make sense of their fears, traumas, and conflicts by creating miniature worlds they can manipulate to express their inner feelings. Because young children have limited patience and emotional vocabulary, play therapy is a highly effective way to engage them in the process of healing. Participating in therapy at an early age allows children to complete important developmental stages that may have been stifled by trauma, loss, and transition. CrossRoads works with children from ages 3-12.

Wounded Heart

For more than a decade, CrossRoads' Wounded Heart groups have helped people deal with the difficult questions of life. In the group, you will be invited to explore how your experiences have shaped who you are and how you relate. You will be encouraged to wrestle with the life themes that have kept you feeling fearful, angry, or empty. You will be equipped to pursue deeper, more real relationships.

These groups use Dan Allender's Wounded Heart book and workbook along with supplemental materials provided by CrossRoads. While it is common for potential group members to experience anxiety about joining, it is just as common for them to be so glad they did.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the groups for?

Although the Wounded Heart material was written specifically for those who have experienced sexual abuse, the principles outlined in the book transcend that one application. About 50% of the members of each group have experienced some form of sexual abuse. The other 50% will have experienced some other form of abuse (physical or emotional), a significant betrayal or loss in their lives, or are aware of a confusing sense of disconnect in relationships. Among all the reasons for which people come to the groups, a common denominator is the desire for more relationally.

What is the group format?

We have two different group formats: Therapist-led groups and Self-led groups. Therapist-led groups are led by a therapist and meet for 1.5 hours per week for 29 weeks. These groups are an introduction to the Wounded Heart material. Self-led groups are designed to provide a more in-depth experience. These groups receive support and training from a therapist while group leadership rotates among the group members themselves. Self-led groups meet for 2 hours per week for 55 weeks. Self-led group members are graduates of Therapist-led groups who desire to dive more deeply into the material and the relationships in the group.

What is the group composition?

There are no more than 7 members in a group. You will be in a group with people of your same gender.

How much do the groups cost?

Therapist-led groups cost $30.00 per week for a total of $870. The self-led group is $440 plus the fee of the therapist. The cost, therefore, depends on how many members the group has and how often the therapist is present.

How often do groups start?

Groups start on a rolling basis. Because we are committed to forming a group that we believe has the best chance to succeed, it is not unusual to wait several months for the next group to begin. We have found that group members benefit from a having a mix of ages, experiences, marital status, and styles of relating.

What's the process for joining a group?

If you are interested in joining a Therapist-led group, please call Heather Bauer at (314) 469-5522 x27. Heather will meet with you to explore whether the Wounded Heart group might be a good fit for you. There is no cost or commitment associated with meeting with Heather. If you have been in a Therapist-led group and would like information about a Self-led group, please call Susan Wolfe at (314) 469-5522 x25.

Using Ashley Stanford's compelling and insightful book "Asperger Syndrome and Long-Term Relationships," seven women meet together with Dr. Bob Gordon and Susan Wolfe, MA, LPC every other week for 24 weeks.

By joining us, you will have the opportunity to explore faithfulness in the struggle of being married to a man who has moderate to profound characteristics of Aspergers. In past groups there has been much laughter and a few tears as courageous women have searched for LIGHT in the heaviness of remaining committed to their husband's dignity and growth. Come, experience a place where you will find, give and receive support, while avoiding simple, unsatisfying answers to your loneliness and pain.

CrossRoads has started going to the need. For many years Dr. Gordon has had a desire to meet the needs of individuals and families who serve and suffer as they provide physical and soul care for broken people around the world. In 2010 he took his first trip and is now leading CrossRoads into being a truly multinational service organization. Please read his blog. You’ll be encouraged and challenged.