Bridging Faith: Jasmine Roberts’ Path to Bridgehaven Counseling

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

By Giselle Weber

Nestled in Durham, Bridgehaven Counseling Associates is a tool for hope and healing in the local community. Established in 2012 by the Summit Church, Bridgehaven operates as a separate organization with a clear mission: to provide gospel-centered, clinically informed biblical counseling to individuals, couples, and families locally and beyond. Besides offering counseling services, Bridgehaven is dedicated to equipping and resourcing professional and lay counselors, pastors, and churches, empowering them to care for one another as beloved image-bearers of God.

As a nonprofit, donation-based ministry, Bridgehaven relies on the generosity of its counselees and supporters to sustain its operations and continue offering counseling services. With a steadfast commitment to seeing God glorified through the restoration and flourishing of individuals, families, and communities, Bridgehaven stands as a beacon of light in the journey toward wholeness and wellness.

Gospel-centered counseling focuses on authentic change, which stems from cultivating a deeper connection with Christ. Counselors adhere to biblical principles and draw guidance from scripture in their approach to providing support and advice.

Furthermore, Bridgehaven’s approach is clinically informed, acknowledging the diverse ways counseling can be conducted effectively. Many counselors hold advanced degrees and certifications, and a few have specialized training in trauma, ensuring that clients receive the highest-quality care informed by clinical expertise and biblical principles.

By blending gospel-centered principles with clinical expertise, Bridgehaven offers compassionate care to all, regardless of background or location.

Office Manager Jasmine Roberts shares some of her experiences working at Bridgehaven and what led her to work there. As a manager, Jasmine’s role consists primarily of serving as the first point of contact for potential clients. Her interactions with them have the potential to influence community perceptions of the organization and shape their subsequent interactions with Bridgehaven.

“The primary things that I do are the intake process for first-time clients and dealing with financial information. The intake process is first. I make sure all documentation is received, and that could include the initial request for care and anything else,” she said. 

Additionally, as part of her financial duties, Jasmine oversees donation requests, manages payment receipts, and documents donations. While she doesn’t handle payroll, she plays a crucial role in confirming donation receipts and maintaining accurate records for financial transparency.

Jasmine’s role has evolved to include additional projects beyond her initial responsibilities. She now undertakes tasks involving research, implementation, and project spearheading. Recently, she collaborated with a website design agency to update the organization’s branding and website.

While she thoroughly enjoys her position at Bridgehaven, Jasmine’s journey to the organization was unexpected and fortuitous. As a college senior, she reflected on her post-university plans, earnestly seeking divine guidance & surrendering her desires to the will of the Lord. One day, after a family discussion regarding her future post-grad plans, the drive back home led to a surprising interaction with God.

“I was praying about where God would have me (after finishing university). I remember starting the drive back home… I was listening to worship music and praying, asking him for guidance… After, the word Miami had popped into my head,” she said.

After this, Jasmine had numerous unprompted conversations with people from Miami. Using feedback from trusted friends and family, she began to believe that God was leading her to move to the city of Florida. Despite this revelation’s unexpectedness, Jasmine embraced it with a spirit of obedience and trust, recognizing it as a potential direction from God. This moment of clarity was a big step in Jasmine’s journey, illustrating her commitment to follow wherever the Lord may lead.

In the beginning, Jasmine felt that to obey, she should act immediately. But, her plans were put on pause after reading her Bible one day. 

“He (God)  brought me to Proverbs 27:8. I remember reading this verse and thinking about how birds can’t leave the nest too soon, or they won’t be able to fly…When I read that verse, it made me slow down, and I paused for a little bit…If I was going to leave, I wanted to do it wisely; I wanted to learn how to be an adult first,” she said.

So, Jasmine set her sights on getting a job in Raleigh, learning to pay her bills, and fully adjusting to post-grad life. While working at a thrift store, Jasmine never forgot her calling to Miami. Yet amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, she sought to discern how she could honor the Lord with her talents and vocational pursuits while in the Triangle. During this introspective period, Jasmine began to consider becoming a counselor. While researching this potential career path, she stumbled upon Bridgehaven. At the time, they were hiring a new Administrative Assistant- a perfect opportunity to explore counseling.  It wasn’t until later that she discovered it happened to be located at 2304 S Miami Boulevard. Initially, she assumed she was being called to move to Miami. She hadn’t recognized that God could have meant otherwise. This serendipitous encounter brought a sense of peace and purpose. Joining Bridgehaven wasn’t just a career move for her but a calling.

Reflecting on her initial aspirations of a life in a flashy city like Miami, Jasmine realized that God’s plans often transcend our preconceived notions of success and fulfillment. Through her journey at Bridgehaven, Jasmine has learned that any task can be meaningful and God-honoring. For her, Bridgehaven has been the perfect place to explore counseling while growing spiritually and professionally.

For Jasmine, the most rewarding part of her job has been seeing how counseling can impact people’s lives. It’s not just about providing a service; it’s about walking alongside someone on their journey toward healing and wholeness. And for Jasmine, there’s no more extraordinary privilege than being a part of that journey.

“The work environment is really, really rewarding. I have never worked in a setting where everyone is so open and honest about their shortcomings. There is just trust in our workplace that fosters a welcoming and empowering environment…Also, I do get to see people’s lives change through this, and I personally have been changed through counseling. It impacts your walk of life with the Lord and your view of self,” she said. 

In addition to feeling very blessed by being surrounded by a healthy work environment, Jasmine has also felt that working at Bridgehaven has increased her connections with the broader Christian community. Through ongoing collaboration with churches in the RDU area, Bridgehaven has established strong relationships built on trust and mutual respect. These partnerships enhance Bridgehaven’s reach and contribute to the quality of care provided to individuals seeking counseling.

“Because my coworkers are all Christians, it has connected me to more Christians outside my church community…We have good relationships with a lot of churches in the RDU area, and because they trust us and have received a lot of help from us, they will send referrals to other people. So the relationships are maintained by the quality of care Bridgehaven has been giving out to people,” she said. 

Reflecting on her journey, Jasmine acknowledges the importance of prioritizing rest and setting boundaries to maintain emotional well-being. She recognizes that caring for others, whether friends, church members or strangers, requires a level of emotional capacity that must be carefully nurtured. By learning to discern her own capabilities, Jasmine strives to ensure that she can provide excellent care and support to those around her without compromising her well-being. While she remains deeply committed to her work and is passionate about the organization’s mission as an Office Manager, she has realized that pursuing a career as a counselor may not align with her strengths and personal boundaries. Despite this, Jasmine remains dedicated to contributing to Bridgehaven’s mission in ways that honor her strengths, ensuring that she can continue to provide excellent care and support to those around her in a manner that aligns with her values and capabilities.

“After learning to prioritize rest and what I can and can’t do, I don’t have the emotional capacity to support and care for my friends and church well, but also strangers, and do them both excellently,” she said.

Looking specifically at Bridgehaven, Jasmine holds aspirations for continued growth and impact within the community. She desires to see the organization thrive and evolve, improving its services and expanding its reach to make a meaningful difference in the lives of more individuals, couples, and families. In the future, she would like to see Bridghaven add counseling opportunities in multiple languages and looks forward to continuing her work with them.

Jasmine approaches the future with a spirit of openness and surrender, trusting in God’s guidance and timing for her life. While she may have had more specific goals in the past, Jasmine now seeks to remain receptive to whatever path God has in store for her. Believing that God’s next calling will become evident in time, Jasmine finds peace knowing she is exactly where she needs to be now.

“In the past, I would have had more specific things, but right now, I want to be open to what God has for me. I am kind of waiting for God to show me what’s next. He called me here; he’ll let me know if he wants to call me out of it,” she said.