The Loyola University Center for Counseling and Education (LCCE) opened in 2019, after Louisiana had been ranked 45th in access to care. Hosted by Loyola University New Orleans’ Department of Counseling, in partnership with the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic & Assistance Foundation and Preservation Hall Foundation, the LCCE has been offering sliding scale, individual, couple and family therapy, and now the clinic is expanding to offer therapeutic groups as well.

One of the two offered group therapy sessions, Play it Out! A Playful Way to a Closer Relationship, allows parents of children up to age 11 to take part in psycho-educational support groups. While parents learn the skills used by play therapists to enhance the parent/child relationship, LCCE offers childcare services, so parents won’t have to worry. The Play It Out! groups are led by Annie Rooney and Allison Walsh.

LCCE is also offering group therapy for service industry professionals, a much needed service considering the United States Census Bureau’s 2017 statistics, noting around 10 percent of the population in New Orleans worked in food preparation & serving related occupations, jobs which include the bartenders who work at the local music venues and who are tasked with keeping New Olreans’ lively spirit in place.

In 2015 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association sponsored a study indicating that the service industry ranked number one in substance abuse disorder. The Associated Press reported in 2007 that service industry workers had one of the highest depression rates among U.S. workers. When the Heirloom Foundation teamed up with Chefs with Issues to sponsor a study of mental health in the industry, they found 94 percent of the 1,000 surveyed workers reported current or past mental health issues.

The therapy offered for service industry workers by LCCE is in the form of a therapeutic support group for adults, aged 18 and older, who work professionally in the service industry. The groups are guided by Renee Floer, PLPC and Sarah Zoghbi.

The LCCE clinic is located at 2020 Calhoun St. in Mercy Hall on Loyola University’s campus. The Play it Out! groups run for eight sessions at $15 per each session. Service industry group therapy is running for 10 sessions with a sliding scale payment. LCCE is open Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information regarding LCCE and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the FCCE website, here.