Our Mission
Black Mountain Counseling Center is a non-profit, professional mental health counseling service providing care out of offices in Black Mountain and Old Fort as well as online for clients in Buncombe and McDowell counties. BMCC is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization that relies on donations to serve our clients, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured. Services are provided by licensed, experienced counselors working with children, adults, seniors, and families within Western North Carolina. Black Mountain Counseling Center is committed to raising the standard of mental health care in WNC for those who cannot afford professional services on their own.
Our new satellite office!
We are thrilled to announce that in 2021 we opened a second office in Old Fort, NC! This new satellite office will serve clients in Old Fort, Marion, McDowell County, and the surrounding areas. Our main office is in Black Mountain. Learn more about our office locations on our “Become a Client” tab.
It all started when…
Black Mountain Counseling Center, INC was formed in 2007 when Ellen Begley, LPC, a child counselor at the time, was approached by a woman seeking mental health services following the closure of Blue Ridge Mental Health. Realizing that the Swannanoa Valley had a huge need for affordable, accessible care, Begley, along with Jack Culbreth, and Bill Christian formed the Black Mountain Pastoral Care and Counseling Center.
In 2013, the name was changed to Black Mountain Counseling Center to better encompass the services provided as well as advertise its inclusive approach to counseling. In 2014, Ellen Begley became the Executive Director of the Black Mountain Counseling Center.
In 2017, Black Mountain Counseling Center expanded its partnership with Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry by moving into the Renae Brame Opportunity House, located on the SVCM property beside the Meals on Wheels meeting area and the AB Tech GED program. In 2018, due to the increased number of clients, board secretary and architect extraordinaire Susan Robinson designed two new offices to be used as counseling offices. Over the last three years, BMCC has expanded and developed new relationships with other healthcare providers in the area, as well as other nonprofits and businesses.
Volunteers hanging the BMCC sign at Old Fort Presbyterian Church, our secondary office location.
In 2021 BMCC opened its secondary office location in Old Fort, NC.
Since 2016, our client base has grown by over 400% with a constant demand for services. As a result, the current BMCC board developed the Long Range Planning Committee. We look forward to seeing where the next ten years take us. Black Mountain Counseling Center will always be a mission-focused, non-profit that provides quality, professional mental health services regardless of a client’s ability to pay.