Everyone deserves to find healing and wholeness. 

But as a longtime counselor working in the mental health field, Chad Potts has met individuals who lack the resources they need to get help — and experienced the stigma around mental health struggles.

“Before I ever started doing one-on-one counseling, I led support groups for depression and bipolar disorder for about seven years through a church in Johns Creek,” Chad explained. 

“In those days, there was more stigma around the idea of having mental health challenges or even around people who had diagnosable mental illness. People didn’t really talk about these challenges. You were afraid you’d lose your job if your employer found out. People didn’t want their friends or coworkers to know.”

Chad has also seen stigma surrounding mental health challenges in Christian and faith-based communities. 

“The tide is really turning on this, which is great,” he explained. “But there’s still an element of, ‘This is all solvable through reading my Bible or through prayer.’ Of course, those are components of a healthy person in a healthy life. But there are other things that can work in tandem with them.”

Eight years ago, Chad and his wife decided to found their own faith-based counseling center.

“We believe true healing happens when clinical excellence and spiritual truth come together,” Chad shared.

“Freedom Path Counseling is a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible, compassionate mental health care to individuals, couples and families.”

Freedom Path Counseling offers counseling services, support groups and community outreach opportunities to help individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma and other challenges. 

“Our goal is to create a community where mental health support is both accessible and stigma-free, especially within faith communities where these conversations haven’t always been easy,” he said.

Freedom Path Counseling’s services are provided on a sliding scale, allowing individuals to receive the services they need at a manageable cost.

“The financial support we receive makes our services possible. We apply our sliding scale uniquely to each individual or family that comes in based on their specific circumstances,” Chad explained.

“One of the most meaningful experiences we see regularly is when someone receives counseling through a scholarship funded by someone they will likely never meet. We’ve had individuals come to us in deep crisis — overwhelmed, financially strained and unsure where to turn. Because of the generosity of others, they’re able to care, find stability and begin healing.”

But the act of kindness often doesn’t stop there.

“Many of those same individuals later feel called to give back, whether through serving, donating or simply encouraging others. It becomes a ripple effect of kindness, one act of generosity leading to another. That’s the kind of impact we believe truly changes communities.”

Even though Freedom Path’s work is bearing much fruit, counseling can be heavy on Chad and his staff.

“It does take a unique individual to do this type of work,” he explained. “A lot of people get through seven or eight years of school and realize, ‘I can’t do this work.’ It can be draining or overwhelming. 

“I really believe it’s a personality and gifting to empathize and understand and to be able to walk away when you need to.”

The heaviness of the work makes prayer an important part of Freedom Path Counseling’s outreach.

“Prayer is both connection and surrender. It’s where we bring our burdens, fears and hopes honestly before God and where we’re reminded we don’t carry them alone,” he explained.

“In the context of counseling, prayer is not a replacement for action, but a foundation for it. It creates space for peace, clarity and guidance. It reminds us that healing is not something we manufacture on our own; it’s something we participate in with God.” 

He hopes the community will not only give to support those coming for counseling but also pray for the individuals and families as they walk their journey to healing and for the staff who walk the journey with them.

“Pray for the people that we serve who are taking those courageous steps, for our staff who are putting themselves out there to support people and carrying a lot on their wellbeing and for us as an organization to remain focused on our mission,” Chad said.

“Ultimately, we want to help people rewrite their stories from surviving to thriving.”

To support individuals and families on their path to healing, give to Freedom Path Counseling’s fund.