When a woman in her 70’s was experiencing a series of health challenges over a five-year period, she thought she had nowhere to turn—until she found Pro Bono Counseling (PBC). Thanks to a PBC volunteer therapist who donated their time and expertise, she has been able to cope during a difficult time.

“Pro Bono Counseling has been a great help,” she recently shared. “It’s been a great source of relief. I really look forward to talking to my therapist every week.”

She added how valuable it’s been to have a safe space to share how she’s feeling and how much it means to access that support without financial stress.

“The fact that I can get this help and don’t have to worry about how to pay for it—if it can help someone else the way it’s helping me, it’s a great thing,” she said.

The woman’s story is just one of over 1,800 lives transformed by PBC volunteers in 2024 alone. Volunteer clinicians donated more than 12,000 hours of counseling to ensure Marylanders in need received access to critical mental health care—care that would have been inaccessible to many without their generosity.

More than 900 licensed professional counselors, social workers, doctors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, nurses, and art therapists located across the state are enrolled with PBC as volunteers and provide mental health care to those in need. Volunteers provide a safe and supportive space, either in person or via secure platforms, for clients to share and explore a wide range of issues that may be challenging them.

The diversity among PBC volunteers in terms of cultural backgrounds, expertise, therapy styles, and spoken languages allows for personalized matching between therapists and clients. This tailored approach ensures that Marylanders receive specialized care addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, loss, and parenting challenges.

While each volunteer pledges to take on at least one pro bono case per year, many exceed this commitment. In 2024, 305 clinicians worked with two to five clients, and 67 donated their services to more than five individuals.

And the need continues to grow.

“Demand for mental health services continues to rise, with counseling requests this year surpassing those of last year,” remarked Clinical Director Sherri Bloom. “Thanks to the dedication of PBC volunteer clinicians, Marylanders facing mental health concerns can access the care and support they urgently need and deserve.”

Stories like this woman’s remind us why Pro Bono Counseling exists—to ensure that no one has to navigate life’s challenges alone simply because they can’t afford care or face other barriers to care.

If you’re a licensed mental health professional interested in volunteering with PBC, please visit our website to enroll or email PBC’s Outreach Manager.

 

Since its founding in 1991, Pro Bono Counseling® (PBC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, has helped over 40,000 individuals and families throughout Maryland connect with volunteer counselors and obtain the mental health care they could not otherwise afford. Presently, PBC has over 900 volunteer clinicians all over the state of Maryland who give over 12,000 hours of their time each year.

If you’d like to support PBC, please click here to make an online, tax-deductible gift.