Our Beginnings

Samaritan Counseling & Growth Center was founded in 1974 under the name Pastoral Counseling Foundation. Before then, pastoral counseling in the Bartlesville/Dewey area was offered primarily by individual pastors and priests within their own congregations.

Working Together

In 1974, community leaders and clergy came together with the Bartlesville Ministerial Alliance to create a new model for counseling that served the broader community. With the support of local attorneys and seven area churches, The Pastoral Counseling Foundation was incorporated and its first Board of Directors was formed.

Christian Generosity

On July 27, 1979, a family estate donated a house to First United Methodist Church, which in turn gifted the property to the Foundation for use as its office on Oak Street. Over the next three decades, the Center was guided by directors Roger Anderson (1974–1993) and Warren Sapp (1993–2005).

Growth & Affiliation

In 1990, a home on Shawnee became the Center’s new office, and that same year the organization affiliated with the Solihten Institute, adopting the name Samaritan Counseling & Growth Center. For a time, the Center also operated satellite offices in Independence and Coffeyville, Kansas. 

A Permanent Home

In 2005, the Board of Directors launched a successful capital campaign to purchase and remodel the current facility at 245 SE Madison Blvd. The Center moved into the debt-free building on December 5, 2005. Keith Sheffield was appointed Executive Director in 2006.

Since then, Samaritan has continued to be supported by numerous Bartlesville churches of many denominations and is reviewed and accredited every four years by the Solihten Institute, who’s work is endorsed by the American Medical Association, the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, and the President’s Commission on Mental Health.

Leadership Transitions

• 2017 – Dr. Larry W. Cowan became Executive Director after previously serving as Clinical Director.

• 2019 – Dr. Sonya Torbert was appointed Clinical Director.

• 2022 – Kristin Curd was named Interim Executive Director, with Kevin Suggs stepping into the role of Clinical Director.

• 2024 – Ben Ames was appointed as the first full-time Executive Director and the first non-clinical director in the Center’s history.

Our Mission

The mission of Samaritan Counseling & Growth Center is to provide affordable counseling services that integrate body, mind, and spirit for individuals seeking growth and healing. We serve as an extension of the Church’s pastoral ministry, promoting spiritual, emotional, and relational health for individuals, couples, families, and the wider community.

Celebrating 50 Years of Service (1974–2024)

In 2024, Samaritan Counseling & Growth Center proudly celebrated its 50th Anniversary. For over five decades, Samaritan has stood as a cornerstone of hope and healing in Bartlesville and the surrounding communities, remaining true to its mission while growing to meet the evolving needs of those we serve.