Lake Area Counseling, LLC.

Christian-based mental health services are the focus of Lake Area Counseling, LLC, a counseling clinic located on Kirkman Street near downtown Lake Charles. The practice serves individuals, couples, and families across Southwest Louisiana, offering a broad spectrum of services that includes individual counseling, therapy for children ages five and older, adolescent counseling, couples and family therapy, anger management, and addiction counseling. For those in immediate need, the clinic offers crisis counseling appointments within 48 hours, and weekend sessions are available virtually by request.

The clinic takes a relationship-centered approach to mental health, emphasizing practical problem-solving and forward-focused work rather than avoidance of underlying issues. Staff also provide PLPC supervision and employee trainings, extending the clinic's reach beyond individual therapy into professional development contexts. Joel Daugherty, LPC-S, is among the credentialed practitioners associated with the practice. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday mornings until 12:30 p.m., with virtual availability on weekends by request. The clinic's integration of Christian faith into its counseling framework is a defining characteristic, and additional resources on faith-based counseling as well as local family and youth community services are available through the practice.