It is hard to imagine that the first Clinic started in 1976—47 years ago! First as Minirth-Meier Clinic, and then since 1999, as Meier Clinics, now with 12 programs in seven states nationally, and potentially adding another Meier Clinic in the Nashville area in the next year. Doctors Minirth and Meier were going to focus their attention as psychiatrists on teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary. They wanted to train future pastors how to recognize depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions and to be aware of conditions that could benefit from a doctor or counselor to help someone in their congregation to have hope for feeling good again and being able to live out a rewarding life. For those people with genetic predispositions towards certain mental health diagnoses such as Bipolar Disorders and genetic depressions, it could be life-changing to help by getting them on an appropriate medication in addition to counseling services.
Over our 47 years, Meier Clinics has become known as “One of the most trusted names in Christian Counseling.” Our weekday, daily radio program on Moody Broadcast Network starting in the 1980’s for over 20 years, reached up to 2 million listeners per day. During those past 47 years, Dr. Paul Meier has authored or coauthored over 100 published books that sold over 8 million copies in 31 languages, reaching millions for Christ. At age 78, he is still working on a few more even now, focusing on emotional struggles that nearly all of us face at some time in our lives, and the best ways to overcome them, integrating Scripture with excellent psychiatric and clinical principles that our providers have been trained to provide and share. Meier Clinics is known for its Christian Counseling services—we haven’t “hidden it under a bushel.” All of our clinical and medical staff who provide client care sign our Statement of Faith, and that has led people to drive or fly great distances to come to one of our Meier Clinics for services. Patients have come from all over the world to attend our Catalyst programs for 3 to. 4 weeks of daily therapy and medication management. Up to 35% of our clients attending our Catalyst Partial Hospitalization Programs have historically been from outside the state that the program is in —- people going the distance to have the wholistic care we provide, treating them physically, emotionally, and spiritually to give them the greatest opportunity for a better life ahead. We provide over 72,000 client sessions each year nationally.
It has been challenging going through these last three years of COVID, with restrictions on in-person sessions, masking restrictions, travel restrictions, and the shortage of staff worldwide that became a reality for most companies. We learned how to provide remote services through using a HIPAA-compliant platform for those who prefer that, as well as offering in-person services for those who want to be seen in person.
The impact COVID has had on many people in their jobs has been significant. We have historically provided approximately over $700,000 in charitable care discounts each year to those who want our Meier Clinic services but were having financial hardships and limited insurance. Last year we provided over $840,000 in charitable care discounts! The challenge is that we were only able to raise about one-fourth of that amount through fundraising efforts. Our greatest donors historically have either had a dear friend or loved one or have been the people receiving care at Meier Clinics, whose lives have changed for the good, or marriages have been saved. As you will see by some of the testimonials we have included, there have been lives changed, and marriages saved, and one life change impacts so many others in his/her family, in their friendships, in their churches, in their communities– that the ripple effect of a positively changed life is amazing. God has been so good and so faithful in getting us to 2023 when many times it was a challenge to see ahead. We sincerely ask you right now—would you like to “pay it forward” for someone and make it possible for them to have a changed life? Realize that many others in their sphere of influence will have their own lives emotionally and spiritually impacted by that gift. If you provide a donation to Meier Clinics Foundation as a 501c3 non-profit and tax-deductible organization, 100% of that donation will go to charitable care for those requiring financial assistance to receive Christian mental health services. Please contact hgandy@meierclinicstg.wpenginepowered.com or click the Donate button in the newsletter or on our website to give your tax-deductible gift.
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There are several other wonderful charitable care organizations that our Meier Clinics Foundation has partnered with in various ministries for many years now. Some of them include:
- A Meier Clinic located on the campus of Lawndale Christian Health Center, in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Chicago. This clinic offers services to people at extremely low costs to accommodate them in both Spanish and English with our Meier Clinic providers.
- Naomi’s House, a ministry of Moody Bible Church in Chicago, to rescue young women from sex trafficking. Their ministry provides them lodging, food, clothing, job training and education, and our Meier Clinics help provide clinical and medical counseling services.
- Real Options for Women in the Dallas area of Texas. This is a ministry that many evangelical churches in the surrounding Dallas area are involved in who assist women with unplanned pregnancies, giving them care and resources, and Meier Clinics staff provides counseling services.
Nancy Meier Brown, Co-Founder with her brother, Dr. Paul Meier of Meier Clinics, also wants to share that as of last August 16, 2023, she has retired from the position of President of Meier Clinics Foundation after serving in this role for 24 years and taken a different role at Meier Clinics Foundation as she moves to somewhat less responsibility. She is now serving as Co-Founder/National Director of Development. Her main goals will be to work with fundraising nationally for the Meier Clinics Foundation; expand Christian Counseling Professionals workshops and clergy/counselor conferences nationally that she began in 2011 in the Chicagoland area; and consult with and help mentor our newly named President, Erin Jones, who has served as the Regional Manager of Texas
We are so thankful that Erin Jones has accepted the role of President of Meier Clinics. We have great confidence in her for the future. Dr. Meier, at age 78, is still in excellent physical and emotional health and continues to serve as Medical Director of the national chain and continues to see clients in both outpatient and our Dallas Catalyst program daily, full-time, and hopes to do this for many years to come, as God permits. Many of our ancestors served God in various capacities well into their 90’s.
Still in His service,
Nancy Meier Brown and Paul Meier, M.D.
