Our Mission
Our mission is to offer compassionate Christian care to our clients, help them work through their presenting issues, and find solutions to life's challenges by providing them with support and encouragement that is both bliblically-based and results-oriented. Chino Hills Counseling's providers aim to offer compassionate Christian care; counseling that incorporates the spiritual dimension, Biblical truths, and a seeking of God's will in an individual's life. This Faith-based integration is upon request from clients who seek to create, build, or repair their faith as it is woven through their life and it's experiences.
Secular counseling, that is, counseling that does not incorporate the spiritual dimension, is also available at Chino Hills Counseling. Each clinician is professionally trained to provide this type of client care. With a desire to help clients overcome personal struggles, find meaning and joy within their lives, and increase their mental and emotional health, Chino Hills Counseling aims to provide services to any and all individuals who seek it.
History
Chino Hills Counseling was first opened in 2004 by Lori Lira, a Licensed Marriage and Family and Registered Play Therapist. Five years later, the office of Chino Hills Counseling was moved to the neighboring city of Chino, CA, and in August of 2011, the organization was purchased by Dr. Kari Halko-Weekes, a dual licensed Psychologist and Marriage Family Therapist as well as the owner and Director of Claremont Counseling and Support Center. Dr. Halko-Weekes would work in the years to follow, to unite both Claremont and Chino Hills Counseling to provide the highest quality of psychological and counseling services, while still maintaining the foundation that Lori laid.
From 2010 to 2015, Chino Hills Counseling worked along side Stay Designated, Inc., a California registered 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization and Executive Director Griffen Halko, with a focus on drunk driving education, prevention, substance abuse, addiction, and recovery work. In October of 2015, the counseling services division of Stay Designated was dissolved and intellectual property absorbed and continued by, Dr. Halko-Weekes, Griffen Halko, and staff. The efforts and contributions of Stay Designated laid the ground work for what is now much of the substance abuse 'arm' of both Claremont and Chino Hills Counseling.
Chances For Change is an umbrella program which includes a behavioral skills program, substance abuse program, and impact panels which take place both in office and in outside facilities. Chances For Change's behavioral skills program has been implemented as an approved diversion program by the San Bernardino District Attorney's office at Don Lugo High School since 2017. The substance abuse program has been utilized by employers, educational facilities, and individuals for several years.
Aside from providing the highest quality of professional and psychological counseling services to clients, over the years, both Claremont and Chino Hills Counseling have acted as a training facility for Associate Marraige Family Therapists, post-doc Psy.D graduates and Psychological Assistants, providing training and supervision prior to licensure. Continual training is a focal point of Chino Hills Counseling, ensuring that all therapists remain on the forefront of today's issues as well as therapetuic approaches, techniques, and interventions. Dr. Kari Halko-Weekes has also supervised several groups of trainees in their Master's of Arts program at Azusa Pacific University over the past five years.
Dr. Halko-Weekes is an active direct therapist that focuses on the short-term, brief and result-oriented treatment. She facilitates emotional completion of current and past wounds aimed at removing barriers, and advocating movement forward. Dr. Weekes also works in conjunction with the other therapists in the office as needed to meet specific client needs.