Mercy Multiplied’s Christian residential counseling program helps young women ages 13-32 from across the United States. The Residential Program is voluntary, biblically-based, and through our generous donors, it is completely free-of-charge. Our goal is to help residents permanently stop destructive cycles, discover purpose for their lives, and experience God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power.
Many of the young women who come to Mercy are facing a variety of circumstances that are impacting their ability to function in daily life. These young women have often been in multiple treatment facilities and seen by handfuls of therapists but are unable to have long-term success. At Mercy Multiplied, we see each young woman’s potential and come alongside her to receive healing and transformation.
Mercy Multiplied’s multi-dimensional program is designed to support the whole person: spirit, soul, and body. We provide individual and group counseling, menus and meal plans approved by a Registered Dietician, and Life Skill classes to prepare residents for life after Mercy.
Class
Each day the residents participate in a morning and evening class where a guest speaker will share words of encouragement to the residents or they’ll watch a video teaching. Topics covered in class can include forgiveness, boundaries, personal finance, and leadership. These teachings are often the materials by well-known speakers and/or pastors which can include Joyce Meyer, Priscilla Shirer, Andy Stanley, and Dave Ramsey.
Nutrition
Each resident will work with a Mercy Nutrition Manager to develop a meal plan and create goals to achieve healthy living.
Fitness
Each resident will work with a Mercy Fitness Manager to develop an exercise plan and create goals to achieve healthy living.
Life Skill Classes
Throughout the month the residents will participate in Life Skills Classes to equip them for life after Mercy. Life Skill topics can include budgeting, creating a résumé, car maintenance, developing social skills, and goal setting. Residents are also responsible for assigned chores in the home.
Outings
Once a week all the residents will go to stores in the area, where they can purchase any personal items and spend time outside of the home. Depending on the home’s schedule, the residents often attend church events, sporting events, concerts, and/or conferences.
Aftercare Planning
In preparing for Graduation, Staff will work with each resident to begin planning, preparing, and equipping them for life after Mercy. This often includes finalizing plans for work, school, transportation, and living arrangements.
Mercy Multiplied developed a counseling model known as Choices that Bring Change that combines biblical principles of healing and unconditional love with best-practice clinical interventions and has been developed from over three decades of experience. As part of the model, seven key components are addressed in counseling:
- Commitment to Christ
- Choosing to Forgive
- Renewing the Mind
- Generational Patterns
- Healing Life Hurts
- Freedom From Oppression
- Principles for Life-Long Success
Each Choices that Bring Change component equips a resident to receive freedom in the program while being empowered to maintain and guard their freedom once they leave the program.
Residents will participate in weekly individual counseling and participate in group counseling 1-2 times a week.
In the Nashville Home, the Education Department is recognized by the state of Tennessee as a Category 4 school defined as a school operated by a church or church organization and is a member of Tennessee Association of Non-Public Academic Schools (TANAS), an association approved by the state.
Mercy’s Education Department is not accredited by the state, but we do use the curriculum program called Ignitia with Alpha Omega Schools, which is an accredited school through AdvancEd.
Due to licensing requirements, residents ages 13-17 that have not graduated from high school, or do not have their high school equivalency (HSE) diploma/certificate, are required to participate in a school option while at Mercy. On occasion, residents who are 18 may still be in high school. In these situations, the 18-year-old resident is still required to attend school at Mercy in the Nashville Home.
Residents ages 17+ that have not graduated from high school can have the opportunity to work toward their high school equivalency (HSE) diploma/certificate.
Whether your pregnancy was planned or unexpected, we are here to provide assistance and support. Pregnant residents at Mercy are supported in their choice to Parent or Place their baby for adoption.
Check out Mercy’s Pregnancy Services for additional information.
Due to Mercy’s multi-dimensional approach, a Resident’s Counselor is connecting with the Fitness Manager, Nutrition Manager, and Director of Medical Services to provide individualized care and support to meet each resident’s needs.
All Mercy Multiplied Staff are equipped and qualified to best serve the residents in the program.
Counselors are required to hold a master’s degree, or be working toward completion of a master’s degree from an accredited university in counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related field.
Each Home has a Licensed Nurse on staff to provide basic medical care, medication distribution, and to take residents to see local providers for needed medical appointments and/or services (i.e. Dentist or Urgent Care Clinic).
Fitness and Nutrition Managers create exercise plans and meal plans. All menus for resident meals are approved by a Registered Dietician.
In the Nashville Mercy Home, the Director of Education is a certified teacher within the state of Tennessee and oversees curriculum materials for the residents.
The Intake Department is responsible for receiving, reviewing, and approving all applicants for the three Mercy Multiplied residential homes in the United States. Their offices are located at Mercy’s Corporate Headquarters in Nashville, TN.
(The Intake Department will refer applicants to other programs and services if Mercy does not fit within the scope of an applicant’s immediate needs.)
Transitional Care seeks to provide additional support, action planning, resources, and prayer to Graduates and Former Residents. The Transitional Care Department office is located at Mercy’s corporate headquarters in Nashville, TN and has Transitional Care staff members at each Mercy location.
Mercy Multiplied is a licensed child-placing agency with the State of Tennessee. If a pregnant resident chooses to place her child for adoption, she will work with Adoption Staff in making her adoption plan.
Check out Mercy’s Adoption Services for additional information.