“Choose a quality life” is the motto at the Southern Center for Choice Theory (SCCT). SCCT is a mental health facility that envisions the bigger picture of helping those in need achieve a more proactive approach to coping with various mental illness.

Southern Center for Choice Theory
Gloria Cisse is executive director of the Southern Center for Choice Theory. Photo by Don Harper.

The Southern Center for Choice Theory is located at 411 Holt Avenue in Macon, Georgia. The staff consists of two licensed therapists and eight master’s level clinicians. The organization was formed in October of 2010 and offers a wide range of services. A list their services can be found on their website www.thesoutherncenterforchoicetheory.com

I had the pleasure of speaking with SCCT’s executive director and reality therapist Gloria Cisse about SCCT’S mission. Cisse clarified that as a licensed professional counselor, she uses evidence-based practices to help people reach their mental health goals.

“One of my desires is to get the community and individuals to thinks about mental wellness as opposed to mental illness,” explained Cisse.

According to Mental Health America, 1 out of 5 adults have mental health issues and youth mental health is on the rise. From involvement in the criminal justice system and juvenile court system, to homelessness and joblessness, mental health affects many aspects of our everyday lives. Yet most often, people do not seek help proactively.

“Most of the time when people come to see a mental health provider it’s because someone else has insisted that there is a problem with them,” said Cisse.

She hopes that SCCT will help to change that trend by encouraging families and individuals to seek out mental wellness just as they would seek out physical wellness. Middle Georgians need more education about mental wellness, including education about the signs of mental imbalance and the benefits of therapy for family members.

“We, as a society, need to become more knowledgeable of mental wellness and not look at needing help as being a problem,” Cisse explained.

Cisse stated that she would like to see individuals recognize for themselves some of the things that are happening to them and seek counseling when situations and emotions become unhealthy.

She also pointed out that minority groups, in particular, should focus on eliminating the stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment because there is a greater stigma attached to mental illness among these populations.

Cisse stated that “[W]e as individuals should not be afraid to ask for help–because we all need help at some point in our lives.”

The closing of many of Georgia’s state funded mental health facilities have made mental health treatment more difficult for many local families. This is why treatment facilities such as The Southern Center for Choice Theory matter so much for our community.

The Southern Center for Choice Theory understands the importance of assisting in times of need and they cater in many ways to help with the different aspects of mental illness in the hopes of promoting mental wellness.

If you are in need of their services they can be reached by phone at (478) 741-1268, and you can view their websites at www. Sc4ct.com and www.thesoutherncenterforchoicetheory.com for more information.

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Published by Don Harper

Don Harper's passion for writing came at an early age. As a second grader, he wrote his first short story, one about his father, a fireman. His teacher typed and edited it, and made the story into a hardbound book. This cherished memory inspired this now 35 year from Milledgeville to create. He is also fascinated by the culture of hip-hop. He began to write poetry and lyrics, and by the time I was in high school had joined a music group who performed live shows and even opened up for some major artists. His current endeavors include working on a trilogy of short stories and finishing his studies at Middle Georgia State University. He is completing his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in New Media and Communication. He hopes to one day acquire a position as a writer for a major network and to also have penned a best-selling novel.