Counseling is an important part of our ministry at Wells Branch Community Church. We want our church members, visitors, and the Wells Branch and North Austin community at large to have access to professional counseling. Our counseling services are subsidized by our counseling ministry fund. If you need financial assistance for counseling, please reach out to us at counseling@wellsbranchchurch.com.
Member Counseling Process
Wells Branch Community Church is committed to supporting the emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being of its members. To provide structured and meaningful care, we have established the following policy for accessing free counseling services:
Initial Pastoral Meeting:
Members seeking counseling through WBCC must first communicate with their shepherding elder. The shepherding elder will discuss your concerns, assess your needs, and then meet with the pastor over counseling to determine how best the church can support you.
Allocation of Counseling Sessions:
After the initial meeting, the pastor will assign a specific number of free counseling sessions with the available Live For More Counseling counselor based on the assessed needs. The initial allocation typically ranges from three to five sessions, depending on the situation.
Request for Additional Sessions:
If more sessions are required, the member must consult with their shepherding elder again and that shepherding elder will then meet with the counseling pastor again for approval. Additional sessions will be granted based on the progress made and the continued need for counseling services.
Confidentiality and Professionalism:
All counseling sessions are conducted with the utmost confidentiality and professionalism. Referrals to licensed counselors or specialists may be made if deemed necessary.
This policy ensures that counseling resources are used effectively to support our members in times of need while maintaining accountability and pastoral involvement.
Thank you for entrusting us with your care. If you have any questions or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact the church office.
Our Counselors
While you can access these counselors at any time, to access services that the church fully pays for, you need to first email your shepherding elder.
Sammi Rutschmann
Counselor
Michael McGinnis
Counselor
Hayley Hengst
Counselor
Hayley Hengst
LPC-A #68560
Life can be a strange blend of “good” and “bad.” Sometimes there are things we can do to control our circumstances, other times, we cannot. In situations where we can, it can still be difficult to know where to begin, how to start, and which direction to move in. Even in situations that we cannot control, we still have some control over how we think about the situation, how we frame it in our minds, and how we make meaning of it. Thoughts dictate emotions, and emotions very often drive behavior. Helping people identify some of their thoughts and emotions, and then equipping them with tools to move forward in a positive and healthy way, is something I am passionate about. I have found these tools to be as helpful to me in my own personal life as they have been as a clinician. I would love to get to know you and help you explore the role your own thoughts and beliefs play in your emotional and behavioral life. We can also explore your story, the meaning that you make of it, and how the different relational systems you are a part of have contributed to your development and current situation.
Specialties: Anxiety,Depression,Codependency, Family Conflict, Infidelity, Life transitions/life plans, Parenting, Relationship Issues, Treatment Approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, Narrative Therapy
Education:
BA in Communications, from Texas A&M University
MA in Clinical Mental Health, from Liberty University
Michael McGinnis
Certified Biblical Counselor and founder of A Space Of Grace Counseling in Round Rock Texas. I am a retired schoolteacher, an empty nester, and an active member of Wells Branch Community Church. I've been in practice since 2020. My counseling paradigm is biblically rooted and yet clinically informed. My motto is: "Providing a graceful space to unpack your pain points." If you have a need for any of my services, please email and let me know you're with WBCC. Thank you and God's blessings to you!
Specialties: married and engaged couples, families, teens, and pre-teens. Men dealing with anger, anxiety, depression, addiction, communication challenges and childhood wounds.
Education: Association Biblical Counseling Certification ABC2
Sammi Rutschman
(Counselor – Masters-Level Intern)
When we feel safe enough to gently explore what has been difficult or even “unsavory” we often
discover insights that lead to healing, resilience, and meaningful change. I believe healing
doesn’t come from avoiding the hard parts of our stories, but from approaching them with care,
curiosity, and faith.
I am a full-time student at Angelo State University pursuing a Master of Arts in Professional
Counseling. As a non-traditional student, I bring meaningful real-world experience that allows
me to relate to and support others with empathy and understanding. I have walked alongside
individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging seasons. As a foster and
adoptive parent and respite provider, I have completed over one hundred hours of training,
including trauma-informed and attachment-based interventions. I have also had the privilege of
mentoring youth, women, couples, and fellow foster and adoptive parents as they build skills that
strengthen connection and promote healing.
If you’re feeling stuck in old patterns or overwhelmed by the demands of parenting, you don’t
have to navigate it alone. I’d be honored to support you in a safe, compassionate space as we use
practical, evidence-based approaches to build self-regulation, resilience, and healthier family
dynamics.
Specialties:
-Anxiety, depression, grief & loss (Including: infertility, death, and alzheimer’s), parenting (Including adoption, blended families, multi-cultural, infertility, and family conflict), marriage, suicidal ideation, trauma, sexual abuse
Education:
MA in Professional Counseling, Angelo State University (Graduating Fall 2026)
BS in Sociology Focus on Social Inequality & Minor in Child Development, Texas Womans University
(2021)
AA in Education Instruction EC-6th, Austin Community College (2021)
Counselors in Training
At this time we have some counselors in training who need hours and would love to have people volunteer to be counseled. Although they are training, they will report to a supervisor and grow in their craft of bringing the emotional and spiritual healing that one needs. If you want to get involved as a counselor or be counseled by one of our trainees, please email us at counseling@wellsbranchchurch.com.