Hope Counseling Ministry began in 1990 when Leverne Pfile, a Marriage and Family Therapist, and the pastor of Downey Avenue Christian Church joined with several other Irvington churches to provide skilled pastoral counseling to the community.

Hope Counseling Ministry is located on the lovely grounds of Irvington Friends Meeting at 831A North Edmondson on the eastside of Indianapolis. Our building, once the parsonage of the Friends Meeting, provides a welcoming space with a waiting room, individual offices, space for groups, and a play therapy room. Sheltered by a curtain of evergreen trees and surrounded by meadows and woods, Hope Counseling provides a peaceful space in which to heal and grow.

Hope is now comprised of four independent therapists who share the values of pastoral counseling:

Ellen Hodge, MAPCC, LMHC, received her MA in Pastoral Care and Counseling (magna cum laude) from Christian Theological Seminary, where she trained in pastoral psychotherapy*. She is particularly gifted in helping adult clients face the pain of childhood abuse and other trauma. She does especially skilled and sensitive work with clients who want to explore themselves and their issues deeply. Currently, Ellen is receiving advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, and is excited about helping couples overcome hurts, deepen their love, and increase their closeness.

Ellen is a member of Quakers in Pastoral Care & Counseling, which she served as clerk (chair) for four years and member of the national steering committee for six. She adheres to the ethical standards of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

Leverne Pfile, LMFT, MS, received her Marriage and Family Therapy training at Butler University. She completed a pastoral counseling residency at Buchanan Pastoral Counseling Center in Indianapolis before founding Hope Counseling Ministry. Leverne is committed to discovering with each client the therapy process that best fits their healing and growth. A process with she uses frequently is designed to connect the client with his/her own inner resources and to guide the resources in meeting the client's unmet developmental needs. If the trauma is more severe, she uses EMDR, a specialized trauma treatment in which she has been certified for fifteen years. She will use other processes if that is a better fit for the client.

Penny Zimmerman, MAPCC, LMHC, also received her MA in pastoral psychotherapy at Christian Theological Seminary. She has a passion for therapy as a healing art. She works with individuals, couples, families, and children. Her training in addictions allows her ably to address those issues in therapy with clients who want to work on recovery. She is also a skilled play therapist.

LaVreen Hall is the newest therapist to offer services at Hope Counseling Ministry. She is a graduate of Christian Theological Seminary and holds a Master of Arts in Psychotherapy and Faith and a Masters of Divinity. LaVreen is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.  She is currently working toward state licensure as a Mental Health Counselor.  LaVreen's personal experiences with disability and illness provides insight, sensitivity and a passion to serve those living with chronic illnesses, grief and loss. She works with children as well as adults, individuals, couples, families and groups. LaVreen uses "Word Therapy," a technique she developed during her training to bring people to a place of healing. LaVreen's goal is to help each person to "transform their life one word at a time."

* Pastoral Counseling (also called Pastoral Psychotherapy) was developed by ministers who recognized that some people’s psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs were not being met either by secular therapy or by the counseling traditionally offered by clergy. Education for Pastoral Counseling combines rigorous clinical training with spiritual values. We offer professional therapy in which clients can address their life issues in the context of their own faith. Clients need not be a member of any particular faith (indeed, need not be religious at all) in order to see a pastoral counselor. Rather, Hope therapists respect each client's beliefs and spirituality.