Quantico Counselor Creates a Safe Space for Clients
When clients enter Genevieve McGhee’s office at Marine Corps Base Quantico, she wants them to know one thing: They’re in a safe space.
McGhee, a licensed clinical social worker with the Community Counseling Program (CCP), is committed to helping clients improve their lives through support and understanding.
CCP strives to normalize wellness and reduce the stigma around seeking help.
“It’s a good thing to reach out for support,” McGhee said.
Clients do not need to wait until they are in crisis to seek the non-medical counseling CCP provides. In fact, it often surprises people to find out what is contributing to their challenges.
“We don’t realize that a lot of what we have been carrying might have roots from 10 or 20 years ago,” she said. Talking through those past experiences and reframing them can make a big difference.
Upholding a Family Tradition
A Roanoke, Va. native, McGhee joined the Quantico CCP staff eight years ago after spending more than 10 years in New York City. She earned her master’s of social work degree at Hunter College and served with AmeriCorps.
When she saw the job posted at Quantico, she liked the idea of returning to Virginia to be closer to family.
Working with Marines and families also appealed to her because one grandfather was a Marine, one was a soldier, and her father had worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Salem, Va., as a social worker and then the director of outreach affairs.
“I saw it as a challenge and a privilege,” McGhee said.
Supporting Marines and Families
CCP counselors like McGhee provide non-medical counseling to Marines and families on a variety of issues, including the stress of military life, career transitions, and relationships with partners, with children, with parents.
Marines sometimes resist seeking help because they think self-care is selfish, but McGhee says that’s just not true. “Taking care of oneself is really important. It allows you take care of your family, of your Marines.”
McGhee and other CCP counselors use solution-focused techniques to help clients build coping skills and emotional resilience.
Talk therapy can be one part of strengthening a Marine or family member’s total fitness.
“Sometimes Marines just need to express what they are feeling without being judged,” McGhee said. “If I can be a friendly place for Marines to land—whether they are ready to change or not—I welcome the opportunity.”
Counselors also connect clients to other Marine Corps Community Services programs that can help them reach those fitness goals, whether it’s Semper Fit, the Single Marine Program, or the chaplain.
“Counselors are here, and we care,” McGhee said. “We help Marines take care of themselves so they can focus on their mission. We also help family members, which supports the whole family’s readiness.”