The Link Counseling Center

What The Link Counseling Center does

The Link Counseling Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit mental health organization founded in 1971 in Sandy Springs, Georgia, that provides individual, couples, family, and group therapy on a sliding fee scale alongside free grief support groups. It serves approximately 4,000 children, youth, and adults per year, delivering 14,000+ hours of services including $600,000 in pro bono care, and operates from a Sandy Springs headquarters featuring The House Next Door children and teen facility, a Cobb County office established in 1986, and virtual therapy delivery. Service lines span Individual Adult Therapy, Marriage & Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Children & Adolescents counseling, the Children & Teen Grief Support Groups, the National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention & Aftercare (including the Survivors of Suicide model developed in-house in the 1970s), and the Enriched Living Program for aging adults. The organization runs the Marriage & Family Therapy Training Institute, which delivers a 3-year post-master's residency, AAMFT-approved clinical supervision, and continuing education. Revenue mechanics combine sliding-scale client fees, individual donations processed via Vanco and 4agoodcause, corporate sponsorships through The Corporate Circle and the annual Miracle Ball fundraiser, and grants including a material 2000 capital gift from the Kendeda Foundation. Technology infrastructure is minimal: a Wix-hosted website, Usercentrics cookie consent, third-party payment processing, and telehealth for virtual sessions; no proprietary software or AI capabilities are disclosed.

Name

The Link Counseling Center

Legal name

The Link Counseling Center

Website

https://thelink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Link Counseling Center is a Sandy Springs, Georgia non-profit founded in 1971 that provides sliding-fee individual, couples, and family therapy, free grief support groups, and postgraduate training to roughly 4,000 Atlanta-area children, youth, and adults annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Counseling Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Couples & Family Therapy Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAG), School Counseling Services (Individual & Group) (EDAKAMAB)

Keywords

• Mental health counseling
• Psychotherapy services
• Grief support groups
• Marriage family therapy
• Suicide prevention aftercare

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandy Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sliding Scale Counseling Fees: Individual, couples, and family therapy sessions provided on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay. This is the primary revenue stream for mental health services.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting affordable mental health services. Processed through Vanco and 4agoodcause payment platforms.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Program Support: The Corporate Circle program offers program sponsorships (e.g., $5,000 provides 100 scholarships), Miracle Ball table sponsorships, capital legacy naming opportunities, and employee matching gift programs.
4. Training Institute Fees: Revenue from the Marriage & Family Therapy Training Institute including residency program fees, clinical supervision fees, and continuing education workshop fees for mental health professionals.
5. Pro Bono Services (Donated Value): $600,000 in pro bono mental health services provided annually, funded through donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Link Counseling Center is a nonprofit that provides affordable individual, couples, and family psychotherapy on a sliding fee scale, along with free grief and specialized support groups. It also runs a suicide prevention resource center, a marriage & family therapy training institute, and school/community mental health programs across metro Atlanta.

Product overview

The Link Counseling Center is a nonprofit mental health organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of counseling and psychotherapy services. The core offering consists of individual, couples, and family therapy provided on a sliding fee scale, with specialized programs including Children & Teen Grief Support Groups, the National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention & Aftercare (NRC), and the Enriched Living Program for aging adults. Supporting programs include the Marriage & Family Therapy Training Institute (residency and supervision), The Corporate Circle (corporate partnerships), School & Community Connections, the Volunteer Program, and the annual Miracle Ball fundraiser. The center operates from its Kendeda Campus featuring The House Next Door for children and a healing garden with a 7-circuit labyrinth. All therapeutic services and children's grief groups are provided either free of charge or on a sliding fee scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention & Aftercare (NRC): A leading resource in the country for suicide prevention and aftercare, dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources.
• Marriage & Family Therapy Training Institute
• The House Next Door
• The Corporate Circle
• The Ada C. Kaufman Volunteer Program

Products and services

• Counseling & Psychotherapy Individual, couples, and family therapy services provided on a sliding fee scale for adults dealing with stress, trauma, loss, and difficult life events.
• Individual Adult Therapy One-on-one psychotherapy for adults addressing stress, trauma, loss, and difficult life events through dialogue and exploration of feelings.
• Family Therapy Family counseling focused on relationships within the whole family unit, helping relieve stress, improve communication, and resolve conflicts.
• Marriage & Couples Therapy Couples counseling addressing relationship distress and dissatisfaction, including pre-marital counseling and developing healthy communication skills.
• Therapy Groups for Adults Group therapy sessions including Expressive Art Therapy, a free LGBTQ Therapy Group, and a Women's Therapy Group for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
• Children & Adolescents Individual Counseling Individual therapy for children and teens using art, sand play, dance and movement, or play therapy at The House Next Door facility.
• Children & Adolescents Family Counseling Family therapy services for children and adolescents and their families, utilizing a systems theory approach.
• Children & Teen Grief Support Groups Weekly grief support groups for ages 4-19 provided free of charge at The House Next Door since 1992, for children who have lost a parent, sibling, loved one, or caregiver.
• Compassionate Friends Support Group Monthly support group for families grieving the death of a child of any age, meeting at The House Next Door.
• Survivors of Suicide (S.O.S) Support Groups Support groups meeting three times monthly for those experiencing a loss from suicide, based on a model developed by Iris Bolton following her son's death in the 1970s.
• National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention & Aftercare (NRC) A national resource for suicide prevention and aftercare providing grief consultations, support groups, community education, and resources for those impacted by suicide loss.
• Enriched Living Program Services addressing the complex issues of aging adults, their families and caregivers, including individual therapy, family therapy, support groups, and community education.
• Marriage & Family Therapy Training Institute Postgraduate training offering a 3-year residency intensive, clinical internships, clinical supervision for MFT and LPC professionals, and continuing education workshops for mental health professionals.
• The Corporate Circle Corporate partnership program offering program sponsorship, event sponsorship, capital legacy naming, employee volunteerism, and matching gift programs, plus workplace mental health support.
• School & Community Connections School-based mental health support including crisis consultations, grief education for teachers, free grief consults, on-site crisis support teams, classroom speakers, and field trip programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000 children, youth and adults receive counseling, psychotherapy and support group services annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered founding, minor and core.

• Georgia State UniversityfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1971Partnered with Georgia State University in 1971 during the founding of The Link Counseling Center to obtain funding and establish the community counseling center.
• International Survivors of Suicide Loss DayminorOthersAnnual event held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving bringing suicide loss survivors together for connection, understanding, and hope through shared experience. The Link hosts this gathering at The House Next Door.
• The Compassionate FriendscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational self-help support organization offering companionship and hope for those grieving the death of a child. The Link hosts a local Sandy Springs chapter meeting monthly for families.
• Ray's on the RiverminorOthersVenue partner for the annual Miracle Ball fundraising event, providing chef-curated cocktails and dinner for the premier fundraiser.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• CHRIS 180: Atlanta-based nonprofit providing counseling, mental health, and youth development services. Directly comparable as a community mental health nonprofit operating in the same metro with similar sliding-fee and grant-funded programs.
• Families First: Atlanta-based nonprofit delivering counseling, family support, and housing services with a similar sliding-fee model. Strong comparability in target clientele (individuals, couples, families) and reliance on donations plus government contracts.
• Skyland Trail: Atlanta-area mental health nonprofit offering residential and outpatient psychiatric treatment. Overlaps with The Link in therapeutic services for adults and adolescents, but operates at a higher acuity/facility-based level.

Direct peers

• Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS): Atlanta-based nonprofit providing mental health counseling, family services, and elder care support on a sliding fee scale. Closely comparable in service mix, funding model, and target segments (individuals, families, aging adults).
• Josselyn Center: Illinois-based nonprofit mental health provider offering affordable counseling across the lifespan. Highly comparable as a community-based, sliding-fee counseling nonprofit with similar mission and service breadth.
• Open Path Collective: National nonprofit network connecting clients to therapists for $30–$80 sessions. Directly comparable as an affordability-focused mental health access model, though delivered via a hybrid therapist directory rather than in-house clinicians.

Others

• Mental Health America: Largest national nonprofit addressing mental health needs through advocacy, education, and resource referral. Comparable mission but functions primarily as an advocacy/community organization rather than direct service provider like The Link.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Leading national nonprofit funding suicide prevention research and survivor support programs. Comparable through its survivor outreach, loss support groups, and aftercare focus — directly adjacent to The Link's SOS and NRC programs.

Broad incumbents

• Thriveworks: Large national teletherapy and in-person counseling platform with thousands of licensed clinicians. Comparable as a counseling provider serving individuals, couples, and families, but operates as a scaled commercial platform rather than a community nonprofit.
• BetterHelp / Talkspace: Nationwide digital therapy platforms offering subscription-based individual, couples, and teen therapy. Comparable in therapy categories served but positioned as scaled commercial incumbents with different access/pricing economics than The Link's sliding-fee nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Link Counseling Center