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The Monadnock Area Pastoral Counseling Service (MAPSCS) was founded in Keene, New Hampshire in 1973 by a group of local ministers and lay people interested in providing professional pastoral counseling and pastoral care. The founders intentionally established MAPSCS as a decentralized organization with staff offering counseling in local churches and coming together for training and supervision.
The center was first housed in the offices of the United Church of Christ in Keene and remained there until about 1989 when it moved across the street to the ground floor of the Cheshire County Court House. In January 1994 MAPSCS raised $25,000 to renovate a large office space at 19 Federal St. and was there for 24 years. In 2015, Maps recognized the need to expand, beginning the process that led to relocating the Keene office back to our original home at the UCC church at the head of the square in the summer of 2018.
In 1976, MAPSCS sought accreditation and became an approved Service Center of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. MAAPC/MAPS maintained its accreditation with AAPC for over 30 years. Maps was accredited by the Samaritans Institute in the past but had to let the accreditation lapse during a challenging financial season in the center. Maps chose to pursue accreditation with Solihten (formerly Samaritans) again in 2017 and accomplished that accreditation in 2021.
The name of the center has changed several times often to reflect the evolving culture and identity of the center. In 1995, the name MAPSCS (Monadnock Area Pastoral Counseling Services) was changed to MAPS (Monadnock Area Psychotherapy and Spirituality Services), to reflect a broadening of the services and the philosophy of care being provided. Years later the Board of Directors again voted to change the official name of the center to MAPS Counseling Services. At that time, “MAPS” ceased to be an acronym. However, this led to some confusion in the community. In 2015, as part of a rebranding effort the name MAPS Counseling Services was changed again to Maps Counseling Services to clarify that Maps was not an acronym but a metaphor. At Maps, we help you find your way. Our new mission gives voice to our holistic model of care that attends to mind (the psychological dimension), heart (the emotional dimension), body (the physical dimension), and spirit (the spiritual dimension).
Maps has grown and shifted over the years. In the mid 1990’s, with the addition of new staff, Maps opened a satellite office in Peterborough. Prior to 2006, the Peterborough office was a small satellite where some therapists from Keene donated a day a week to see clients. In 2007, Maps committed to expanding the Peterborough office by designating full time clinicians to this site. As they were successful, Maps added additional clinicians to Peterborough, and in 2014 the Peterborough office was relocated to a larger and more comfortable facility at 9 Vose Farm Road. However, in early 2023, as a result of COVID and the increased use of telehealth from home offices, the Peterborough office shifted to a smaller space. It now resides in the Strand Building at 174 Concord Street, Suite 250.
Maps believes that the essence of who we are is sustained by something more powerful and greater than any one person or challenge. We have grown and adapted without losing touch with our core values. Maps Counseling Services serves more than 1000 individuals and families each year. Our staff is beautifully diverse in our training and areas of specialty, which equips us to effectively offer hope and healing for those who seek services with us as they navigate their individual life challenges.
