Services
Welcome, Thank You, and Dedication
by Dr. Kevin Kukoleck, Founder and Executive Director


I would like to welcome everyone to this very special event. I

would like to thank you all for taking time out of your day to be

here for this ribbon cutting. First I’d like to thank Dr. Raskin

and Dr. Brodley. The New Center is truly honored to have two

psychologists of your caliper agree to cut the ribbon on the

next phase of Client-Centered Therapy in Chicago. Thank you

Barbara and thank you Nat.


The New Center would not be here if it weren’t for Kimberly

Swiss. Kimberly has been a part of The New Center since the

planning stages. She and I have worked very hard together

from the beginning of The New Center until today. Thank you

Kimberly.


I want to thank all of the other associates of The New Center.

You help The New Center meet both of its missions. You

provide services to clients and you supervise our students.

Thank you Amanda, Korey, Monica and Michael.


I want to thank the inaugural training group of students. This

is The New Center’s first group of students and they are all

exceptional. You will always be part of the charter class at The

New Center. I hope to see you at an ADPCA conference thirty

years from now bragging about being the first group of

student trainees at The New Center. Thank you Alicia, Ana,

Brandon, Christa, Danielle, Deana, Erin, Heather, and Rosalyn.


I have to thank all of my friends who gave up their day today to

be here and help serve, who cleaned and prepared food.

Thank you Peter, who came from Cleveland to help, and

Denise, who rushed her work day to be here. She also

prepared some of the food for today. Many of the people I

have already mentioned gave up their free time to clean and

prepare the space as well.


A special thanks must go out to the Lakeview Chamber of

Commerce for assisting The New Center with making today

such a success. Thank you.


Finally I want to thank Brian Burgess. You know that it is only

with your encouragement, sacrifice, organizational abilities,

gifted culinary skills, interior design suggestions, and love

and support that The New Center is what it is today; a

successful and beautifully appointed private practice and

graduate student training center. Thank you Brian.


I love that our sign outlining today’s speakers says that this

time is devoted to ribbon cutting and dedication. Dedication –

this is the most appropriate word for the opening of The New

Center. Let me explain. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary

has five definitions for the term dedication. One of these

definitions directly relates to our celebration today of The New

Center’s ribbon cutting and open house. This definition states

that dedication is “a ceremony to mark the official completion

or opening of something.” But dedication has several other

meanings.


Another definition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary relates

to devoting oneself to a particular purpose. All of us at The

New Center are dedicated to our mission. We are committed to

providing quality psychological services to everyone who

requests care. All of us at The New Center are also committed

to providing graduate students with excellent Client-Centered

training.


Yet another definition of dedication relates to paying tribute

to a person or cause. The New Center dedicates itself to the

continuance of Client-Centered Therapy in this neighborhood,

this city, this state and the world. The New Center also

dedicates our physical space and our very existence to the

memory of Dr. Carl Rogers. His gift of Client-Centered Therapy

will live on in Chicago at The New Center. This space must

also be dedicated to the memory of the Chicago Counseling

and Psychotherapy Center, which existed as a training center

for the Client-Centered approach to psychotherapy for over 30

years. A commemorative plaque will soon be placed in our

office suite to honor this dedication.


The final definition of the term dedication means self-

sacrificing devotion. If you haven’t realized by now, The New

Center is dedicates itself to the legacy of Dr. Rogers and

Client-Centered Therapy. We must fight the psychotherapy

system and the insurance industry in this country everyday to

advocate for the inclusion of Client-Centered Therapy. Dr.

Rogers set an extremely high standard for us all.
The New Center
Chicago
Our Grand Opening
Our First Year
October 15, 2007
Dr Barbara Brodley and
Dr Nat Raskin cutting the
Inaugural Ribbon
The upstairs space was
decorated beautifully for
the event.
There was no shortage of
delicious food. Thanks to
Peter Miragliotta and
Denise Aniol for all your
help.
Our Cake had our
Business Card Logo on
the top
We were honored by the
presence of Dr Brodley and Dr
Raskin. We were also
priveleged to have several
other distinguished guests
present for presentations
throughout the afternoon.

Dr. Nat Raskin presented on
his work with Dr Carl Rogers.

Dr. Julia Kocal offered a
presentation on Health
Psychology from a
Client-Centered orientation.

Susan Pildes and Amanda
Lowe offered a brilliant
demonstration of a
Client-Centered Therapy
session.

Kathy Moon lectured and
demonstrated how
Client-Centered Therapy works
well with children.

There was a wonderful
discussion filled with
comments and questions
following each presentation.
Many people commented on
how much they appreciated
the opportunity to hear these
Client-Centered Clinicians
speak.
The New Center
3166 N. Lincoln Ave. Suite #325
Chicago, IL 60657
773-405-3541 Phone
773-404-8449     Fax
kevinpsyd@thenewcenter.com
psychbrian@thenewcenterchicago.com