About GOC

The Growth Opportunity Center was founded in 1974 as a community mental health outreach program under the leadership of Senior Pastor Ernest Schmidt of the Gloria Dei Church, Huntingdon Valley, PA. At that time, Pastor Schmidt asked Gloria Dei member Kenneth Barber, PhD, to develop counseling services that would be high quality, affordable, and quickly accessible to people needing help. With Pastor Schmidt providing the vision, impetus, and creative ideas, and a caring church congregation providing both emotional and financial support, Dr. Barber became the Execute Director of GOC, and helped to create one of the largest mental health centers in the region.

Saul Fisher, PhD, joined the Center in 1975 and today serves as Clinical Director of the Growth Opportunity Center. Michael Goldberg, LCSW, CPA, joined the Center in 1997 as a psychotherapist and since 1999 has served as Financial Director. Dr. Barber, Dr. Fisher, and Mr. Goldberg are the Administrative Team of the Growth Opportunity Center, and sitting ex-officio non-voting members of the Board of Directors.

The Growth Opportunity Center was originally based in Huntingdon Valley, PA, using offices on the Gloria Dei Church campus. In 2002, the staff moved into a larger office building at 2910 Franks Road, Suite 1, Huntingdon Valley, PA. During the past years of growth, the Center opened additional offices in Bucks County and the Main Line area.

Since 1976 the Growth Opportunity Center has been incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization separate from Gloria Dei Church, but with the original mission to serve the mental health needs of people from all backgrounds and economic status.

Our logo was created by a client of the Growth Opportunity Center to represent how the Center strives to help people reach upward and forward in the process of personal growth.

The Growth Opportunity Center remains one of the few non-profit mental health outpatient agencies in the Delaware Valley founded by a faith-based organization with the goal of helping individuals and families without regard to race or creed.