CORE Counseling & Recovery Cuts the Ribbon on New Headquarters in St. Bernard Parish: From Startup Winner to Regional Leader
CORE Counseling & Recovery Cuts the Ribbon on New Headquarters in St. Bernard Parish: From Startup Winner to Regional Leader
CHALMETTE, LA — From a bold pitch at a local startup competition to becoming a regional leader in mental health and recovery, CORE Counseling & Recovery has come full circle, and it’s just getting started.
Founded in February 2020, CORE made waves just months later by winning the Startup St. Bernard competition in August 2020, backed by the Meraux Foundation and the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation. Now, five years later, CORE is celebrating the purchase of its first commercial office building at 318 W Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, where the group practice will host a Ribbon Cutting Celebration and Community Food Drive on Friday, July 11, from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
CORE is a proudly woman-owned, Hispanic-owned, and LGBTQ+ owned group practice, dedicated to providing accessible and culturally competent care in a region that has long needed it. As the largest counseling provider in St. Bernard Parish, CORE offers compassionate individual, couples, and family counseling services for clients across the lifespan—from young children and adolescents to adults and those in end-of-life care. This next step in CORE’s journey reflects its commitment not just to growth, but to roots—deep, intentional investment in the people and places it serves.
A Celebration Rooted in Purpose
The event will include a welcome from the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce, a blessing from Pastor Barnes, and remarks from CORE CEO Nicole Goldin and community partners. The official ribbon cutting will be followed by a sober toast—a meaningful choice that honors CORE’s mission as a recovery-focused practice—along with live music, refreshments, and time to connect with the community that helped build it. Everyone is invited to join us.
In the spirit of care and access, CORE is also hosting a community food drive benefiting Gethsemane Church’s inclusive and barrier-free Food Pantry, which welcomes everyone with dignity. Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to help fill their shelves.
“As therapists, we know healing begins with basic needs,” said Goldin. “Food security is the foundation of mental wellness. That’s why we’re honoring this milestone by showing up for our neighbors.”
A Mission That’s Grown with the Need
Since its founding, CORE has grown from a small startup into a thriving group practice with offices in Chalmette, Terrytown, and Mid-City New Orleans, plus telehealth services reaching individuals across Louisiana.
CORE is now a go-to provider for domestic violence intervention, anger management, and substance abuse education programs, and is proud to offer all services in both English and Spanish. Access and affordability are at the heart of CORE’s work, with care designed to meet people where they are—culturally, emotionally, and financially.
“Our mission is simple: meet the need, remove the barriers, and lead with compassion,” said Goldin.
Here to Stay and Showing Up Every Day
CORE’s deep commitment to community is reflected in its local partnerships. The group provides free, on-campus mental health services at Nunez Community College, collaborates with the St. Bernard Fire Department to offer counseling and mental health training for firefighters, and works with the St. Bernard District Attorney’s Office to provide court-ordered substance abuse evaluations and therapeutic services.
“We’re not just opening a building,” said Goldin. “We’re opening the door wider—for everyone. We’re rooted here, and we’re not going anywhere.”
About CORE Counseling & Recovery
Founded in 2020, CORE Counseling & Recovery is a trauma-informed, community-rooted group mental health practice serving the greater New Orleans area and the entire state of Louisiana via telehealth. With offices in Chalmette, Terrytown, and Mid-City New Orleans, CORE offers bilingual counseling, assessments, psychoeducational classes, and evidence-based intervention programs. CORE is proudly woman-owned, Hispanic-owned, and LGBTQ+ owned.
To learn more, visit mycorecenter.com
Press Contact: Nicole Goldin CEO | CORE Counseling & Recovery
Email: info@mycorecenter.com
Website: mycorecenter.com
CORE Counseling & Recovery Founded in 2020.
Rooted in St. Bernard. Healing With Heart.
