Chicago counseling centers are providing inclusive and accessible mental health care to all. In the past, psychology has been criticized for being an elitist service accessible only to the privileged. Today in Chicago, powerful efforts by community based counselors and mental health experts are ensuring that psychological services are easily available to people of colour, people from the LGBTQIA community, those who speak a language other than English and all other communities who have been historically marginalized.
Chicago Counseling Centers: Highlights
- Chicago Counseling Centers provide a broad range of treatment options, ranging from individual and group therapy to community health clinics, crisis intervention centers and addiction facilities.
- Psychological services in Chicago are designed to be accessible and affordable to all.
- Chicago Counseling Centers aim to provide counseling services to communities that have experienced oppression, including people of color, the LGBTQIA community, the Latino community, people suffering from disabilities and people of low socioeconomic status.
- Treatment services are also available online, making them more accessible and affording greater anonymity.
What Makes Chicago Counseling Centers Unique?
Chicago’s community is characterized by rich cultural diversity. The city’s mental healthcare system is structured to cater for this diversity, rather than expecting people to fit into standard Western treatment models. For many, the biggest barrier to mental health is access and affordability.
Chicago is changing this by bringing clinics into the community and providing services at an affordable rate. Those without insurance even have access to free healthcare. Moreover, Chicago Counseling Centers are tailoring their services so that they can connect with people who speak different languages, come from different cultural backgrounds and live alternative lifestyles.
Which Mental Health Services are Available in Chicago?
Some of the mental health services that are available to the Chicago community include:
Mental Health Counseling
Psychotherapy is a tried and tested technique for helping people to manage stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and a host of other mental illnesses. Counseling can come in many different forms and is tailored to meet the specific needs and circumstances of the person needing support. When speaking about mental health counseling, most people think of individual counseling, which is one-to-one talk therapy performed in a confidential environment. However, treatment can also include psychological testing or group therapy. That’s where a certain number of people meet on a weekly basis under the guidance of a trained professional.
Psychiatric Services
While counseling is vital for promoting mental health, sometimes a medical intervention is also needed. This may involve medication management, blood tests, scans or X-Rays. Most Chicago Counseling Centers will either include psychiatrists on their team, or else they’ll work closely with medical organizations such as UI Health and Clarity Clinic. The University of Chicago also provides professional psychiatric care for students.
Crisis Intervention
Chicago has several organizations that are geared toward dealing with an emergency. The deal with anything from suicide risk and domestic violence to acute confusion and medical emergencies like delirium. Presence Health, for example, provides a 24 hour crisis intervention service (dial 711). You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. Alternatively, simply call 911 and explain the nature of the emergency.
Mental Health Clinics
Mental health clinics are a great resource for people who might need intensive and ongoing support for a certain period of time. The experience is geared towards fostering a sense of healing and support; and often people are able to return for outpatient treatment if they wish.
The Clinical Psychiatry College of Medicine offers a mental health clinic, along with a broader variety of services; and Chicago Connects is a public health service that offers a comprehensive directory of inpatient treatment facilities. The City Colleges of Chicago also provides a listing of mental health clinics that operate on a sliding scale, meaning that clients pay according to their income level. The directory can be accessed here.
Substance Abuse Treatment
Chicago has not escaped the national opioid epidemic. Thousands die from overdoses each year; and many more seek treatment due to addiction to other substances such as alcohol, cocaine, heroin and prescription medications. Substance abuse requires specialized treatment and behavioral health interventions. Many Chicago counseling centers are ready to provide this sort of support. The Gateway Foundation is known for its excellent treatment centers; and a list of free rehabilitation centers can be accessed here.
Online Counseling
These days, mental health services are accessible with the click of a mouse. The pool of licensed practitioners offering their services online is growing by the day. Online therapy is a great option for those who want a greater degree of anonymity and the convenience of being able to have therapy from the comfort of their own home.
Community Mental Health Services Chicago
The Chicago health care system has fully embraced the principles of Community Mental Health. This is a global movement that aims to support people in communities that have experienced marginalization or oppression. Instead of being forced to travel to city hospitals, people living in Chicago’s community now have access to locally based clinics and wellness centers which cater to their specific needs. Community counseling takes psychological treatment to a new level, with a focus on preventative care and treatment that is guided by the specific cultural needs of the community. Often, this involves collaborating with social services and providing up-to-date referral services.
Embrace Your Individuality
Chicagoans can be proud to say that they live in a city that cares. Since 2012, several city-run mental health clinics were shut down, which led to a mental health crisis. Since then, outcry from the public and healthcare professionals alike has forced policy makers to give mental illness the funding and attention that it deserves.
Today, Chicago counseling centers strive to provide treatment that is accessible, affordable, culturally sensitive and effective. Regardless of who you are, where you come from or the sorts of difficulties that you’re facing, you can access the mental health treatment that you deserve.
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