Mental Health Counseling and Resources

You can access our full site, along with our staff and educational information here. 

Transformative Growth Counseling Website

IVCC offers four free sessions for all IVCC students with our IVCC-based counselors.

If you decide to continue care after four sessions, we offer sliding scale appointments and are in network with most major insurance types. 

Often times, students report experiencing anxiety, depression, or trauma.

Transformative Growth offers IVCC:

• Individual Therapy (Online or In-Person)
• Diagnostic Testing
• Support and Resources 

Meet Our IVCC-based Counselors: 

 

Stephanie Castañeda-Arteaga, Program Director and Counseling Therapist

We go through life trying to make sense of it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly cries in between.  You do not have to do this alone. Whatever life throws at us, it is important that we stay balanced, healthy, and true to ourselves. I believe we all have the ability to find the power within ourselves to overcome any of life’s obstacles, even if we need some assistance in finding that strength. That is why I am here! You are driving the bus and I can help you navigate through the trenches! 

I graduated from Dominican University with a Clinical Psychology Bachelor’s degree and graduated from Adler University with a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I have experience in working for community mental health agencies, hospitals, and school-based case management. 

I have also been trained in crisis and suicide prevention (Illinois Medicaid Comprehensive Assessment of Needs and Strengths). I have provided services to children as young as 5 years old to 75 years old. 

Let’s tackle life’s obstacles by taking one step at a time. If that first step is to make an appointment to start therapy, just know that I understand it takes a lot of courage doing so!  You got this!  

“Meanings are not determined by situations, but we determine ourselves by the meanings we give to situations.” - Alfred Adler 

Areas of Interest:

• Anxiety Management

• Addictions Counseling

• Depression Management

• Stress Management

• Family Conflict

• Self-Esteem 

• Suicidal Ideation

• Trauma and PTSD

• Relationship Issues

• Identity 

• Life Transitions

• Generational Trauma

• Latinx / Hispanic Community

• Coping Skills

• Mental health psychoeducation

• Career Counseling

Stephanie will be available for appointments and walk-ins at the following times:

• Mondays and Fridays (Virtual Only) 9am-4pm
• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (In-Person) 9am-4pm

Ready to talk? Here is how to make an appointment:

• Just walk in! (Located in CTC-202L) 
• Or - email stephanie@transformativegrowth.org
• Or - call 630-423-6010 between 9am-4pm and let our office know you are an IVCC student and would like to make an appointment

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Take our anonymous mental health screening here! It can help give you some insight into what you may need help with.

Mindwise Mental Health Screening

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Important Resources and Referrals

In case of an emergency or in need of immediate help please call 911, please refer to these resources 

• 988
  • The suicide and crisis lifeline. If you need support now, call or text 988 or chat at https://988lifeline.org/

• The Trevor Project
  
  • 24 hour hotline: (866) 488-7386 
    
  • The Trevor Project offers support to the LGBTQ young adult community. It is a 24/7 suicide hotline.
  • Website: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

• YWCA
  • 24 hour hotlines: (815) 626-7577 or (815) 288-1011
    
  • Website: https://www.ywsauk.org/
  • The YWCA is an organization dedicated to empowering women, eliminating racism, standing up for social justice, and strengthening communities. They provide crisis intervention by going into hospitals to advocate for survivors of sexual assault and staying there with them. Call their 24 hour hotline if you want to talk to them about someone you know who was sexually assaulted and you don’t know what to do, or if you yourself are a survivor of sexual assault.
  • Locations:
    • 412 1st Ave, Sterling, IL 61081
      
      • Phone: (815) 624-0333
    • 98 South Galena Avenue, Dixon, IL. 61021
      
      • Phone: (815) 288-1232
• Dial 2-1-1

  • 2-1-1 gets you in contact with a community resource specialist to help with crisis, emergency, and essential needs.

• Department of Human Services 

  • The Department of Human Services issues food stamps and medical cards for people who need it. For students of higher education they have to meet certain requirements, such as caring for a dependent under the age of 18. 

  • Location: 1560 1st Ave. Ottawa, IL 61350
  • Phone: (815) 433-1572
• Arukah Institute of Healing
  • Arukah provides patient-centered therapeutic, crisis and wellness services spanning the continuum of prevention, treatment and recovery in rural communities. We focus on specialized care for the most vulnerable persons in our community. 
  • Location: 1916 N Main St, Princeton, IL 61356
  • Phone: (815) 872-2943
• Housing Authority for La Salle County

  • They provide low income housing and provide to those in need of immediate housing due to domestic violence. 

  • Location: 526 E Norris Dr. PO Box 782, La Salle, IL 61301
  • Phone: (815) 434-0380
• Tri-County Opportunities Council 

  • The Tri-County Opportunities Council has resources by county, such as energy assistance, emergency vehicle/housing repairs, Head Start daycare, scholarships, and more.

  • Email Contact: tcoc@tcochelps.org
• LIfestance Health

  • Lifestance Health offers therapy, medication management, psychological testing, and dietitian services.

  • Location: 5901 N Prospect Rd Suite 202, Peoria, IL 61614
• Freedom House
  • Freedom House is  a shelter and has a lot of other services available for victims and survivors. They have counseling, legal advocacy, medical advocacy (meet survivors at hospital and police), and counseling for non-abusive family members. At the facility they have a ten step parenting class people can go through. They also help families with funds and finances, as well as anything the survivor would request.
  • Location: 440 Elm St. Princeton, IL 61356
  • Hotline: (800) 474-6031
  • Phone: (815) 872-0087
• Safe Journeys

  • Safe Journeys provides free confidential services for survivors of domestic violence and dependents. Survivors of sexual assault and support person. They provide short term shelter/residential facilities for people fleeing domestic violence and their dependents. They have supportive counseling to work with a survivor to return to the spot they were before sexual assault, legal and medical advocacy, and case management to assist victims locating housing or needing help with utilities. 

  • Location: 510 N Bloomington St. Streator, IL 61364
  • 24 hour hotline: (815) 673-1555
  • Phone: (815) 672- 2353
• Planned Parenthood
  • Planned Parenthood provides hormone therapy to transgender individuals who are 16+, STI/STD treatment, infection testing for yeast infections, UTIs, bacterial infections and possible treatment for these infections; they can offer it in house or direct to a pharmacy, abortion services, funding for family planning appointments with sliding fee scale if you don’t have coverage for insurance or no insurance. Medicaid covers all services.
  • Location: 612 Court St. Ottawa, IL 61350
  • Phone: (815) 433-4111
• Community Food Basket

  • Community Food Basket Located serves anyone who comes, including students at IVCC. All they ask is that the client bring a piece of mail with name and address or photo ID. Monthly income doesn’t exceed $1,986. They are a client choice food pantry, so clients can come in distribution hours on Monday and Tuesday from 9am- 12pm and Wednesday and Thursday from 3pm- 6pm. They also offer shopping with volunteers.

  • Location: 519 Madison St. Ottawa, IL 61350
  • Phone: (815) 431-0155
• Express Employment Professionals

  • Express Employment Professionals offers services that are temp to hire, evaluation to hire, and direct hires. They also do phone interviews or come in interviews to try to fit people for a position.

  • Location: 2711 Columbus St. Ottawa, IL 61350
  • Phone: (815) 306-0250
• Friendship House

  • Friendship House does community programs that help find employment in the community. They have residential homes, small group homes with 24 hour care, and a day program that’s like a classroom setting that teaches life skills, daily living skills, and does activities in the community.

  • Location: 1718 N. 2525th Rd. Ottawa, IL 61350
  • Phone: (815) 434-0737

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