Getting started
Making the first call is the hardest part.
Here is exactly what happens after you dial, so nothing about the process is a surprise.
Four steps
From your first call to your first session
01
Read the counselor biographies
You are encouraged to read through the counseling staff biographies before you call, in case someone stands out to you.
02
Call the office
The first time you call you will likely speak with our office administrator, Kristen. She will ask a few questions to help connect you with a therapist — what kind of counseling you are seeking, whether you will use insurance, any restrictions on phone messages or correspondence, whether you have a counselor or gender preference, and whether you are a member of an affiliate church. Please have your insurance information handy.
03
Hear back from a therapist
If you know which counselor you would like to see, your information goes to that therapist, who will call you personally. In most cases you should hear back within 24 to 48 hours. If you are not sure, Dr. Patricia Francis, OP, our Clinical Director, will assign a therapist.
04
Arrive for your first session
When you arrive, ring the doorbell to the right of the French doors; this lets your therapist know you are here. The first meeting helps you decide whether the therapist is a good fit, answer your questions about counseling, and begin shaping a treatment plan together.
Call us
Reach the office at 630-752-9750. We are at 507 Thornhill Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188. The Center does not prescribe medicine; if medication may help, your therapist will discuss a referral with you.
What is therapy?
A few things worth knowing
Therapy is a relationship
The quality of the connection between therapist and client matters more than any method or technique. Therapy is at its best when you feel safe to be truthful with your counselor — a place to work through difficulty without condemnation or shame.
Therapy is a process, and healing can take time
Getting unstuck can be like unravelling a ball of string; making sense of what surfaces along the way matters as much as reaching the core of an issue. You don't have to be in crisis to benefit — many people come while making an important decision or navigating a change.
Therapy is unique to the person seeking it
The care you receive depends on what brings you to counseling, your therapist's skills and training, current research, and the goals the two of you set together.
Pastoral counseling adds another dimension
Human life is more than biology. Pastoral counseling attunes to the spirit and soul as well as the mind and body. We are an ecumenical Christian organisation, and our counselors work with people of all faiths as well as those who practice none.
What you share with your therapist is confidential, with few exceptions required by law. If you have questions about privacy, ask at any point — you will get a straight answer.