Joliet Catholic Charities offering virtual mental health group sessions

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, is offering two specialized virtual group therapy sessions this month.

“Not everyone is comfortable doing one on one,” said Corinna House, division director of counseling services for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet. “Some people want to go group sessions. It’s a great way to bring people in and just talk about mental health. They can hear what other people are having to say and realize they are not alone in their struggles.”

“Breaking Barriers: Men’s Guide to Mental Wellness” are four virtual group sessions on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. The first session begins Oct. 16. Registration is required.

“Teen Talk: A Teen’s Guide to Mental Wellness” are four virtual group sessions for ages 13 to 17. These sessions will be Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The first session is Oct. 18. Registration is required.

For more information, email counselingreferrals@cc-doj.org.

“The biggest goal is to make services more accessible.”

—  Corinna House, division director of counseling services at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet

The therapists conducting the sessions will use evidence-based practices, House said.

Catholic Charities also hopes to add additional group sessions over time, House said. It started with sessions for teens and men because Catholic Charities is seeing the highest need in these two groups, she said.

For instance, teens encounter bullying and school-related violence, yet stigma surrounding mental health is still there, House said.

“We’re just trying to reduce that [stigma] and to let them know they can open up and talk about things, while creating a sense of community for them,” House said.

Men simply need a safe space to talk about mental health, House said.

“This helps reduce the stigma of mental health and how it ties into masculinity,” she said.

Two male therapists will run the sessions for men.

The virtual group therapy sessions aren’t free, but insurance will be billed for them. A sliding scale free is available for people without insurance.

House said Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, works with potential clients to insure they get the services they need.

“I think the pandemic played a huge role in the increased need for services,” House said. “Across the nation, wait lists for mental health are long, even for just individual therapy and to see a psychiatrist. The biggest goal is to make services more accessible.”

Catholic Charities also offers a wide variety of additional individual, group and family counseling services for people of all ages. For information, call 815-723-3405 or visit catholiccharitiesjoliet.org/services/counseling.