8 Reasons To Choose Free Counseling Through &Rise in Chicago
By Kelsey Hoff
We know by experience that the times when women need support the most are often the times when they have the least access to critical services like mental health care. At &Rise, we’re breaking down barriers to treatment for women trauma survivors in our hometown of Chicago and across the State of Illinois by offering free counseling.
Many women find us when they’re leaving abusive relationships or when they’re realizing that the coping mechanisms that got them through their toughest times are no longer working. The emotional impact of traumatic experiences unfortunately doesn’t just go away when you ignore it. Symptoms can get worse over time and even cause physical health conditions. Finding trauma-informed treatment can not only help you feel more safe and secure in your day to day life, but it can also help prepare you to live the rest of your life to the fullest.
Your &Rise counselor can help you with these goals and more:
Reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Developing healthy coping skills
Learning ways to regulate your nervous system
Managing anxiety and depression
Setting healthy boundaries
Understanding and managing emotions
Making life changes that address the root causes of your symptoms
Healing interpersonal relationships
If you live in the Chicagoland area and you’re facing barriers to mental health treatment, you have some options to explore. In this article, we’ll share eight reasons women trauma survivors in Chicago should consider free counseling through &Rise.
8 reasons to choose free counseling through &Rise in Chicago
There are several organizations that provide free counseling in Chicago, such as the Chicago Department for Public Health and community mental health centers. However, these services are usually limited, and they may have specific requirements for people who qualify. When searching for free services, it’s a good idea to narrow your search based on the neighborhood you live in, your identity groups, and your symptoms or the type of treatment you’re looking for.
If you’re a woman in Chicago, you should consider free counseling through &Rise for the following reasons:
Our licensed counselors specialize in trauma recovery — Counseling for trauma recovery works a bit differently than treatment for other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. If you’re experiencing trauma symptoms like flashbacks, hypervigilance, and distress or avoidance related to specific triggers, you should seek trauma-informed care. Our counselors have the licensing, trauma-informed training, and experience to work with women survivors of trauma and abuse.
Fewer barriers to treatment — If you have no insurance or insufficient insurance, it can be hard to find a counselor or therapist who’s accepting new clients. You might be shuffled around from one organization to the next or end up on a long wait list. The cost of counseling through &Rise is covered by donations, grants, and fundraisers. You can benefit from free treatment now and give back in the future if you choose.
10 free sessions — Each woman in our counseling program receives 10 free sessions, no questions asked. This is enough time to make significant progress with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or complete trauma-focused treatment protocols like eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
In-person and virtual treatment options — In-person sessions take place on the north side of Chicago. If you live anywhere in the state of Illinois, you have the option to see your counselor via telehealth. At this time, we’re unable to provide one-on-one counseling outside of Illinois. Women in other states can join us for virtual support groups, however.
Client confidentiality — You shouldn’t have to worry about your safety or your privacy when seeing a counselor. Our counselors are all legally required to keep your information confidential. The only exceptions are when someone is in immediate danger, when abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person is suspected, or in the case of a court order. With your consent, your counselor may share information with other care providers or individuals you designate.
Counseling in your language — We have a lot of Spanish-speaking women in our community, and we welcome people of all backgrounds. We currently work with counselors who provide treatment in eight different languages.
We offer counseling in the following languages:
English
Spanish
French
Italian
Urdu
Hindi
Arabic
Mandarin
7. Option to continue working with your counselor — When your 10 sessions are up, you can make arrangements to keep working with your counselor. You can cover the cost with private insurance, or we can work with you on a sliding scale if you’re paying out-of-pocket.
8. Access to a supportive community — &Rise does much more than offer free counseling. We’re a grassroots organization run by women trauma survivors, for women trauma survivors. We build community through weekly support groups, special events, fundraisers, and more.
Start exploring your options for free counseling in Chicago through &Rise
Trauma can make you feel like you’re alone in your experiences. Your counselor will play an important role in your support system. With &Rise, you have access to a whole community of women who are on their own trauma healing journeys. Pairing one-on-one counseling with support groups and other events is a powerful way to surround yourself with positivity and an atmosphere focused on personal growth.
We’ve found that women in the &Rise community seek out free counseling services for many different reasons — it’s not only one demographic group or profile. We work with women ages 13 to 55, from all ethnic backgrounds. Our surveys from 2024 showed that we have members with different levels of education and income. Trauma doesn’t discriminate, and we don’t either.
Are you ready to start healing your trauma? Apply for counseling services or explore more ways to get support.
