Resources
Community Counseling Centers
Asian Human Services includes adult outpatient services, which ranges from individual, couples, and family counseling. They also have services for children and adolescents as well as group and community support. Their trained providers and staff speak more than 15 languages.
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) is an agency with a group of four Northside community mental health centers which provide services to help people manage mental health issues, overcome substance use, and recover from traumas including sexual assault and abuse.
Community Mental Health Centers in Cook County provides a listing of agencies and offices providing mental health services aligned with or funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services in Cook County.
Lutheran Social Services Welcoming Center is a Northside walk-in mental health clinic for adults (18+) who may be having a mental health crisis, need immediate behavioral healthcare, or have been discharged from the hospital and need follow up. The Center offers counseling, case management, and psychiatric appointments.
Pilsen Wellness Center provides culturally sensitive mental health and related social services to a multicultural population. Offering 15 programming sites located in communities with predominately Latino-origin residents in the Chicagoland area.
Thresholds provides physical and behavioral healthcare services as well as housing and employment resources for persons with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois. Thresholds offers 30 innovative programs at more than 75 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs, and four surrounding counties.
Thrive Counseling Center is a comprehensive mental health center in Oak Park, Illinois offering psychiatric and behavioral therapeutic services for families, youths and adults as well as crisis and emergency services.
Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare provides physical and behavioral healthcare services as well as recovery, housing and employment resources for persons with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders in four locations in Chicago.
Turning Point Behavioral Health Center provides outpatient individual and group therapy for all ages, as well as psychiatric evaluation and medication monitoring, case management, and a residential living program. The Living Room at Turning Point provides an alternative to hospital emergency rooms for adults experiencing psychiatric crises.
Practitioners
The following links are to therapy practices in and around Chicago that provide behavioral health services. We are not endorsing any of the individual practices but we offer them as a place to start the search for the right practitioner.
Cathedral Counseling Center is a Loop-based agency that provides affordable psychotherapy without regard to income, religious affiliation, race, ethnicity, disability, gender or sexual orientation. All clinicians are independent contractors who are licensed professionals with extensive post-graduate clinical experience.
Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland.
Family Institute at Northwestern University offers psychotherapy for children, adults, couples and families through a team of more than 90 clinicians at four locations in and around Chicago. The treatment is evidence based, theoretically grounded and culturally responsive.
Howard Brown Health Center offers health and counseling services to the LGBTQ community in a number of settings in Chicago’s north, south and westside neighborhoods.
Lakeview Center for Psychotherapy is a cooperative of independent professionals dedicated to providing innovative, thoughtful, and compassionate psychotherapy.
Psychology Today offers a searchable, detailed listing of therapists, counselors, psychiatrists and treatment centers across the country.
Urban Balance Counseling is an insurance friendly consortium of 70+ mental health counselors at 8 locations in Chicagoland. Additional locations are available in other parts of the country.
PHP/IOP Programs
Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP) provide structured outpatient psychiatric services as an alternative to hospitalization or as a way to transition from inpatient psychiatric care. Treatment usually occurs during the day, 5 to 7 days per week. Participants follow a plan of care tailored to their individual needs while living at home.
Compass Health Center offers full day, half day, after school and evening programming based on the age of the patient and their individual needs. Individuals participate in DBT/CBT/ACT group therapy, individual sessions, and supportive family sessions. The on-site, multi-disciplinary staff includes psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, family therapists, nurses and educational specialists. Facilities in Chicago and the North Shore.
Gateway Foundation offers PHP and IOP services for those with a dual diagnosis of addiction or substance use and mental health conditions. Locations throughout the state with 5 locations in Chicago and its suburbs. Therapies include mindfulness and meditation, behavioral therapy, 12-step programs, SMART Recovery, group and family therapy.
Pathlight Behavioral Health Center offers both residential and outpatient mental health treatment with locations in 5 states. Local residential, PHP and IOP services are offered at 5 locations in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Multi-modal approach to therapy includes family therapy, group therapy, nutrition services, medication management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy, DBT-based trauma treatments, Narrative Therapy and expressive therapies, including yoga, dance/movement therapy and art therapy.
Rogers Behavioral Health offers both residential and outpatient mental health and addiction treatment with locations in seven states. Local facilities are in Hinsdale and Skokie. Their partial hospitalization (6 hours a day, 5 days a week) and Intensive outpatient (3 hours a day, 5 days a week) programs are led by a team of psychologists, behavioral specialists, experiential therapists and psychiatrists. Patients, families, and treatment teams work together to determine length of programs based on individual progress and situations.
Rush Day Hospital offers PHP and IOP treatment programs at their west-side facility employing a combination of group psychotherapy, medication management, psychotherapy, and activity programs. Treatment is provided by a staff that includes a psychiatrist, nurses, a case manager, social workers, expressive art therapists and recreational therapists.
St. Joseph's offers PHP and IOP treatment programs at locations in Chicago and Des Plaines, IL. These small, short-term programs are for individuals age 18 and older who are experiencing an increase in anxiety or depression symptoms, stepping down from an inpatient stay or in need of a medication change. The programs include group therapy, individual support and psychiatric evaluation and monitoring by a psychiatrist.
Information on Mood Disorders
Advocate Health Care is a local hospital. Their website includes a list of mental health resources similar to this one.
Healthline.com covers all facets of physical and mental health in a way that is informative, easy to understand, and engaging. Good basic information on bipolar and depression in articles, blogs and videos.
HealthyPlace.com is the largest consumer mental health site on the net. It provides comprehensive, authoritative information on psychological disorders, psychiatric medications and other mental health treatments, and support for people with mental health concerns, as well as their family members and loved ones. It also has online psychological tests, breaking mental health news, and more.
Mayo Clinic has good basic information about symptoms and treatment for depression and bipolar disorder. Simply written and well organized.
National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders and offers basic information on mental disorders, a range of related topics, and the latest mental health research. This link provides good basic information about mental health medications for a wide range of mental health conditions.
Psych Central provides mental health information as well as annotated guides to the most useful online resources today in mental health, psychology, social work, and psychiatry. They also developed the Sanity Score, a free online mental health screening test. Psych Central also includes dozens of topic-oriented blogs as well as our online support group community.
PsychEducation.org is an excellent guide to the medical literature on bipolar variations and their treatment. Written by practicing psychiatrist and author Jim Phelps, who specializes in complex mood and anxiety disorders including “treatment resistant depression” and bipolar disorders. The site is refreshingly easy to read, compassionate and open-minded. Old school looking site with no ads and solid, reliable information.
Web MD is a good general site for all facets of physical and mental health. They have good sections on depression and bipolar disorder plainly written.
LGBTQ+ Specific
Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland.
Forge Forward provides trainings and information for transgender people and their service providers.
GLBT Near Me a searchable database of more than 15,000 GLBT health, lifestyle, business, legal and lifestyle resources providing local results by zip code.
Howard Brown Health Center offers health and counseling services to the LGBTQ community in a number of settings in Chicago’s north, south and westside neighborhoods.
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
LGBT National Health Center provides hotlines, online peer support and other resources for the LGBTQIA+ community.
National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) LGBTQ Resources provides a listing of resources for mental health support and treatment.
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults.
Trans Lifeline is a trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive. Offers a peer support hotline run by and for trans people.
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention, suicide prevention and other support services to LGBTQ+ youth.
Hotlines
National Hopeline Network
1-800-784-2433
IMAlive
An online chat crisis/suicide prevention line
Call4Calm (Illinois only)
Text "TALK" to 55-2020 for English or "HABLAR" to 55-2020 for Spanish.
You'll give your first name and zip code, and a mental health professional in your area will give you a call within 24 hours to talk to you.
Asian Human Services Chicago
Crisis counselors who speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, French, German, Thai, and Malay
1-773-907-6411
Trans Lifeline
A hotline by and for transgender and nonbinary individuals that does not contact first responders without consent.
1-877-565-8860
The Trevor Project
A hotline for LGBTQ+ youth
1-866-488-7386
Text: 678-678
Veterans Crisis Line
Dial 988 and then press 1
Text: 838255
National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-7233
TTY: 1−800−787−3224
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
Text or call: 1-800-422-4453
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)
1-800-656-4673
Safe Alternatives For Cutting/Self-Injury
1-800-366-8288
National Eating Disorders Helpline
1-800-931-2237
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
1-800-662-4357
TTY: 1-800-487-4889
Al-Anon
1-800-356-9996
Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances
1-833-234-6343
National Drug Helpline
1-844-289-0879
Never Use Alone
A harm reduction hotline for drug users
1-800-484-3731
Additional Resources
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy with chapters in all 50 states. Home for awareness walks and a database of unaffiliated support groups for survivors.
The Living Room offers a free and calm alternative to the emergency room for adults ages 18 and older who are seeking help in a mental health crisis. There are a number of Living Rooms in the Chicago area including the Austin neighborhood, Skokie, LaGrange, Wheaton, and Broadview.
DBSA Greater Chicago Chapter provides support groups and other resources at 8 locations around the city and suburbs.
DBSA Find a Chapter provides a searchable database of peer and family and friends support groups around the country.
National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois has a variety of mental health education and support programs directed to individuals living with mental illness, family members, friends, professionals, other stake holders, and the community at large. There are 8 individual chapters in Cook County offering help lines, support groups and drop in centers as well as links to other services.
GoodRx.com is a good source for price comparison and discounts for medications. Also has links to manufacturer coupons and patient assistance programs.
Bipolar Mood Charts provide a visual image of how important pieces of information such as changes in mood, medication, and life events all fit together which makes it much easier to identify patterns before serious problems develop. This site provides an explanation and links to a couple of mood charts that have been tested and validated by clinicians and researchers.
DBSA Wellness Wheel is an easy-to-use tool that gives you a complete picture of the progress you’ve already made in your wellness journey. As you create your own wheel, you will see your strengths in perspective and discover ways to move toward the life you want to live.
Step Up For Mental Health is a local mental health advocacy organization that provides support for peers, assistance for families, and education for the public.
findhelp.org is an online directory of social services, including but not limited to food assistance, help paying bills, and mental and physical healthcare.
The Mental Illness Happy Hour is a weekly online podcast that interviews comedians, artists, friends, and the occasional doctor. Each episode explores mental illness, trauma, addiction and negative thinking.
The Hilarious World of Depression is a podcast featuring frank, moving, and funny conversations with top comedians who have dealt with clinical depression.