I see progress in Jayden thanks to Josie, Ana, Joana, Peter, and Jesus. Thank you!
How does Counselling and Mental Therapy at the Clubhouse work?
At the Clubhouse, our mental health program provides compassionate, evidence-based counseling for children in the Chicago area. We start by getting to know your child and family through an initial assessment, then create a personalized therapy plan that focuses on emotional growth, coping skills, and real-life support.
Our licensed therapists work with children and teens facing anxiety, mood changes, family stress, or behavioral challenges. We believe in the power of early intervention child therapy, and we tailor sessions to meet each child’s developmental needs while also involving caregivers every step of the way.
Our goal is to make mental health care more accessible, effective, and connected, so families can move forward with clarity and confidence.
How Can Counseling Help My Child?
Counseling Can Help With Children/Adolescents Experiencing:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Grief or loss
- Executive functioning concerns
- Emotional dysregulation
- Social concerns (difficulty establishing positive relationships with peers)
- Behavioral difficulties including ADHD
- Family stress/challenges such as separation or divorce, domestic violence, substance abuse
Counseling Can Help Families Experiencing:
- Challenges associated with parenting children with the concerns listed
- Grief including having a child diagnosed with a disability or mental health needs
- Difficulties navigating school systems and procedures for their children
- Stressors such as a separation or divorce, domestic violence, substance abuse
- Difficulty connecting to resources in the area
Areas We Serve
- Downers Grove
- North Mayfair
- Westmont
- Oakbrook Terrace
- Darien
- Albany Park
- Edgebrook
- Forest Glen
- Jefferson Park
- Clarendon Hills
- Lisle
- Hinsdale
Support for Every Stage of Childhood and Adolescence
- Anxiety, excessive worry, or panic
- Depression, sadness, or mood changes
- Trauma or difficult past experiences
- Grief and loss
- Difficulty managing anger or strong emotions
- Behavioral challenges at home or school
- Low self-esteem or confidence issues
- Social or peer relationship struggles
- Family or parental conflict
- Attention and focus difficulties (e.g., ADHD)
- Adjustment to life changes (divorce, relocation, new school, etc.)
- Stress related to academics or daily pressures
- Emotional regulation and coping skill development
- Support for neurodivergent children and teens (e.g., autism, ADHD)
What to Expect from Counseling at The Clubhouse
Our pediatric counseling program is designed to offer supportive, flexible care that evolves with each child’s emotional needs, strengths, and goals.
Mental Health Assessment
We begin with a thorough intake and evaluation to understand your child’s emotional, social, and behavioral challenges. This helps us recommend the right level of pediatric mental health support.
Personalized Therapy Plan
Our team develops individualized mental health care plans based on your child’s needs, personality, and developmental stage. We set goals that focus on emotional growth, coping strategies, and daily functioning. Plans may also coordinate with other therapies like speech therapy, ABA therapy, or occupational therapy when helpful.
Flexible Scheduling Options
Sessions are scheduled based on your child’s availability, comfort level, and progress. We offer both short-term and long-term options, depending on what’s needed.
Therapy Sessions and Activities
Therapy may include talk-based sessions, creative expression, social-emotional skill building, and mindfulness exercises. Sessions are tailored to be age-appropriate and engaging. We also provide family counseling and parent coaching when appropriate to support progress at home.
Monitoring Progress Over Time
We regularly check in on your child’s growth through observation, feedback, and clinical notes. Goals are adjusted based on what’s working and what needs extra support. This ensures our approach stays aligned with your child’s evolving needs.
Working with Families
Caregivers are an essential part of the process. We offer tools and strategies that parents can use at home to support emotional regulation, confidence, and connection. Collaboration is key to long-term success.
While the 30-minute, twice-weekly model is often ideal, we know every child is unique. We’re committed to working with your family to create a schedule and structure that works best for your child’s learning style and needs.
What Parents Say About Our Mental Therapy in the Chicago Area?
Over 95% of families leave us a 5-star review on Google! See what our families said about their experience at the Clubhouse:
My daughter’s behavior progress and language development has been extraordinary with the guidance of the wonderful staff at Communication Clubhouse.
I’ve been with Communication Clubhouse since my Son was 18 months old. Kyle is now 11 yrs old. He receives Speech, Occupational and ABA therapy in the Downers Grove office. I’ve had nothing but great experiences with this office. Honestly this is his 2nd home. Kyle has advanced so much because of them. I’m so appreciative to Communication Clubhouse.
The team at Communication Clubhouse have made a huge impact for our daughter and son. Both have learning disabilities and have benefited from the reading therapy, behavior therapy and occupational therapy.
P gives Olivia and Mary two thumbs up – and her parents give even more gratitude for the patience, persistence and support. Thanks to everyone at CC for your work!
When our daughter graduated from EI, we knew we wanted to stay with our OT and started attending sessions in the clinic. Sarah had a huge impact on the way we parent and how we support our daughter’s sensory needs. We loved her so much, and when she moved out of town, we were nervous about transitioning to a new OT. But Brianne is fantastic and it was a smooth transition. Our daughter had her sessions in the gym, which is an amazing space with so many different ways for children to work on their therapy goals. The space combined with Brianne’s creativity resulted in such fantastic growth that our daughter has since graduated from OT. We feel very grateful for the role Communication Clubhouse has played in our daughter’s development, and it is wonderful knowing that we have such a great place at our disposal should our daughter need additional OT services in the future.
The Clubhouse has been an incredible resource for our family! Our son came into the center only speaking a few words and is now speaking full sentences, labeling his emotions and having conversations! The sessions have been life changing and we couldn’t be more grateful of the dedication, time and grace that Ms. Megan has put in with our son! Thank you!
A wonderful place with caring staff and a nurturing environment! Two of my sons have gone here now and they both have shown remarkable improvement! My middle son went from barely speaking at all to now speaking full sentences. My oldest son started saying the “s” sound that he struggled with after just a couple sessions! They love coming here because they make it so much fun for kids that they don’t even realize they’re learning. Thank you so much!
We have been working with therapists from The Clubhouse since my twins were 18 months old and in early intervention. We then started going to The Clubhouse after they aged out of EI and have been there ever since for multiple types of therapy. My twins are almost 10. We love the therapists, office staff, program offerings, and schedule availability. This place is built for kids, they get it. I feel so grateful to have connected with this group of caring humans. They have made a huge impact for my kids and have helped them group tremendously! I would highly recommend The Clubhouse to anyone looking for pediatric therapy!
Our son has been going to Communication Clubhouse for six years and we love it. Wonderful people!!
Our Insurance Providers
The Clubhouse works with families with all major insurance coverage. We are proudly an in-network provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, and Medicaid. While we are not in-network with other insurance companies, we can provide the necessary documentation to submit for reimbursement to your insurance company.
Meet Chicago’s Trusted Pediatric Mental Health Team
Our clinic was founded over 20 years ago as a Pediatric therapy practice. Since then, the Clubhouse has grown into a multidisciplinary center offering compassionate aba therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and pediatric mental health support for children, teens, and families.
Our licensed counselors and mental health therapists bring a range of specialties, including anxiety, emotional regulation, trauma-informed care, and neurodivergent support. They work closely with families, educators, and other providers to create personalized, whole-child care in a safe and supportive setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every situation is different as are the needs of each family. Therefore, this is something that we can discuss as we make a plan to work together. There are many times when it will be beneficial to work with your child individually, however, the work that is done in a therapy setting often needs to continue and be reinforced in other settings. Including an adult family member would be important to encourage this growth and change.
Sessions take place for 45 minutes with individuals and closer to an hour with groups of 2 or more including families. Initial sessions begin with rapport building as relationships are proven to be the most important agent of change. This occurs through activities, conversation, and play depending on the age and interest of the child, adolescent, and/or family unit. Goal setting is also important to get a clear understanding of what the client wants and is motivated to work towards.
Counseling focuses on emotions, coping skills, and mental health, while behavior therapy is often more structured and goal-based, like ABA. At the Clubhouse, we often blend approaches to meet each child’s emotional and developmental needs.
Sometimes there are clear signs that indicate therapeutic services are warranted such as a child or adolescent engaging in dangerous behaviors towards themselves or others. Other times it can be less clear, but we know that intervening sooner rather than later can help decrease the severity of mental health issues. If you notice concerning changes in the behavior and emotions of your child, it may be a good time to consult with a therapist to determine if therapy is necessary. If you notice difficulties your child is having relating to their peers or getting along with others on a regular basis, this could be an indicator that your child could benefit from Mental Health Services.
Yes, with parent consent, our therapists can collaborate with teachers or school teams to support consistency across environments. This helps reinforce strategies and provide insight into your child’s school-day challenges.
Initially, due to the importance of relationship building, goal setting, and therapeutic work, it would be helpful to have weekly sessions. Once goals are achieved and positive change in behavior, emotions, and/or social interactions occurs, sessions could occur less frequently. This allows the opportunity to monitor the continued growth of the child, adolescent, and/or family unit.
Absolutely. We offer coaching, guidance, and regular check-ins so families feel supported and equipped to help their child outside of therapy.