Rivier Counseling Group, PLLC

10/12/2025

🌱 Meet Delphia! One of our extremely qualified interns with 40 years of experience!

🙋‍♂️ One of the best questions we get is "are interns qualified?" At Rivier Counseling Group, we only partner with interns who come from accredited universities and have experience in the field on top of their schooling.

Delphia has worked in the following areas of the field over the last 40 years:
-Group homes
-Mental health department
-Personal care homes for senior citizens
-Church counseling
-Public schools
-Group facilitator for the court system
-Will County Co-op for Special Education

Text (815) 258-3228 if you think Delphia could be a good fit for you!

10/08/2025

🍁 October is ADHD Awareness Month!

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects focus, impulse control, and regulation of energy and emotions. It’s more than just “hyperactivity”—it can look very different depending on the person.

👉 Common symptoms include:

Trouble sustaining attention

Forgetfulness or losing things

Restlessness or difficulty sitting still

Impulsivity or interrupting

Emotional reactivity

ADHD can also show up differently across the lifespan.

✨ In kids, it may look like daydreaming, boundless energy, big emotions, or challenges with schoolwork.

✨ In adults, it often shows up as time-blindness, taking on too much, struggling with consistency, or masking struggles behind a “put together” exterior.

🌟 ADHD has many faces—and understanding the unique ways it shows up is the first step toward support, compassion, and effective strategies.

💭 Do you see yourself in any of these?

09/30/2025

Some strategies to help you cope, if these tragic events have been weighing on your mind. ❤️🧠🌱

APA offers resources to help those suffering stress and anxiety from constant news reports about the shootings in communities around the world.

09/28/2025

Cornfest Parade 2025! 🌽☀️🌱🧠

It was about 1,000 degrees out (give or take 😉), but our crew still showed up in a big way—kids, families, and all. Nothing says mental health support like practicing deep breathing while you’re melting on Liberty Street.

So proud of our little family business and our amazing team for bringing the smiles (and all the snacks). 💛 Thanks to everyone who cheered us on—we felt the love!

Now excuse us while we go drink a gallon of water and dream about making a float for next year. 🥵😂

09/08/2025

Mental health 🤝 Nutrition

"Today, fortunately, the burgeoning field of nutritional psychiatry is finding there are many consequences and correlations between not only what you eat, how you feel, and how you ultimately behave, but also the kinds of bacteria that live in your gut". -Eva Selhumb MD, Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626

🌱Interested in exploring how food and nutrition could be contributing to your mental health? Schedule with Tara Ward, RD, LDN! Text "Schedule with Tara" (815) 258-3228.

09/06/2025

🍂 As the days grow shorter and sunlight fades, many people notice shifts in their mood, energy, and motivation. This can be more than just the “winter blues.” It may be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, often showing up in the fall and winter months.

💡 The good news? Evidence-based strategies can be practiced right at home to support your mental health:

✅ Light Therapy: Sitting near a light therapy box (10,000 lux) for 20–30 minutes in the morning can mimic natural sunlight and improve mood.

✅ Movement: Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercise or yoga, boosts endorphins and helps regulate sleep.

✅ Sleep Routine: Aim for consistent sleep and wake times — this helps balance your body’s circadian rhythm.

✅ Stay Connected: Schedule regular check-ins with friends or loved ones, even virtually, to reduce isolation.

✅ Mind-Body Practices: Mindfulness, meditation, or journaling can help you process emotions and stay grounded.

🌱 Small daily habits can make a big difference. If you notice symptoms interfering with your daily life, reach out to a mental health professional for support. You don’t have to face this alone.

09/04/2025

🌱 Specialities on top of specialties over here!

Please help us welcome Dr. Suzzanna Rowold, LCPC to our practice!

In Suzzanna's words:

"I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a PhD in Organizational Development and Leadership. My expertise centers on occupation-related clinical issues such as burnout, stress, anxiety, and trauma. I work with individuals navigating the pressures of their careers and personal lives, helping them build resilience, restore balance, and find healthier ways of managing challenges.

I am also a s*x therapy practitioner, supporting clients who want a more holistic path toward healing and growth. Whether it is navigating intimacy concerns, moving through trauma, building a stronger sense of body confidence, or exploring intimacy barriers within one's relationships, I work alongside you to break down stigmas and create space for real change. My approach is warm, collaborative, and focused on helping you reclaim confidence in yourself."

👀 ⌛️ Suzzanna will also be providing testing in our office- stay tuned for more information!

09/02/2025

In late February, 2021, I made my first hire for the practice: Barb Henry, LCPC. Barb had retired for about 3 months and grew bored. She realized was not quite ready to transition away from this specific passion.

When I offered Barb the position, I distinctly remember her saying "just to be clear, I think this will be 2 to 3 years tops", which was the first time Barb looked out for me. She wanted to honor the fact that I was just starting a business and allow me to plan with the most notice possible.

Now it is 4 1/2 years later and she is just feeling ready to put herself first on a more consistent basis. Over the years we have shared Barb been a consistent leader, voice of reason, clinical resource, amazing coworker, and special friend.

Barb is the reason we created our Zen Den, where clients can work on their trauma through movement 🧘‍♂️. She is also the reason we do not burn candles in the waiting room 😳. Barb is the reason I felt comfortable continuing to grow. She was such an asset, I did not feel as alone in this endeavor 🌱.

Please join us in toasting Barb, an amazing clinician who impacted the lives of so many people. May this next phase bring you the peace you helped to bring to others.

Love,
Sara & Staff

09/01/2025

🌱 Help us welcome our newest class of Rivier Counseling Group Interns! These masters level students are finishing their training with our office. We are overjoyed to have such a talented and experienced group!

These highly qualified interns come to us from a variety of backgrounds: religious counseling, sports & performance counseling, residential treatment, personal care homes for seniors, and more.

During their training with our office each intern will attend weekly individual supervision, as well as a biweekly didactic supervision where they will learn current research, clinical methods, and receive support on their caseloads from our Director of Interns, Samantha Brock, LCPC.

Check out our story for a refresher on where interns are in their process of becoming full, licensed clinicians!

08/25/2025

🌱 Ready to level up your performance—on the field, in the classroom, or in life? 🏈⚾️🏀⚽️🥎🥍⛳️📕

Alex Nieves, a mental performance consultant and counseling intern, specializes in helping high school and college students gain clarity, build confidence, and reach their goals through a personalized, strength-based approach.

Whether you’re navigating life transitions, performance pressure, or just need someone in your corner — Alex is here to help.

📞 Call or text (815) 258-3228 to schedule your session today!

08/16/2025

🌱 Congratulations, Casey!

07/27/2025

🌱 TO BE CLEAR: REACHING OUT AT ALL IS BEST! We are always happy to guide you where you need to go! We have given a lot of thought to how to serve our clients best: we strive to make our process easy and clear. To that end, if you're able, we would appreciate you using this chart for all your scheduling needs with our office. Thanks for supporting us in serving you!