Mental Health Resources - Willow Creek Community Church

Chicago 1347 S State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 Crystal Lake 100 South Main Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014 Español 67 Algonquin Rd Auditorio Lakeside (Entrada D), South Barrington, IL 60010 Huntley 38W133 Huntley Road, Dundee, IL 60118 North Shore 2200 Shermer Rd, Glenview, IL 60026 South Barrington 67 Algonquin Rd, South Barrington, IL 60010 South Lake 625 Barclay Blvd., Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Wheaton 900 N. Prince Crossing Rd., West Chicago, IL 60185 Willow Online

Counseling
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Trauma
Addiction
For BIPOC
For Parents
Jesus & Therapy
More Resources

You're not alone.

Let’s normalize conversations around mental health because no matter your struggle, you’re not alone. Even on your hardest days, there is hope.

Explore the topics, stories, and resources below to learn from experts and others who have struggled with their mental health. This list is not comprehensive nor does every resource perfectly reflect Willow’s beliefs or theology. We simply wanted to create a starting point for you. Please use them at your own discretion with discernment.

Get Help Immediately

If you’re experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911 or 988 immediately. Do not wait.

Counseling

How to Find a Counselor & What to Expect | Learn three steps for finding a counselor that’s best for you—and how to get the most out of your counseling experience.
Psychology Today Therapist Finder | Use this comprehensive directory of therapists to find a counselor who is right for you. When searching you can filter therapists using a wide variety of criteria such as therapist gender, insurance accepted, faith background, specialities, and more.

Anxiety

Capable Life | A suite of tools to help leaders function as Calm, Aware, Present, Able humans even amidst tension, triggers, and chronic anxiety.
Deep Breathing Exercise | Watch this guided breathing exercise led by one of our volunteers at Willow Crystal Lake
How to Stop a Panic Attack | Learn six proven ways to work through a panic attack.

Apps to Help Manage Symptoms:

An overview of Chronic Anxiety by expert Steve Cuss

Did you know most people have anywhere from 12 to 50+ sources of chronic anxiety a day? Maybe that stat alone is enough to make you anxious! The good news is there are great ways to manage your reactivity. Check out this video from pastor and anxiety expert Steve Cuss to learn more.

Depression

Three Tips to Moving Through Depression | Depression, whether chemical, seasonal, or situational, can keep you from enjoying the fullness of life. Here are a few tips if you’re feeling weighed down.
Symptoms of Depression: Identifying if You Might Have Depression | Learn the SIG-E-CAPS acronym to identify the signs of depression.

Get Help Immediately

If you are having thoughts of hurting yourself, ending your life, or need help right away, please call 988. Do not hesitate to get help! Your life matters.

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

An overview of Trauma & Depression by expert Steve Cuss

Trauma and depression can impact everyone. So how do you get help and find hope for the future? Pastor Steve Cuss unpacks the clinical side of trauma and depression and gives some practical tips for those experiencing it firsthand and those walking alongside someone who is.

If you’re experiencing severe depression or suicidal thoughts, please know your life is valuable beyond measure. Contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 for immediate help.

Katie’s Story

Depression looks different for everyone. In college, Katie’s struggle with depression and doubts with faith collided. By talking about it and taking small steps, she found hope in God’s promise to be with her and help with depression through counseling and medication. But she didn’t do it alone. Learning to empathize, be with, and journey alongside someone without needing to fix was just as transformative for her friend.

Grief

REBUILD | Attend a grief-support workshop, offered twice a year, where you can create space for your grief and gain practical tools for moving forward.

Check out these books:

A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry L Sittser
Colors of Goodbye by September Vaudrey
And Life Comes Back: A Wife’s Story of Love, Loss, and Hope Reclaimed by Tricia Lott Williford
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis, et al.
Grieving a Suicide by Albert Y Hsu

An Overview of Grief by expert Steve Cuss

Steve Cuss unpacks Grief and how it affects both adults and children.

Trauma

ACE Test | Use this assessment to help you discern whether or not you are struggling with trauma.
The Place We Find Ourselves | This podcast features private practice therapist Adam Young (LCSW, MDiv) and interview guests as they discuss all things related to story, trauma, attachment, and interpersonal neurobiology.

Check out these books:

The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind and Body in The Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller

Addiction

What is RECOVER and Who is it For? | Learn about RECOVER, a 12-step faith-based support group where you can find community and accountability on your journey toward recovery.

Addiction Support

RECOVER At Willow Creek (For all addictions)
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Celebrate Recovery (For all addictions)
Codependents Anonymous (CoDA)
Faithful & True (For those struggling with sexual addiction)
Gamblers Anonymous (GA)
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Overeaters Anonymous (OA)
Sexaholics Anonymous (SA)
Al-Anon and Alateen (For families of alcoholics)
Local Rehab Centers

Helplines

For the BIPOC Community

Why Black Women’s Mental Health Is More Important Than Ever Before| Learn more about why mental health is important to Black women, and get connected to more mental health resources in this article by Ciera Graham, PhD.
Mental Illness Doesn’t Discriminate, And Neither Should We.| In this article by Filipino-American, Tiffany Romito, learn about some of the compounding issues that the BIPOC community face when experiencing Mental Health struggles and why it is important to all of us.

Check out these websites with resources for specific BIPOC communities:

For Parents

NAMI Basics on Demand | A 6-week, self-paced, interactive support for parents whose kids have a mental health diagnosis.

Willow Students Speak Up About Mental Health

We asked our students about their experiences with mental health struggles and how the adults in their life can be helpful. Check out what they have to say here:.

Recommended Books:

How You Can Survive When They’re Depressed: Living and Coping with Depression Fallout by Anne Sheffield
Seen: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens Through the Power of Connection by Will Hutcherson and Chinwe Williams, PhD
When Someone Dies: A Child-Caregiver Activity Book National Alliance for Grieving Children

Resources For Kids

Anxiety

Depression

Grief

Resources For Teens

Anxiety

Depression

Grief

Chill & Spill: A Place to Put it Down and Work it Out by Steffanie Lorig and Jeanean Jacobs
Willow House | This organization, based in the north suburbs, provides free grief resources to kids, teens, and families who have lost a parent, sibling, or child.
Resources for Grieving Teens & Their Family | The Children’s Room, an organization who provides grief support to teens, children, and their family, has a list of resources specifically for teens. Note: The organization is based in Massachusetts.

Jesus & Therapy

What Does God Think About Mental Health | Learn from a pastor and professor what the Bible says about mental health and answer the questions ‘is faith enough?’ and ‘can Christians seek help for mental health?’

Message SeriesYou're Not
Alone

We aim to be a church community that talks about the raw and difficult parts of life. Mental health is a critical conversation that we want to talk about in order to point people to the truth of God’s love in dark times, the community of the local church where people can experience connection and the truth that they are not alone, and resourcing to receive levels of care appropriate for their particular story as it pertains to mental wellness.

Watch messages, stories, & videos

Message SeriesLet's Talk
About It

We are complex people. Our smiling faces or seemingly put-together lives may mask the layers of anxiety, depression, and grief we encounter each day. Whether you experience anxiety or worry, numbing depression, or have been consumed by grief, the first step is to name it, then begin a journey of health and wholeness. So let’s talk about it—and create space for others to do the same.

Watch messages, stories, & videos

National Resources

If you’re looking for mental health resources available more widely than Chicagoland, here’s a list of additional mental health resources. These resources can help with finding out more about mental health, mental illness, treatments, local resources, and national helplines.

National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI website
US government website mentalhealth.gov
US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA)

For a full list of mental health crisis centers in Illinois, please visit the Illinois Department of Human Services. For a full list of NAMI affiliates in Illinois please visit their website.

Talk or pray with a pastor

Not sure what you need? Speak with one of Willow’s skilled, compassionate response pastors—and take your first step toward finding the help you need.

A conversation with a response pastor can provide you with:

A wise, confidential sounding board for your situation.
Coaching to help find a suitable therapist.
Information about a workshop or class that might benefit you or your circumstance.
Clarity on what to do next.
Someone who will pray with you or for you.
Help in planning a funeral for your loved one.