This blog post is written by our volunteer, Diane, who completed 48 hours of service between September and December of 2024 for her SERVE class at Elgin Community College.

“I chose to volunteer at Tricity Family Services to gain exposure to the environment of therapy and what it’s like to volunteer at a non-profit clinic. At first, I was a little nervous, as it had been a while since I’d volunteered, especially with strangers. Granted, it was out of my comfort zone, as I’m not really a social person. I wasn’t expecting anything except to come in, do what I needed to do, and then head out. However, I really liked the place. Everyone was nice, and they treated me like I wasn’t just a volunteer who comes and goes. I felt like I belonged, and I learned the values of Tricity Family Services. Everyone’s goal is to help people with mental health issues and provide financial assistance and therapy.

My first task was to help organize raffle baskets for the gala they were hosting. Each basket was donated by small local businesses and big businesses like Raising Canes. I thought it was nice that the businesses donated to the gala for fundraising purposes; it’s also a way for them to gain exposure for the lucky winners. This year’s gala had a vintage ‘on the road’ summer vibe from the 1960s and 1970s. The venue was huge, reminding me of a quinceañera my family would host for my cousins. There were lots of round dining tables covered in heavy, big tablecloths, and plenty of vintage items like suitcases, highway logos, and gift wines. It felt like I was a VIP getting to see the backstage of a big gala. I didn’t stay for the actual gala, as I had to attend my cousin’s wedding, but I would definitely volunteer for the next one.

My second main task was to help out with the Thanksgiving baskets for the Adopt-a-Family program at the clinic. I didn’t know what Adopt-a-Family was or how it worked, but many families received a lot of food and gifts from other families. Basically, someone “adopts” a family from the affordable counseling program, buying food and other necessities to donate to them. The donations come in baskets, laundry baskets, or tote bags. I thought it was thoughtful and kind of others to go through all that trouble to give to a family in need. It was a lot of heavy stuff, which is good – more for the family!

Another project was decorating a tree at the Geneva History Museum, and we entered a contest. Our tree’s theme was ‘Keep Going to Keep Growing,’ a message encouraging people to keep going and strengthen their mental health. We decorated the tree with botanical plants, ornaments, and berries, and placed coloring papers and crayons for kids (or adults) to color. It turned out beautifully! I thought it was a unique idea; I wouldn’t have thought to put botanical plants on a tree, but it did look like a Christmas tree. It was about gaining exposure and bringing people to receive help. 

My last task was shopping at Kohl’s to donate items to families in the affordable counseling program. Kohl’s gave us $2000 plus $400 in Kohl’s cash, which was insane – I didn’t know they would do something so nice! I had a really fun time shopping for clothes, shoes, and other stuff. I shopped for a family of four who asked for jackets, boots, PJs, and sportswear like jogging pants, sweatpants, or sweaters. 

Through my volunteer experience at Tricity Family Services, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the importance of mental health and general health in our community. I’ve learned how mental health issues can affect individuals and families, and how TCFS provides vital support and resources to those in need. By working with therapists, managers, and clients, I’ve developed empathy and understanding for the challenges people face, and I’ve learned about the importance of building connections and relationships in the community. Overall, my volunteer experience at TCFS has taught me the value of community engagement, empathy, and understanding. I’ve learned that even small actions, like volunteering or donating to a local organization, can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families. My experience at TCFS has been rewarding so I decided to continue staying with TCFS and keep gaining experience, and who knows, I might even intern there as a future therapist!”

Thank you, Diane, for all of your hard work and dedication!

If you are interested in volunteering with TriCity Family Services, please email Kelsey at kboyer@tricityfamilyservices.org.

The newest career practiced by Mattel’s Barbie—who has had at least 250 jobs over the years—is her first in the mental health field. The brand recently introduced an Art Therapy playset including an Art Therapist Barbie doll and her child client (complete with interactive emoji apparel). The toy set also includes a therapy kitten and cushion as well as art supplies and mood stickers.

TriCity Family Services’ resident Art Therapist, Izzie Morretti, was excited to hear about this new doll and appreciates the idea that it could inspire kids to learn about Art Therapy both as a profession and as an option for mental health care.

“Art Therapy unlocks an ability to process what you’ve been through. You can visualize the experiences and it can allow others to see what you are feeling,” Izzie shared, “I got into Art Therapy because I wanted to create art and have an artistic space and also help people. I didn’t learn it was an option until my senior year of undergrad. I wish I would have known sooner that it existed as a career.”

While earning her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy at Adler University, Izzie learned about both the psychoanalysis of art and the therapeutic abilities of practicing art—each aspect is incorporated while working with her counseling clients. To give an example, she shared that she had young client recently whose family was going through a divorce. They participated in creating a Kinetic Family Drawing and drew a detailed picture that showed how they saw their family dynamics and relationships; they left one family member on a separate page which gave Izzie insight into the situation and opened up a specific issue to talk more about in a later session.

Though the new Barbie playset includes a child client, Izzie knows that Art Therapy can be helpful for all ages—and she wants it to be clear that you do not have to be good at art to benefit from it.

“Sometimes you don’t know how to describe an event, but you know the feelings you had when it happened,” she continued, “Something about trauma is that you hold it in both sides of the brain. Clients will be telling a story over and over again, and using Art Therapy helps them actually process it and that can lead to peace. They get stuck while talking about it—what they really need to do is finger paint about it!”

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Need help? TriCity Family Services is here for you! If you are interested in any of our mental health services, please call 630.232.1070 to speak with an intake coordinator who can connect you to a caring counselor or therapist.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) 2024 is Monday, February 26 and goes through Sunday, March 3. As a community-based mental health organization that offers Family-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders, we will be sharing resources and information across our social media channels during the week in an effort to bring awareness to eating disorders and the effects they can have on individuals and families.

We also invite our friends and followers to participate by performing an action each day that fights negative body talk and diet culture while promoting emotional and physical well-being. You can also help spread knowledge by wearing blue and green (the colors representing EDAW) and by sharing our posts and messages.

Tips for Families: Managing Summer’s Changes 

The transition to summer brings longer days and less homework, but the lack of schedule and open structure can create its own stress. Counselors at TriCity Family Services offer the following tips for embracing summer’s changes:

• Have your kids help you outline the family’s summertime routine. Work together to develop a seasonal plan for technology use, sleep, play, and chores. Being part of the planning may help ease anxiety and get more “buy-in”.
• Engage distraction-free with each child for at least 15 minutes a day. Listen to what your children say and show excitement about what is important to them.
• Use the extra time for family bonding. Low-cost activities include going on walks and bike rides, library trips, making art, or prepping a special meal together.
• Be sure to leave some free time too. Boredom often leads to creativity!
• Prep kids for changes coming in the next school year. Knowing what to expect will ease the next transition.

Noticing your child is experiencing challenges during the summer transition (such as extreme changes in sleep, eating, or behavior; isolating; or engaging in high risk behaviors)? Connect with someone at TriCity Family Services who can help by calling (630) 232-1070 or visiting our Contact Us page.