It is generally accepted that 5% of the United States population suffers from depression. Many of us consider it a bad case of “the blues” and go about our business. Others suffer from more serious issues that interfere with daily life. Those who are victims of chronic mental illness find it difficult to cope with simple tasks and require constant, intense care by family members or specialized services.

Heartland Family Service has more than 50 therapists who specialize in various aspects of mental health. Therapy is so necessary to the successful functioning of our clients that therapists work in nearly every program of our agency. Volunteer opportunities in this profession are few, but donations are dearly needed because we serve so many clients on our sliding-fee scale.

If you have any questions or want to get more information on counseling, email us at SafeHavenTemp@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Would You Like to Help?

Donate to counseling services for:

• Abused children
• Women and children escaping a violent home
• Men who are learning to live without violence
• Youth who are struggling to find their way to adulthood
• Children and adults who suffer from chronic mental illness
• Couples who want to improve their relationship
• Parents who are struggling through difficulties with their children
• Students with severe psychiatric disorders

Programs in this category

• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
• Assessment, Support And Prevention (ASAP)
• Individual, Couple & Family Counseling
• Therapeutic School
• Therapy Groups
• Internships & Practicum Placements

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Our Assertive Community Treatment program (ACT) provides community-based care and treatment for individuals who are challenged by chronic mental illness. The ACT team members meet daily to review activities and adjust treatment plans to immediately respond to each client’s changing needs. This team of professionals, who traditionally operated in isolation from one another, can now assist a client in a much more efficient and immediate manner than they could before. They get to know each client’s life, their family, their plans and goals — and they are available 24 hours a day, providing the intensive support that persons with severe mental illness need in order to thrive.

Assessment, Support And Prevention (ASAP)

The Heartland Family Service Assessment, Support And Prevention (ASAP) program provides immediate assistance to individuals in crisis in Sarpy County. Responding to emergency calls from law enforcement and medical staff, ASAP therapists quickly intervene to provide therapeutic screening, referral and community service recommendations. Mental health recommendations are provided in writing to the referring staff person before the ASAP therapist leaves the facility. This intervention allows law enforcement and medical staff to return to their jobs sooner. In addition, persons who are having a mental health crisis are cared for in a manner that is more suitable to their needs.

Individual, Couple & Family Counseling

Individuals

Therapy is available for individuals for depression, anxiety, relationship problems, conflicts, traumatic events—any mental health problem that a person feels he or she cannot solve alone. Intake specialists can explain fees and procedures, and will attempt to match you with a therapist at one of our locations close to your work or home. Read our How to Choose a Counselor Q&A to get an idea how to begin. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Parent/Child

Parent/Child conflicts are the most frequent counseling problem for which clients ask for help. All of our 50+ counselors are skilled in family dynamics and helping parents solve problems with young children, adolescents and teenagers. Family counseling can be complimented with parenting classes including Setting Limits and Positive Parenting Group. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Couples

Couples counseling is the second most-often problem expressed by clients seeking therapy. Marriage and other significant relationships can be difficult, and sometimes couples need the guidance of a trained professional. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Divorce & Remarriage

Heartland Family Service offers professional divorce and remarriage counseling to assist families through the challenges they face during this traumatic experience. We believe that all divorcing families are presented with certain tasks that must be resolved for healthy adjustment, and they may need information and/or support to resolve the crisis. Some families have complications (often long-term problems such as alcoholism, family violence or other emotional problems), which need to be addressed with more intensive services available through the agency. Click here to read our helpful Q&A: Adjusting to Divorce. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Domestic Abuse

The Heartland Family Service Domestic Abuse Program has several master’s level therapists on staff to meet the specific mental health needs of domestic violence victims, both at our Safe Haven Transitional Shelter and on an outpatient office basis. Extreme care is taken to protect the privacy and safety of clients. A full compliment of services are offered to victims through our Domestic Abuse Program. Click here to read our helpful Q&A: Important Facts About Domestic Abuse. Or call our information and crisis line at (800) 523-3666 for specific questions.

Therapeutic School

Our Therapeutic School, serving southwest Iowa, is a terrific example of the hallmarks of Heartland Family Service: prevention, collaboration and commitment to addressing the community’s most challenging needs. This unique school, serving children with serious academic, emotional, behavioral and cognitive disorders, has received exceptional support from the Council Bluffs Community School District and the school districts it serves through Area Education Agency 13 (AEA 13). The youth are diagnosed with serious psychiatric issues that require certified classroom teachers, master-level social workers, a consulting psychologist and psychiatrist, and other behaviorally-trained staff. In addition to the advantage of allowing these children to remain at home with their families instead of being institutionalized out of town, the School provides a very cost-efficient model for meeting their unique needs. Because there is such a high demand for this service, we moved into a new facility and doubled our student population from 20 to 40 students. Referrals are accepted through the AEA 13 school districts.

Therapy Groups

Choosing Non-Violence Batterers’ Group

The Choosing Non-Violence Men’s Batterers Group’s primary focus is the education of batterers. The group is meant to be educational for the abuser; however, the interests of victim safety and autonomy supersede the interests of the abuser. Anger management techniques are included. The group advances the premise that domestic violence is a criminal activity and is learned behavior, and therefore, changeable. Batterers are to be held accountable for all acts of abuse and intimidating behavior, as they are solely responsible for their actions. Groups meet once a week for 25 weeks. Individual therapy sessions are available as well. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Developing a Better Today (DBT for Youth)

This twelve-session therapy group is for teens (ages 14-18) struggling with emotional and interpersonal problems. This ongoing group, based on the dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) model, is designed to develop skills that improve everyday functioning. The focus is to work on balancing change and acceptance in life in order to make it a “life worth living.” Teens learn hands-on skills to develop their ability to solve interpersonal problems effectively, to self-regulate their thoughts and emotions, and to tolerate stress in life without impulsive, destructive behavior. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Coping Skills (DBT for Adults)

This twelve-session therapy group is based on the Dialectic Behavioral Therapy model, an approach demonstrated to be highly effective in solving difficult emotional and interpersonal problems. It is designed to treat adults with severe psychological dysfunction who are at risk for suicidal or self-injurious behavior and whose daily functioning is significantly impaired by the disorganization in their thinking, mood and behavior. Clients accepted into this group may have a diagnosis of major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder panic or anxiety disorder, or a borderline personality disorder. They may also have related problems of domestic abuse, substance abuse or other high-risk behaviors that complicate their treatment. Therapy is usually completed in nine months to a year. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Youth Anger Management

Masters-level therapists help youth with social skills and anger management. Children and adolescents must meet a DSM-4 diagnosis and be assessed as appropriate for a therapeutic group through a professional interview. Call (402) 552-7400 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.

Internships & Practicum Placements

Internships and Practicum Placements are offered to bachelor’s and master’s level students from programs in social work, counseling, family studies, marriage and family therapy, and other human service fields. We work with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Creighton University, College of St. Mary, Bellevue University and other educational institutions to offer practice opportunities to their students. Our experienced clinical staff provides supervision and guidance. For more information, email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.