KCHC and Pillar Health Spotlight Group Therapy Program During Mental Health Awareness Month

 In recognition of this important observance, Kenosha Community Health Center (KCHC) and Pillar Health are highlighting the success and growth of their Group Therapy Program, launched in October 2025.

Group therapy is a proven, evidence-based form of treatment led by licensed mental health professionals, allowing participants to learn with and from others who share similar experiences. Research shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy while offering added benefits of connection, insight and community support.

Since its launch, the KCHC/Pillar Health Group Therapy Program has offered a wide variety of therapeutic group topics, including:

• Healthy Boundaries, focusing on communication skills, coping strategies and boundary-setting tools
• Grief Therapy, providing culturally responsive support for adults navigating loss
• New Year, New You, emphasizing self-care, time management, goal-setting and healthy habit development
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), helping participants manage strong emotions and build healthier coping skills
• Overcoming Anxiety, exploring the mind-body connection and somatic strategies to manage anxiety and panic

Participants have consistently shared positive feedback about their experiences. One patient noted, “The group sessions were very helpful, providing clarity, support in setting healthier boundaries and insight into better choices. Hearing others’ experiences helped reveal blind spots and created a strong sense of community and understanding.”

Another participant from the Grief Therapy Group shared, “This grief support group provided a safe, comforting space where I felt understood and supported by others who were walking a similar path. The resources and tools shared helped me between sessions, and the experience encouraged me to continue my healing through individual therapy.”

Building on this momentum, KCHC and Pillar Health will launch a new group on May 11, 2026, titled Navigating Relational Conflict. This group is grounded in the book How to Feel Loved by Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis and explores five essential relational mindsets: Sharing, Listening to Learn, Radical Curiosity, Open Heart and Multiplicity.

Additional group therapy topics currently being considered include:

• Stress Management and Reduction
• Trauma and Recovery
• Anger Management
• Addiction and Recovery

The KCHC/Pillar Health behavioral health therapy team is composed of licensed professional counselors and clinical social workers with diverse backgrounds and specialized training. The team offers trauma-informed care and evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practices, EMDR, solution-focused therapy and integrative modalities. Services are available for children as young as 5, adolescents, adults, couples, families and groups, with bilingual Spanish-English care enhancing accessibility for the community.

“Mental health is health,” said John Rocha, behavioral health service line manager, psychotherapy services. “This Mental Health Month and beyond, we remain committed to breaking stigma, supporting one another, and helping our communities build a brighter, healthier future.”