Kenosha Community Health Center (KCHC) and Pillar Health are using Mental Health Awareness Month to spotlight a group therapy program they say has grown since launching last fall and to promote a new series aimed at helping participants navigate relationship conflict.
The joint KCHC/Pillar Health Group Therapy Program started in October 2025, according to information provided by the organizations. In a May release, the partners said the program is designed to provide evidence-based therapy in a group setting led by licensed mental health professionals.
Group therapy can help participants learn skills while also hearing from others who have had similar experiences, the organizations said. They added that research has shown group therapy can be as effective as individual therapy for many needs, while offering a sense of connection and community support.
Since October, the program has offered groups covering multiple topics, including “Healthy Boundaries,” which the organizations described as focusing on communication skills, coping strategies and tools for setting boundaries. Other groups have included grief support for adults, a goal-setting and self-care series titled “New Year, New You,” Dialectical Behavior Therapy groups, and an “Overcoming Anxiety” group that explores mind-body connections and somatic strategies to manage anxiety and panic.
In the release, the organizations included feedback they attributed to participants. One participant said group sessions provided “clarity” and support in setting healthier boundaries, adding that hearing from others helped create “a strong sense of community and understanding.” Another participant from a grief group said the experience provided “a safe, comforting space” and tools that were helpful between sessions, and encouraged continuing care through individual therapy.
The organizations said a new group is scheduled to launch May 11 titled “Navigating Relational Conflict.” The series is grounded in the book How to Feel Loved by Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis, according to the release, and will focus on what it described as five relational mindsets: Sharing, Listening to Learn, Radical Curiosity, Open Heart and Multiplicity.
Additional group topics under consideration include stress management, trauma and recovery, anger management, and addiction and recovery, the organizations said.
KCHC and Pillar Health also highlighted their broader behavioral health therapy team, which they said includes licensed professional counselors and clinical social workers. The teams provide trauma-informed care and use evidence-based approaches that can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness practices, EMDR, solution-focused therapy and integrative modalities, according to the release.
The organizations said services are offered for children as young as 5, along with adolescents and adults, and include options for couples, families and groups. They also said bilingual Spanish-English care is available.
“Mental health is health,” John Rocha, behavioral health service line manager for psychotherapy services, said in a statement. “This Mental Health Month and beyond, we remain committed to breaking stigma, supporting one another, and helping our communities build a brighter, healthier future.”
People seeking information about behavioral health services or upcoming group therapy offerings can contact KCHC/Pillar Health at 262-771-0070 or visit pillarhealthcare.org, according to the release. Media contact for the announcement was listed as Mary Ouimet, CEO, at mouimet@kenoshachc.org.
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