Business Details
17 Years
experience
Mental Health Services for Chicago Schools
The Schools Group was founded in 2009 by Valerie Wiley, a licensed clinical professional counselor with extensive experience in school mental health services. Our organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the academic and social outcomes of children and adolescents in Chicago-area schools. We provide in-school clinical counseling services at no cost to schools through trained graduate student interns supervised by licensed professionals. Our approach is rooted in the Client-Centered Therapy model developed by Carl Rogers, emphasizing relationship-based therapeutic support. We partner with top Chicago graduate programs to train future clinicians while addressing critical mental health needs in underserved school populations.Our team brings decades of combined experience in trauma-informed care, neuropsychology, and multicultural counseling. We maintain rigorous professional standards through ongoing supervision and collaboration with school staff to ensure effective service delivery. Our commitment to social justice drives our mission to make mental health support accessible to all students regardless of socioeconomic background. We measure success through annual teacher evaluations and continuous program refinement based on feedback and research findings.
Services
School Counseling
Graduate Training
Clinical Supervision
Teacher Consultation
Trauma Support
Details
- Year established: 2009
Highlights and features
- We place graduate interns in Chicago schools with 15+ years of clinical supervision experience
- Our program partners with top local psychology graduate programs for quality assurance
- We utilize evidence-based Client-Centered Play Therapy approaches proven effective through research
- Our services have operated continuously since 2007 with annual teacher satisfaction evaluations
- We maintain strict confidentiality while providing critical mental health access to underserved populations
What people say
Effective trauma support
Dedicated professionals
Improved student behavior
Confidential environment
Trained supervisors
Services
School Counseling
Our in-school counseling program provides weekly 30-minute sessions for K-12 students facing emotional, behavioral, or academic challenges. Graduate interns deliver play therapy under licensed supervision, focusing on trauma recovery, anxiety reduction, and social skill development. This service helps students improve classroom behavior and academic performance through consistent therapeutic relationships.
Graduate Training
We partner with Chicago's top psychology graduate programs to provide hands-on clinical training. Interns receive year-long placements in schools, gaining experience in child therapy while working under licensed professionals. Our program emphasizes Client-Centered Therapy techniques and multicultural competency through direct service delivery to diverse student populations.
Clinical Supervision
Licensed counselors provide weekly supervision to graduate interns and practicing clinicians. Our supervision model combines direct observation, case review, and skills training in trauma-informed care. This service helps mental health professionals develop expertise in school-based interventions and play therapy techniques for children.
Teacher Consultation
We offer consultation services to school staff on managing student behavioral issues and emotional needs. Our team provides strategies for classroom management, trauma-informed approaches, and collaboration with counseling interns. This service helps educators create supportive learning environments that improve student outcomes.
Trauma Support
Our trauma-informed services address abuse, family dysfunction, and other adverse childhood experiences affecting students. Using play therapy techniques, interns help children process traumatic events and develop coping skills. This specialized support improves emotional regulation and helps students focus on academic success through therapeutic relationship-building.
People
Valerie Wiley
Founder & Director
MA, LCPC, NCC with 15+ years experience in school mental health. Developed the program while consulting for Chicago Public Schools. Specializes in trauma-informed care and neuropsychology.
Jasmine Johnson
Clinical Director
MA, LCPC with expertise in multicultural counseling and dual diagnoses. Former Director of Substance Use Disorders at Anixter Center. Provides clinical oversight for residential programs.
Questions
What mental health services do you provide?
We offer in-school counseling for children and adolescents addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, behavioral issues, and academic stress through play therapy.
How are your counselors trained?
Our graduate interns come from top Chicago psychology programs and receive ongoing supervision by licensed clinicians using Client-Centered Therapy methods.
Are services free for schools?
Yes, we provide all counseling services at no cost to Chicago-area schools through our nonprofit funding model.
How long are counseling sessions?
Sessions last 30 minutes weekly during school hours, scheduled to minimize classroom disruption while maintaining therapeutic consistency.
Can parents participate in sessions?
Parents may request progress updates, but sessions maintain confidentiality to build trust unless safety concerns require disclosure.
How do you measure program success?
We track effectiveness through annual teacher evaluations showing consistent improvements in student emotional regulation and academic engagement.
