meet the counselors

Gregory Rodriguez, MA, LPC, CMT,

Greg has worked as a therapist in the field of counseling since 2005, splitting his time between private practice and community clinic work in DuPage County.   Much of the work Greg does in private practice is working with couples and families and is quite familiar with family dynamics and what it takes to raise healthy functional children.  He is involved with a local men’s ministry and his passion is working with men and their role as fathers.  He is married with 5 children and resides in Plainfield.

Barbara Smurzynski, M.A.
Barb has a Master of Arts Degree in Community Counseling from Governor’s State University, University Park, IL. She is a member of the counseling academic & professional honor society Chi Sigma Iota, the Illinois Counseling Association, American Counseling Association, and the Illinois Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling.

She has experience working with adults, teenagers, children, couples, and families. She has run several workshops; building a healthy relationship with your partner, blended families, and divorce recovery. Barb has worked in youth ministry at her Church for over 9 years and counting. Her expertise has focused on mentoring boys and girls from 7th grade through college.  She has mentored a group of boys and girls starting with them in 7th grade and they are now freshman in College.

Barb has a passion for working with adolescents and helping them with their personal growth and spiritual journey.  Her passion also is for helping families learn how to grow through crisis, overcome life events, and heal broken relationships.

Lindsey Folk, M.A., L.P.C.
Lindsey is a licensed professional counselor, specializing in children and adolescents. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois State University. Lindsey conducted psychological research at ISU, including children’s perceptions of peers diagnosed with ADHD. She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from Lewis University, specializing in children and adolescent counseling. While attending Lewis, Lindsey completed both a practicum and internship at a local non-for profit agency. She was hired at her internship site immediately upon graduation. While working at the agency, Lindsey helped develop new groups and programs to help her clients and their parents achieve maximum success in treatment.

 Lindsey is highly trained and experienced in working with children, adolescents, families, and adults, both in individual and group settings. She uses the most up-to-date and effective behavioral therapy when treating childhood disorders and life problems. Lindsey uses play therapy in addition to behavioral therapy with children, in order to create a positive atmosphere for her young clients. Lindsey works closely with parents to effectively treat symptoms and create an atmosphere within child’s home that is conducive to the child’s progression. When working with adults, Lindsey’s eclectic therapy approach is tailored to each client’s specific life problems and symptoms. She’s experienced in treating anxiety, depression, job difficulties, interpersonal issues, anger management, stress management, and life transitions. Lindsey is passionate about helping her clients and enjoys helping those through difficult life transitions. She takes pleasure in running an Expressive Arts group for children at the practice.

Dr. Pamela Castellanos, L.C.P.C., N.C.C.
Pamela is a licensed clinical professional counselor.  She earned her Masters degree from Governors State University, where she received the honor of outstanding student of the year, and her doctoral degree in Counseling from Northern Illinois University in Dekalb.  She has over ten years experience teaching graduate counseling students and supervising counseling interns in a variety of mental health and school settings.  She is a member of the National Board for Certified Counselors, American Counseling Association, and the Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association.

Pamela is person-centered and integrative in her counseling approach, and enjoys working with a variety of adolescent and adult clients who may be facing various problems and challenges with living effectively in personal, relational, career and academic domains. She values understanding and working with individuals in an environmental and lifespan development context, and assisting them with making positive changes in their lives.

She has published and presented at national and state conferences on the topic of learning disabilities and career development, and has worked as an educational therapist with adolescents with learning disabilities.  She has taught junior high, high school, college, and graduate level students, as well as ESL and Adult Basic education, for over twenty years.  A native of South Holland of Dutch heritage, she grew up in the Reformed and Christian Reformed traditions, which significantly inform her understanding of faith-based education and counseling practice.

Courtney Tepler, M.ED, L.P.C.
Courtney is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has experience working with and treating individuals who struggle with depression, anxiety, abuse, low self esteem, interpersonal difficulties and relationship problems.  Other areas of expertise are substance abuse and addiction.

Prior to clinical work, Courtney was a substitute teacher for Chicago public schools and Lake Forest schools.  She also presented health programs for school aged children at the Robert Crown Center.

Courtney is a member of the American Counseling Association.

We thank Doreen A. Zaborac & Associates, Inc for assisting us in meeting the professional counseling needs of our teens and families.

House of Hope - Illinois
22849 S. Cedar Road in Manhattan, Illinois

group support for teens

As teens take part in our non residential program Monday through Friday, teen group support will include:

Support Group
The support groups are designed to provide its members with on-going resources and tools to deal with emotions, relationships, and behaviors. They will provide moral support, information, and advice on problems relating to some shared characteristic or experiences. Support groups meet weekly for an hour and a half.  The group will focus on the specific needs of its members.  Topics include parent and family issues, education and school issues, identity and self esteem issues, stress management, conflict-resolution, anger management and healthy boundaries in relationships.

Expressive Art Therapy Group
Adolescents will use art and creativity to promote social skills, enhance personal growth, and express their own unique qualities and characteristics. Adolescents will be able to connect with their inner self and to other people through the use of artistic exploration.  These young clients are capable of learning about their own emotions, characteristics, and capabilities in life using artistic expression. Expressive art therapy will meet each client’s needs and therapeutic goals.  The creative process of making artwork is healing, and helps adolescents toward the road of self-fulfillment and emotional recovery.

Psycho-educational groups
Psycho-educational groups are designed to educate the students on a variety of topics that may be affecting their ability to be successful in school, at home, and in other environments.  Psycho-educational groups will be conducted weekly for all students in a small group format to maximize individual participation and accountability. Group sessions will be scheduled for about an hour and a half and focus on specific problems that students may be encountering such as developing appropriate social skills, time management, study skills, stress management, and following rules.  Other topics will be aimed at providing information and the opportunity to explore developmentally relevant topics such as self-awareness and career exploration, understanding roles, expectations, and relationships, learning decision-making skills, and coping with transitions. Other topics will be developed based upon assessment of individual and group needs.