Transformative Growth Counseling is a nonprofit mental health practice based in Naperville, Illinois, serving children and families since 2016. They were built to make quality mental health care reachable for families who fall through the coverage gap: those who earn too much for Medicaid but too little to comfortably afford private therapy. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they provide approximately one million dollars in free and reduced-cost therapy every year, accepting Medicaid and most major insurance plans and offering a sliding scale for families who qualify for neither.
Miniature therapy ponies join the team
After nearly a decade of growing their clinical services, Transformative Growth Counseling is proud to introduce the newest program: equine-assisted therapy. At the heart of it are two miniature therapy ponies, Oreo and Coco. Equine-assisted therapy is a clinically supported approach that helps children build emotional regulation, confidence, and social skills through connection with a gentle, attentive animal. For many kids, working alongside a pony feels less like a clinical appointment and more like trust, play, and progress all at once. It can reach children who struggle to open up in a traditional therapy room.
Oreo and Coco do more than support sessions. They visit schools, community events, and fundraisers throughout Chicagoland, bringing calm, joy, and a little bit of magic wherever they go while raising awareness for the families served. They have quickly become beloved ambassadors for the mission.
Services at Transformative Growth Counseling
The broader team includes licensed psychologists, professional counselors, clinical social workers, and behavior analysts, offering individual therapy, couples counseling, support for children and parents navigating ADHD, and Applied Behavior Analysis services. Every gift to Transformative Growth Counseling helps keep this care, including the growing equine therapy program, affordable for the families who need it most.
Whether you are searching for a child therapist in Naperville, affordable counseling in Illinois, equine-assisted therapy, or telehealth support for your family, the goal is the same: no child should go without support simply because of what their family can afford.
Spotlight Guests: Jessica Swenson, CEO, and Steven Mastel, Equine Ambassador
