Stronger Therapeutic Counseling Services, Inc.

02/22/2026

Welcome to the Team, Christi 🤍

We’re so excited to welcome Christi Ortiz, MSW, LSW to our Stronger team at our Batavia location!

Christi believes you are the expert in your own life, and that therapy is simply a space where you’re supported, challenged, and gently guided as you reconnect with your strength.

With over 10 years of experience supporting families involved in foster care, Christi brings a deep understanding of how layered and tender family systems can be. She works with youth and adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and the impact of complicated family dynamics; whether that includes role shifts, attachment wounds, or relationships that feel heavy to carry alone.

Christi offers sessions in English and Spanish.
She is available in person on Saturdays in Batavia and virtually on Wednesday evenings, helping make therapy more accessible for busy schedules.

We’re so grateful to have her heart and experience at Stronger. Welcome, Christi ✨

02/22/2026

🫀 It's !

Your heart health and mental health are connected. Stress, anxiety, and depression impact cardiovascular risk. Know your numbers. Move your body. Manage stress and seek support.

02/17/2026

Most couples don’t fall apart from one big moment.
It’s usually the small things… not said, not noticed, not appreciated.

But the opposite is also true.
Connection is built in small moments too. ✨

A shared journal.
A photo taped to a page.
One honest sentence at the end of the day.

Couples who reflect together grow together.

Not perfectly.
Not every day.
But intentionally.

Try this tonight:
Leave a notebook out where you both can see it.
Write one thing you appreciated about your partner today.
One memory you want to keep.
Or one hope you have for the season you’re in.

Just a place to notice your life… together.

Because the strongest relationships aren’t just lived.
They’re remembered, reflected on, and nurtured.

Save this for a future date night idea 🤍 or reach out if you and your partner are looking for a little more support, communication and intentional living this year!

02/17/2026

Join us for a Sensory Friendly Performance of Disney’s Descendants: The Musical 💜 Designed with reduced lights and sound, this special performance offers a welcoming, supportive experience for individuals who are autistic, neurodivergent, have epilepsy, or prefer a low-sensory environment—plus their families.

📅 Saturday, April 18, 2026
⏰ 11:00 AM
📍 Hemmens Cultural Center
🎟️ FREE event (suggested $10 donation at the door; cash or Venmo)

Come enjoy a fun-filled musical adventure with your favorite Disney characters in an inclusive, judgment-free space! ✨ Register today at https://cteelgin.com/descendantssensory/

02/13/2026

02/10/2026

Healing childhood trauma starts with strengthening protective factors — not just naming risk.

A recent The New York Times feature spotlights the HOPE framework and the growing body of research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), showing how connection, stability, and supportive relationships can interrupt cycles of trauma and change life-long outcomes.

We’re proud to see this work amplified nationally. PCA America’s Chief Strategy Officer, Jennifer Jones, has co-authored multiple PCE studies referenced in this research, alongside longtime prevention leader Dr. Robert Sege, a former PCA America Board member.

This moment reinforces what prevention science has shown for years: healing happens when we support families and strengthen protective factors — before harm occurs.

🔗 Read the article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/headway/childhood-trauma-recovery-healing-research.html

02/10/2026

Do you know about the 988 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline? Take a 2-minute survey: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/x4y48FI

02/06/2026

From tension → to exhale.
From noise → to calm.

We’re proud to sponsor Marshmello Moon’s sound bath events all February long, a month centered on love and the reminder that caring for your nervous system is self-love.

Sound baths help the body settle, soften, and feel safe enough to truly relax.

And when we feel safe… we heal differently.

Take this as your sign to slow down and receive 🤍

February Sound Bath Dates:
• Feb 13 — Crystal Lake Main Beach Pavilion (via Crystal Lake Park District)
• Feb 14 — Dixon Dance Academy, West Dundee
• Feb 20 — The Haight, Elgin

Head on over to to register and use code STRONGER5 for a discount on the Feb. 14 and 20th events.

02/05/2026

Relationships can be complicated. Chelsea, our associate and Marriage and Family therapist in our West Dundee office can help unpack tough feelings at a pace that feels right for you.