Life Balance Counseling Peoria

11/13/2025

11/12/2025

🎄✨🦃 The holidays are meant to be joyful — but they can also be stressful, overwhelming, and emotionally draining.

This year, give yourself the gift of healthy boundaries and a peaceful mindset before the holiday season begins. Setting limits with family, managing expectations, and prioritizing your emotional well-being isn’t selfish — it’s self-care.

Our therapists at Life Balance Counseling Peoria can help you:
🔸Navigate family dynamics
🔸 stress and anxiety
🔸 coping skills
🔸 a mindset that allows you to enjoy the season

Don’t wait until the holidays are here — schedule your appointment now and start the season feeling prepared, calm, and in control.

📞 Call us at 309-296-0078
💻 Or book online: https://www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com

Your well-being matters — let’s make this holiday season healthier and happier.

11/11/2025

🇺🇸 Thank You, Veterans 🇺🇸

Today, we pause to honor and thank all who have served our country with courage, sacrifice, and dedication. Your service has protected not only our freedom, but the values and communities we hold dear.

At Life Balance Counseling Peoria, we are proud to support veterans and their families—those who have served and those who continue to serve behind the scenes. Your strength reminds us every day of the power of resilience and the importance of caring for both the mind and heart.

To all veterans, active-duty members, and military families—thank you for your service and your sacrifice. We see you.

❤️🤍💙

🌐www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com
📞 309-296-0078

11/10/2025

Meet Les Perera, AMFT, 20-year, Navy Veteran. Today, Les continues to serve his community through his work at Life Balance Counseling Peoria. Les is also a proud member of VFW Post 2602 and as a vetted clinician for the 100 Club of Illinois serving First Responders..

Les is passionate about supporting others who have served. He offers understanding and guidance for those navigating PTSD, family challenges, anger management, addiction recovery, or healing from past trauma.

To learn more about Les please visit: https://www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com/about-leslie-perera
To get scheduled immediately with Les, please call 309-296-0078

Sometimes, the strongest step you can take is asking for help—from someone who’s been there. 🇺🇸

11/09/2025

Life Balance Counseling Peoria proudly recognizes Ashley Heeren, MA, one of our dedicated therapists and a proud spouse of a U.S. Veteran whose life and work reflect deep understanding, resilience, and service.

Ashley understands firsthand the challenges military families face She knows the quiet strength it takes to hold families together through deployments, transitions, and the everyday challenges that come with military life. Beyond the therapy room, Ashley continues to serve the Peoria community through Make-A-Wish Illinois

This Veterans Day, we honor those who have served and those who continue to serve at home, offering strength and compassion.

We proudly offer counseling tailored to veterans, spouses, and families, and accept a wide range of insurances. To learn more about Ashley: https://www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com/about-ashley-heeren

To schedule now with Ashley please call 309-296-0078

11/08/2025

As Veterans Day approaches, Life Balance Counseling Peoria proudly recognizes Military Family Member Shelby Valladares, MFT Intern — daughter of a U.S. Army Veteran and the spouse of a U.S. Army Veteran — Shelby brings deep understanding and compassion to the families she serves.

Shelby knows firsthand the challenges that come with military life — separations, reintegration, parenting under stress, and maintaining connection through transitions. She offers counseling for individuals, couples, and families, helping clients strengthen relationships, rebuild trust, and find balance through life’s changes.

To make therapy more accessible to our community, Shelby also provides sliding scale sessions for those who may need financial flexibility.

This Veterans Day, we honor those who’ve served, their families— and those who continue to serve with support, compassion, understanding, and care.

📍 Life Balance Counseling Peoria
🌐 www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com
📞 Call or message us at 309-296-0078 to schedule with Shelby today

11/07/2025

This Saturday, the Peoria Public Library is hosting the 22VA Art Exhibit, a showcase of the creativity and resilience of our nation’s veterans. Through art, veterans find a voice for experiences that words alone can’t express — turning pain, strength, and hope into something profoundly healing.

At Life Balance Counseling Peoria, we celebrate how art and therapy both provide safe spaces for expression, reflection, and recovery. We’re proud to support those who have served. Our team includes veteran and military spouse clinicians who understand the unique challenges that come with service and transition. We provide specialized care for veterans, spouses, and families navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, and the complex emotions tied to military life.

If you attend the exhibit, take a moment to reflect on the stories behind the art — and know that help and healing are always within reach. ❤️🤍 💙

👉 Learn more or connect with a therapist who understands:
https://www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com/veterans/military-counseling

This Saturday, Nov. 8 is the public reception for the opening of the 22VA Art Exhibit at Peoria Public Main Library.
22VA is a group of talented Veteran Artists who want to help other Veterans express themselves through visual and creative arts. Come see a variety of artwork at the Peoria Public Main Library, lower level 1 gallery.

22VA Art Exhibit Reception
Sat., Nov. 8 ~ 1-3 PM at Peoria Public Main Library
Free and open to all.

** This exhibit and the library will also be open on Tuesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).

Photo: Artwork from the 2023 22VA art exhibit at Main Library.

11/06/2025

🇺🇸 Operation Green Light: Honoring Our Veterans and Their Families 💚

As we move toward Veterans Day, Life Balance Counseling Peoria proudly joins Operation Green Light — shining a light on the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families.

Our team includes Navy Veteran Les Perera, AMFT and two Army spouse therapists, Ashley Heeren, MA and Shelby Valladares, MFT Intern who deeply understand the unique challenges that come with military life.

We provide compassionate, confidential support for:
✅ Transition from military to civilian life
✅ PTSD and trauma
✅ Family and relationship stress
✅ Anxiety, depression, and grief
✅ Support for spouses and children
✅ Addiction

Whether you served, supported someone who did, or are still navigating life connected to service — you don’t have to do it alone. We are here to honor your service and support you.

💚Join us in shining green this Veterans Day. We will continue to highlight veterans over the coming days as Operation Green Light shines brightly.
💚 www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com to view profiles for Les, Ashley and Shelby.
💚 309-296-0078

To learn more please see https://www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com/veterans/military-counseling

The Murray Baker Bridge is illuminated in green through Veterans Day for Operation Green Light, a national initiative by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers to shine a light on the service of our veterans and their families.

Locally, the Harold A. Fritz Veterans Assistance Commission of Peoria County officers work with veterans and dependents to determine their entitled benefits and file claims with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Our officers guide applicants through the entire process and fight to ensure a fair review of all claims.

11/05/2025

The November 2025 issue of of Healthy Cells, Magazine, Greater Peoria Metro Area Edition features Life Balance Counseling MFT Intern Shelby Valladares with her insightful article, "Blended Family Formula."

In this piece, Shelby shares valuable guidance for families navigating the beautiful — and sometimes challenging — process of blending households and building strong, lasting connections. Her compassionate perspective and expertise truly shine through.

👏 Join us in congratulating Shelby on this contribution to our community!

📖 Read her article in the link below in Healthy Cells Magazine Peoria — and learn how therapy can help your blended family thrive.
https://www.healthycellsmagazine.com/3d-flip-book/peoria-11-25/

Shelby is currently accepting new clients!

www.lifebalancecounserlingpeoria.com

11/04/2025

At Life Balance Counseling Peoria, our therapists Amy Kelch-Cohen, LCPC, McKenzie Wilson, MA, and Kat Griffith, LCSW specialize in providing compassionate, affirming care for LGBTQIA+ individuals and families. Their work centers on creating a safe and supportive space where clients can explore identity, relationships, and personal growth without fear of judgment. Each therapist brings experience, compassion, and genuine understanding to help clients live authentically and with confidence.

The entire Life Balance team understands the unique challenges and strengths within the LGBTQ+ experience — from identity exploration and coming out, to relationship dynamics, life transitions, and mental wellness.

We believe everyone deserves a space where they can show up exactly as they are. Here, you’ll find therapists who listen without judgment and support your authentic self.

If you’re looking for affirming therapy that truly understands your journey, we’re here for you.
🖤🤎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

You can find Amy, McKenzie and Kat at the links below:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/amy-kelch-cohen-peoria-il/855093

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/mckenzie-wilson-peoria-il/1586994

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/kat-griffith-peoria-il/1588621

Please also see our full list of Therapists at www.lifebalancecounselingpeoria.com "Meet the team" who are ready to welcome you.

For immediate booking call: 309-296-0078

11/03/2025

You don’t have to wait until everything falls apart to ask for help.

At Life Balance Counseling Peoria, we help individuals, couples, and families find peace, direction, and connection again — one session at a time.

Whether you’re facing anxiety, burnout, relationship struggles, or just feeling stuck, therapy can help you rediscover balance.

🗓️ We’re currently accepting new clients — in person and virtual.

📲 Message us or visit lifebalancepeoria.com/contact to schedule your first step toward balance.

If you are just holding it together. You deserve to feel better. Let’s start today.

10/31/2025

Poignant thoughts about su***de prevention…