Changes Counseling marks 15 years: ‘We continue the tradition of helping others’

Business has Rochelle and Peru offices, offers individual, couples, youth and family counseling

Over 15 years, Changes Counseling has learned to adapt to changes in the counseling field. It has opened and closed offices, added and lost therapists, adapted to telehealth services and continued to learn and grow. It offers individual, couple, youth and family counseling to people of all ages.

JEFF HELFRICH

Posted Thursday, June 26, 2025 12:12 pm

By Jeff Helfrich, Managing Editor

ROCHELLE — Changes Counseling began because Christine Novak wanted to go on maternity leave.

In 2010, she had an independent practice working out of Mendota Community Hospital when she became pregnant with her third child. Instead of telling clients she wouldn’t be available for three months, she hired another therapist to help. Changes Counseling now has been in business for 15 years with offices currently in Rochelle and Peru. Novak serves as its director as well as still working as a therapist.

Over 15 years, Changes Counseling has learned to adapt to changes in the counseling field. It has opened and closed offices, added and lost therapists, adapted to telehealth services and continued to learn and grow. It offers individual, couple, youth and family counseling to people of all ages.

“Fifteen years later, the same intention holds true,” Novak said. “We focus on helping others while we're helping ourselves. We have helped people recover from depression, get back to work after debilitating anxiety, helped families stabilize and supported families with ADHD and Autism. We have literally saved hundreds of lives as we give clients skills to navigate life after a suicide attempt. We have helped couples and families reconnect and rebuild after divorce. We have helped kids overcome their fears, stand up to bullies and succeed in school and beyond.”

Novak thanked the Northern Illinois community for its support over 15 years, along with community partners and clients. Changes Counseling currently has availability for new clients at its Rochelle and Peru offices and through its online confidential teletherapy.

The business accepts most insurance companies.

Changes Counseling opened its first Rochelle office 12 years ago on Carrie Avenue. It added its current office at 604 N. Main St. Suite 4 in Rochelle seven years ago. Over the years it’s had offices in Oregon and Mendota as well.

“We've had as many as seven therapists and now we currently have four,” Novak said. “On average we do around 300 sessions per month. We serve roughly 350 families a year. Our offerings have remained the same. We help people mostly with anxiety, depression and life's ups and downs.”

With all of the clients Changes Counseling has served over 15 years, Novak often thinks about the ripple effect that has had across the community, such as improved relationships impacting family members positively or those that have navigated depression being able to now help others with it.

Novak thanked her staff for their support over 15 years and said she’s enjoyed the team environment and growing and learning together. The licensed clinical professional counselor enjoys her work because there’s never a dull moment.

“I enjoy the creativity of it,” Novak said. “I enjoy working with kids because they always bring a new sense of life. Teens are always bringing up what new thing they're doing. I like helping people through their high school or young adult years. It's awesome to help someone take off in their life. As people get families and marriage and become couples, it's just great to be able to help them navigate and make those positive changes in their lives. Even as older folks come in, we like helping them to grieve losses and maintain a healthy quality of life. All of the stages of life are neat.”

To celebrate its 15-year anniversary, Changes Counseling will host an ice cream social for the community on Friday, July 11 from 2-4 p.m. at 604 N. Main St. Suite 4 Rochelle, IL, 61068 with the Roiel Scoop Ice Cream truck.

Changes Counseling will soon be hiring an additional therapist to provide services locally. Novak said having a local therapist provides knowledge of and access to other local partners. The therapists at Changes Counseling are well acquainted with doctors, teachers, school counselors and drug and alcohol abuse support resources locally.

Novak said anxiety is the top issue that local therapists are helping the community to navigate. Changes Counseling does not offer substance abuse counseling, but sees those issues locally as well and often refers clients to community partners such as AA and the Rochelle Recovery Center.

“Here, along with anxiety, there’s definitely substance abuse and depression,” Novak said. “We have helped patients with Autism. We've helped patients from the LGBTQ+ community. We see the whole range of issues people are dealing with in our society. It's all here in our small community.”

Around the COVID-19 pandemic, Novak said Changes Counseling saw “a huge influx” of patients and encountered waiting lists. She believes since then, the awareness of mental health has improved and there’s less stigma.

“We can keep up with the demand now and we can continue to do the work we do,” Novak said. “At this point, we've been reaching out more to the community. Because we were so busy in recent years, we're kind of reintroducing ourselves to the community and those people that maybe hadn't heard about us. We want people to know we're here to help. We're happy to be part of a community that's supportive of each other.”

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