Jordyn Klingbeil did not grow up in an environment where there were open conversations about mental health and opportunities to hear different points of view in a non-judgmental setting. That all changed when Klingbeil was working towards a master’s degree in Couple and Family Therapy at Adler University’s Chicago Campus.

Today, as she helps launch a new program at Trinity Services, Inc. — a nonprofit that provides person-centered support to individuals with disabilities and mental illness — Klingbeil feels fortunate to find herself in another supportive environment where she can create safe, non-judgmental spaces for her own clients.

A native of Chicago suburban Plainfield, Klingbeil recalls that open conversations about mental health were rare during her upbringing. Nonetheless, she pursued and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lindenwood University in Belleville, Illinois, before pursuing a graduate degree.

“I had two or three interviews with grad schools, and what stood out to me about Adler was how non-judgmental they were,” Klingbeil said. “There were a few group discussions we had in the interview where I left feeling like I would grow as a person if I attended Adler. We spoke about social justice, and how we can play a role in breaking down stigma and bias. I had never really participated in in-depth conversations about these topics before then, and I felt like I was safe to do so in that moment.”

Klingbeil has felt that same level of safety and support at Trinity Services – first while completing her Adler internship there and then as a full-time therapist following graduation in 2021.

“I feel heard here and that I can grow in the ways that I want and need as a clinician,” said Klingbeil, an associate licensed marriage and family therapist (ALMFT) who is awaiting full licensure after submitting her LMFT application in July. “My supervisors have encouraged me to pursue different trainings, and they have supported me in beginning different groups for the community.”

In July, Klingbeil also accepted a supervisor position for Pathways to Success, a Trinity Services program designed to provide more community-based support for local youth and families. The Pathways to Success team, once hired, will work with children with behavioral needs and assist families – both inside the therapy office and in their communities – with building social skills. The goal is to start providing services by the end of the year, Klingbeil said.

“I think a combination of going into the communities and them coming in will help build behavioral skills that might be more successful than them just coming to a therapy office,” she said from her Joliet office.

Along with her supervisory role, Klingbeil will continue to manage her own caseload of 20 clients – most of whom are between 13 and 17 years old – and overlook Trinity Services’ contracts with local school districts in Joliet, Troy, and Lockport. “In these contracts we provide therapy services in the school during the school day for students who may need extra support or don’t have the resources to attend therapy outside school hours,” Klingbeil said.

While all of those responsibilities could make for a heavy workload, especially given the amount of trauma and crisis situations Klingbeil helps her clients manage, she is excited about the opportunity to keep the mental health conversation going by creating more safe spaces for individuals and families that need support.

“I love working at an agency – it’s so fulfilling to be able to fill in a lot of gaps in what people need,” Klingbeil said.