Fresh Start Counseling Services - Merrillville
3490 West 81st Avenue, Merrillville, IN 46410
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Fresh Start Counseling Services is a trusted community-based outpatient counseling center with over three decades of experience providing professional, confidential services to enhance the growth and development of clients across all age groups in Lake and Porter Counties, Indiana, and certified to deliver court-ordered counseling nationwide.
Specializing in mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse programs, the organization employs a dual behavioral, psycho-educational paradigm that fosters group interaction and personalized care, emphasizing follow-up, client convenience, clear communication, and support aligned with individual worldviews.
Committed to client confidentiality, ethical behavior, and values common to most people, Fresh Start offers a wide range of services including alcohol and drug abuse counseling for DUI/OWI and possession charges, domestic violence intervention programs (DIP/AIP), anger management for low frustration tolerance, employee assistance programs (EAP), marriage and family counseling, stress management for anxiety and depression, theft and shoplifting assistance, distracted driving programs, eating disorder support, grief and loss counseling, and court-mandated interventions for issues like assault, theft, fraud, and underage drinking.
By nurturing clients through individual and group sessions, aftercare, relapse prevention, and family involvement, Fresh Start promotes healing, hope, healthy lifestyle changes, and long-term recovery, helping individuals, couples, families, and offenders overcome conflicts and build stronger relationships in a supportive environment.
What we treat
Treatment & Programs
Levels of Care
Fresh Start Counseling Services - Merrillville operates strictly as an outpatient counseling center. They offer flexible morning and evening appointments up to six days a week, making it convenient for clients to attend their individual or group sessions without disrupting daily life.
Therapies
Counselors utilize a dual paradigm approach that combines behavioral therapy with psycho-educational group work. Whether they are facilitating couples therapy, anger management for low frustration tolerance, or structured stress management, the clinical team prioritizes working through each client’s unique worldview to foster meaningful change.
Addictions
The substance abuse program at this clinic focuses heavily on treating alcohol and drug abuse, particularly for justice-involved individuals. Treatment addresses the root causes of addiction, whether clients are facing DUI/OWI charges, struggling with possession issues, or recognizing that their substance use is causing ongoing life problems.
Conditions
Beyond addiction, the facility addresses a broad spectrum of mental health and behavioral challenges. Their clinicians work with clients navigating anxiety, depression, and grief, alongside offering specialized support for complex behavioral issues like theft, domestic violence, and eating disorders.
Issues
Fresh Start Counseling Services - Merrillville specializes in meeting the strict requirements of court-ordered clients across Indiana and nationwide. They offer targeted interventions for highly specific legal and life challenges, including comprehensive distracted driving education, theft and shoplifting diversion, and communication strategies for severe family conflict.
Programs
The facility is widely recognized for its specialized psycho-educational tracks, most notably its court-mandated programs. These thoughtfully structured tracks include a dedicated Distracted Driving Program meant to educate offenders on texting risks, as well as a theft assistance program aimed at cognitive restructuring and assuming personal responsibility.
On-site
Amenities
Because this is an outpatient community counseling center, treatment takes place in confidential office settings rather than a residential recovery campus. The Merrillville location is designed to provide a safe, familiar environment that encourages group interaction and personalized care.
Coverage
Payment
Because exact costs and insurance coverage can vary based on the required program, prospective clients should contact the center directly. The financial intake team can provide detailed information regarding payment types and out-of-pocket fees for specific court-mandated classes or therapy sessions.
Please contact the facility directly to verify insurance coverage and payment options. Many facilities offer free insurance verification.
Call to Verify CoverageEligibility
Who We Serve
For over three decades, the center has served a diverse cross-section of Lake and Porter Counties, working with clients of all age groups. Their counselors are specifically trained to support individuals, couples, and entire families, offering services in both English and Spanish to ensure the local community can easily access care.
Populations Served
Languages
Additional Services
To support clients before and after treatment, the center provides comprehensive court liaison services, including handling Secretary of State and out-of-state packets. They also partner directly with local employers through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to offer confidential workplace support and customized treatment plans.
About
Facility Info
Situated conveniently in the city of Merrillville, Indiana, this community-based organization operates as a trusted for-profit counseling center. To ensure their outpatient behavioral health care is accessible to a wider demographic, the facility deliberately staffs bilingual professionals to provide full translation services.
Credentials
Accreditations
The counseling center maintains the necessary clinical credentials and state approvals to operate in Indiana. Most notably, Fresh Start Counseling Services is certified to deliver court-ordered counseling and fulfill legal mandates nationwide.
- 3490 West 81st Avenue, Merrillville, IN 46410
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