Welcome to the Heartland Wellness Center experience. We are a unique blend of qualified professionals who have come together to answer one primary question. Can we provide an environment where clients are empowered to embrace an authentic connection to healing and recovery?
CONTACT US:
Tel: (219) 690-7025
Fax: (219) 696-1550
2068 Lucas Parkway
Lowell, IN 46356
101 Beverly Dr Ste A,
Chesterton, IN 46304
Jaime is compassionate and understanding leaving no room for judgement or shame. She deeply and personally understands the pain experienced by someone in the throes of addiction and she also gets the desperation of a parent who simply wants their child to be “safe and alive”. Understanding firsthand the damage that addiction creates in families, and relationships she has a strong desire to help others on their path of recovery.
Belinda brings warmth, compassion and a genuine care to Heartland Wellness Center. She has the uncanny ability to “make you want to tell her things”. Belinda’s background and knowledge can get anyone on the path to true healing.
Born and raised in Hammond, IN. I excelled in school and in sports and went on to study at Indiana University. Even with this type of success, I still felt like I did not quite fit in anywhere and I always felt different compared to everyone around me. A few years ago, I found myself in a very dark place and knew if I were to get out of it, I would need help. Eventually, I surrendered to the fact that I did not have all the answers and I decided to let people help me. I let people “love me back to life” and in doing so, I found everything I was so madly searching for.
I graduated with a degree in Social Work and have focused on my recovery path all amidst a pandemic. I understand how hard life can seem. Today, I am grateful for all of my experiences because they have helped shape me into the person I am.
I am super eager to help others find their path to recovery, by sharing my experience, strength, and hope. I hope to show people that they do not have to live in the dark anymore, but instead they can live in the light. That is my biggest joy in life today and what I am most passionate about!
Julianna is a compassionate leader with over 20 years of experience in building strong relationships and creating supportive environments. As the Director of Human Resources in the mental health and addiction recovery field, she uses her own personal experience to bring empathy and understanding to her role. Having witnessed the life-changing impact of recovery, Julianna is deeply committed to helping others on their path to healing.
Born and raised in Northwest Indiana, Julianna has strong ties to the community and understands how important mental health services are for individuals and families. She focuses on making sure the organization hires caring and qualified staff to support those in recovery, while also ensuring a positive work environment for her team.
In her free time, Julianna enjoys spending time with her family, dining out, gardening, attending sports events, and working on DIY projects. Her personal and professional experiences inspire her to build a work culture based on compassion, resilience, and care.
Derek Blagojevic, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a thriving passion for helping individuals reach their therapeutic goals. He specializes in addiction counseling, as well as the treatment of OCD and anxiety. A graduate of Campbellsville University in Kentucky, where he earned his Master of Social Work, Derek has extensive experience working with adults facing emotional, behavioral, and addiction-related challenges.
Derek takes a holistic and strength-based approach to therapy, integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and mindfulness techniques. His focus is on empowering clients to explore their identities beyond societal and cultural expectations while developing tangible coping skills to navigate life’s complexities. Derek’s goal is to guide individuals on their recovery journey toward meaningful personal growth, fostering a life free from limiting expectations and full of possibility.
I began my recovery journey in 2019 and have since become deeply involved in the 12-step community. As I got better, I developed a strong passion for helping others. I know what it’s like to feel hopeless and out of options. I’m here to tell you that no one, and I do mean no one, is truly hopeless. Given the right tools and support, anyone can make the decision to change their life. I am honored to play a small part in that journey with our clients. We do recover.
Jessica is a caring and compassionate provider who values the individuality and complexity of every person. She is ready to listen to understand your unique life goals, challenges, and desires. She is eager to offer every person that comes to Heartland the support they need to achieve their health goals and find success in behavior change. “I believe all people, if given adequate support, are capable of mental wellness. Sometimes medications can help, but they are not the whole story. Most of the work of recovery is learning to change ineffective behaviors. Working together, I am here at Heartland to join you on your journey to recovered life of wholeness.
I believe a respectful, compassionate, and direct approach works best in establishing and maintaining a professional relationship between provider and patient. With a passion for mental health and recovery treatment, I truly enjoy working with my patients and empowering them to be successful on their journey of healing.
I utilize a holistic, patient-centered approach integrating most recent evidence-based interventions and treatment options, focusing on providing patients the education and resources needed to empower them to actively participate in developing and executing their individualized plan of care. I provide an open and non-judgemental space for anyone in need of mental services while taking a great interest and respect for the differences in every person which make them unique.
I am a nationally certified family nurse practitioner and received my Master of Science in Nursing in 2016. I specialize in the treatment of mental health disorders across the lifespan with several years of acute inpatient psychiatric experience, as well as outpatient psychiatric, and recovery services experience. I have experience in assessment, diagnosis and management of chronic and acute mental illness, including mood disorders, psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, and behavioral and mood disturbances related to neurocognitive and autism spectrum disorders.
For the past 15 years, Eric has been working in the realm of social services. Eric is friendly, empathetic, and kind to everyone he meets. He always looks for a way to lift others up and focus on their great qualities, while assisting them with challenging ones. Addiction and Mental Health require a non-judgmental and supportive approach to help our clients on their road to recovery. Eric is committed to making our communities aware of all the great services Heartland has to offer and will continue to support our clients and staff in any way that he can.
You are not alone. As a childhood trauma survivor, I understand first-hand how lonely the experience can seem. I want you to know I am here to talk to, and walk with you through recovery.
Although knowledge, skills, therapeutic interventions, and treatment modalities are a necessity for therapy, in my opinion, the key component of the therapy is the rapport and trust that is built into the therapeutic relationship.
Everyone has value. Everyone deserves a chance to heal. The most profound thing I’m learning as a mental health professional is that everyone just wants a chance to be heard. I am available to help people take on some of their burdens so they don’t have to carry everything alone.
Sometimes we just need one person to tell us we can do it – one person who has gotten to know us and believes in us. Why did I choose to become a mental health professional? Because someone heard me and the perspective I had to offer; in a world where my voice did not seem to matter, I finally saw that I had value because that person said I did. What do I love most about it? The people who are scared and do it anyway.
Nikola is a graduate level intern from Indiana University Northwest’s Master of Social Work Program. He has always had a strong connection to his local community, volunteered time in various community development organizations, and served for AmeriCorps as an intensive youth advocate for youth on probation as a Community Service-Learning Fellow. Nikola is passionate about challenging the stigmas and stereotypes behind mental health and addictions. He wants to promote community growth and learning towards dispelling the common misconceptions that can prevent successful outcomes for individuals and families living with mental health issues or addiction. Too often, these misconceptions surrounding mental health and addiction degrade the dignity and worth of the individual living with them. His approach looks to see the individual for who they are and work from there by fostering the value of human relationships. There is power in people coming together to learn and grow, and there is no better opportunity for that growth and success than here at Heartland.
Diana was raised in Will County graduated from Romeoville High School. During and after her high school career, Diana experimented with many drugs, and through those years, Diana experienced the loss of her brother to addiction. She experienced first-hand how the disease can tear a family apart. After losing more loved ones to addiction, she decided that she wanted to help people battle their struggles with substance abuse.
After the loss of her brother, Diana started moving towards her goal of becoming a substance abuse counselor. Starting at an Intervention company in 2015, her passion for helping people grew, and she is currently working towards her CADAC 2.
Getting to see clients when they first walk in the door to the time of their completion, and how much of a positive impact Heartland had on them, is the most rewarding part of my job.
“Work like you don’t need the money”.
Approaching issues with compassion and humor, I enjoy helping clients problem solve and empower themselves. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help the individual understand their own motivation and improve their lives. I feel trust, kindness and respect are keys to a therapeutic alliance in helping others grow.
Dr. Pranger’s passion is working with individuals to help resolve past trauma and understand the effects that trauma can have on one’s mental, emotional, and physical health. Dr. Pranger’s training includes providing behavioral health services at medical facilities that specialize in treating patients with chronic pain and chronic health conditions. Dr. Pranger’s approach when working with clients is one of compassion and nonjudgment, which allows clients to safely explore areas where they are struggling with challenging emotions, thoughts, and/or behaviors. Dr. Pranger earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology with an emphasis in primary care from Adler University in Chicago. Dr. Pranger is completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Heartland Wellness Center.
I struggled for years before finding my way to recovery in 2018. I always told myself that if I ever made my way out of that despair, I would go back to school and become a therapist to help other people struggling with mental health and addiction. I entered the MSW program at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2019. While attending school, I worked as a recovery coach and completed two internships at inpatient rehab facilities. For me, this work gives a purpose to all the pain that I have experienced in life. I had to go through all that to be where I am today, with a fantastic career helping others. My dreams have manifested due to my continued hard work in recovery.
I am passionate about forming trusting relationships with clients through an empathetic and non-judgmental approach. I have a working knowledge of various evidence-based treatments (CBT, DBT, ACT, etc.), the Twelve Steps, and the multiple pathways to recovery. I am genuinely interested in helping families and individuals in vulnerable situations rediscover their spark and grow in their creativity, spirituality, and physical and mental wellness. My goal is to bring better understanding to families, friends, and the wider community to help stop the deadly stigma surrounding mental health and addiction
Melanie holds an LMHCA license in the state of Indiana, is EMDR trained, and holds a Master of Science degree in Education with a focus on Mental Health Counseling and an addiction’s certification from Purdue University Northwest. She is currently seeking a Doctoral degree from Walden University in Counselor Education and Supervision, with a focus on trauma and crisis. She is passionate about creating a safe place for her clients to identify, explore, and reach their goals. She practices from a Cognitive Behavioral orientation and incorporates other theoretical orientations based on client needs. She enjoys working with clients of all ages, especially those who are suicide loss survivors.
LMHCA, MSEd, EMDR trained
MS Ed Purdue University Northwest
BS Purdue University Northwest
Addictions Certification Purdue University Northwest
Adults : Suicide survivors : Trauma : Grief : Depression : Substance abuse
Jordan brings a compassionate and empathetic approach to her role as Intake Coordinator at Heartland Wellness Center. Growing up in an environment deeply impacted by addiction recovery, Jordan has a personal and profound understanding of the struggles faced by individuals and their families. She is dedicated to connecting with clients on a personal level, offering a non-judgmental and supportive presence. Her favorite part of her job is witnessing the incredible growth and transformation in clients as they progress on their recovery journeys.
Jordan is passionate about creating a welcoming and safe space for all clients, where they can feel understood and supported. She believes in the power of recovery and is honored to be part of a team that makes a difference in people’s lives every day.
