Therapists in Sycamore, IL

I hold a Doctorate Degree and a license as a Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). I have extensive professional experience, training, & skill supporting children & adults with concerns including relationship & family conflict, trauma, autism, intellectual disabilities, behavior issues, ADHD, & parent coaching. I worked in residential, hospitals, private practice, & in-house counseling. I facilitated group & individual supervision, parenting education, couples, groups, family, & substance use therapy. I have taught counseling courses and developed training curriculum.

Hello, my name is John Abad, LCPC, and I have worked for over six years as a therapist. I work with ages 5+, adolescents, and adults. My focus areas are Anxiety, Coping Skills, Emotional Disturbance, Parenting, and Stress. I use a mix of Clinical Supervision and Licensed, Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Transpersonal, and Schema Therapy. I believe in utilizing my preference in guided modalities and focusing on developing talents and interests.

I embrace an eclectic and wellness-based approach to therapy, incorporating elements of Art Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Brainspotting, Mindfulness, Play Therapy, and visualization to help my clients better navigate their life’s journey. Clients suffering from anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, emotional dysregulation, or sensory processing disorders can also benefit from the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) which is a “bottom-up,” short-term, auditory intervention based on the Polyvagal Theory. The SSP helps restore the nervous system, thereby reducing stress and enhancing social engagement and resilience.

Helping restore a sense of balance and self-worth to my client’s lives is my passion. My experience has spanned over 14 years, with a strong foundation in child and adolescent pathology. My philosophy is to work collaboratively in goal development and attainment, to highlight the connection among faulty thinking, feelings, and ineffective coping patterns and promote healthy changes. Through empowerment to challenge these factors, comes a renewed sense of confidence, strengths, and effective skills to manage life’s stressors and relationships.

Just as we exist within an external system; family, work environments, neighborhoods, school community, we have a personal internal system within each of us. These two systems influence each other throughout every day of our lives. Just as our minds need to understand our external systems like the rules at our office or school, we need to understand the interaction of the parts within ourselves. This may be a difficult concept to wrap your mind around because we live in a world with such external rules. What would it be like if we lived by the knowledge of the internal and external systems ?

Navigating psychological distress can disrupt our ability to lead productive, prosperous lives. Whether you're grappling with grief, managing a chronic health condition, experiencing relationship or parenting challenges, questioning faith and spirituality, or facing issues related to sexuality and intimacy, finding relief is paramount.

I love seeing toddlers and children of all ages, parents, and adults. I am very helpful when it comes to becoming a little braver and having more compassion for yourself, especially if you've gone through some very hard times. I also love helping new mothers and young children co-regulate and get the most out of early childhood.

When you or your child/teen is struggling, you want strategies to combat challenges NOW. At North Shore Family Services, we empower kids, teens, and adults to learn tools, so they can succeed independently. Our goal is for children, teens, adults, parents, and couples to learn skills to be successful with school, peers, work, and family- long after therapy ends. We assist with IEP and 504 plans to help our children/teen clients succeed where they spend most of their day- out of their parents' sight. Parents are our partners in helping kids and teens learn life skills.

Accepting new individual and couples clients. I strive to offer a safe space for clients to understand, manage, and harness the power of their emotions, allowing for more fulfilling relationships with themself and others. I am a postdoctoral fellow with several years of experience treating clients from diverse backgrounds and across the lifespan. I have particular areas of specialty in trauma, eating concerns, identity work (particularly gender and sexuality), anxiety, and relational difficulties. I operate from an integrative lens that allows treatment to be tailored to fit each client's unique needs and background.

I am a passionate individual with a calming presence. I have experience working with children as young as five all the way through to adults. I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disturbances, self-esteem, ADHD, autism and more. Through therapeutic intervention and hands-on learning, I aim to create a transformative environment for my clients. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I also aim to create a safe space for individuals to explore their gender or sexuality. No member of our community should feel isolated or alone, and I am here to be the support you need.

Shayna Duval graduated with a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Expressive and Creative Arts from Salve Regina University. Shayna has extensive experience in working with children, adolescents, and their families struggling with anxiety, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, trauma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and academic challenges. Her commonly utilized therapeutic approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy, Mindfulness, and Person-centered Therapy.

Our goal is to serve as your guide and walk with you on your life journey. We aim to help you overcome obstacles that may be holding you back from reaching your dreams, while providing you with healthy strategies to implement in your life outside of therapy. Whether exploring the past, present, or future; discussing coping strategies; processing stressful events; building resiliency; healing from trauma; creative problem-solving, or enhancing communication within your relationship. We serve an array of culturally diverse clients, including: children, adolescents, teenagers, college students, adults, couples, and families.

I provide psychotherapy for children, teens and adults. I have expertise in providing counseling for issues such as anxiety, OCD, low self esteem, dependency issues, depression, and PTSD. I provide a team approach to counseling that is tailored to meet each individual client's needs while creating a safe and validating environment to help client's grow and achieve their potential.

Does your life seem to be less fulfilling and you do not know why? Look no further. Your best life is waiting. I work to provide a safe space and collaborate with clients on finding their inner strengths to utilize them in building resiliency. I work to guide children ages four and older, adolescents, adults, couples, and first responders to reach their goals and experience a happier life. Given my experience working in emergency rooms, outpatient, residential and schools, I understand how the impact of these challenges can often leave people feeling unable to participate in life roles that lead to life satisfaction.

Are you seeing changes in your child’s behavior or attitude? Is your daughter anxious and worried or sad and cranky? Is she crying a lot or easily upset by little things? Does she have low self-esteem? Is your son nervous and fearful? Clinging to you and afraid to be alone? Does he lack confidence in himself? Are you a frustrated parent unsure how to help your child be their best self? Do you feel like you've tried everything and nothing works? I can help.

My motto is "try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud". I enjoy working with individuals, groups, and families from all ages seeking ways to grow socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. I welcome all "walks of life" from various cultural backgrounds who are facing challenges with trauma, mental health disorders, autism, intellectual disabilities, youth in care, family dynamics, and many more. This office provides Telehealth Services (e.g., Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas) and face-to-face sessions.

As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Board Certified Art Therapist, I approach the needs of my clients with customized treatment strategies and collaborative care. Every client that comes to therapy is sharing and their personal truth and life experiences. I respect the vulnerability that comes with the therapeutic process and strive to provide a safe and challenging environment in order to promote personal growth and achievement. I know that therapy and self-exploration can be hard to navigate but with guidance and support the therapeutic process can deliver such triumph over difficult circumstances.

Find yourself wanting to make sense of your behaviors and/or struggles or your child's? Curious why we act or react in certain ways? We have experiences and we all hold our own perception of those experiences which ultimately leads to behaviors. I work with clients to teach strategies, coping skills, and lead clients on a journey to a deeper understanding of themselves. I work with children, adolescents, and young adults to help them understand their interpretation of the world and how they function in it. Often times the therapeutic work involves parents due to their large influence on the client functioning at particular ages.

Life can be difficult and messy, but also beautiful. I believe wholeheartedly in helping others find the beauty and balance the uncertainty in their lives through a collaborative process. As your therapist, I will listen and provide support and guidance on your journey. I believe growth and change are best fostered in an environment where you feel heard, seen, respected, safe, and valued. My goal is to create a safe and non-judgmental space where growth is cultivated to find a deeper understanding of self and ultimately evolve as you discover the power within yourself to create lasting change.