Therapists in Oak Brook, IL

I am a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University in Chicago in 2017. Along with my counseling education and skills, I had a successful first career working as a special education and traditional elementary teacher, reading specialist, and literacy staff developer. Recently, I worked in higher education as a doctorate level college professor for 18 years, at a community college teaching developmental and traditional English classes.

Therapy is weird. You’re meeting someone you don’t know and then you have to talk about your most difficult personal battles. I understand how scary that must be, and I provide a therapy environment that fosters rapport before any deep discussion. Building trust with a therapist is key; it’s okay to try a few if you want to to determine the best fit. I help clients visualize a life that brings them fulfillment and peace, and then we work together to implement those supports in their current life.

The staff at Shared Vision Psychological Services is committed to providing individualized attention to every person, couple and family we see. It is our goal to help you, too. In everything we do—from individual psychotherapy, to group sessions, to our nature-inspired surroundings—we strive to make you feel comfortable, encouraged and understood. And, we will work side-by-side with you, your child or spouse, to help reach understanding, strengthen resilience and experience hope. Please see our services to see how our team of clinical psychologists can help you.

My ideal client is someone who is open to explore their feelings, beliefs, behavior, and relationships and undertake the journey of change. This will not always be easy; change is difficult and we often times get stuck in unhealthy patterns of behaviors and beliefs. Change can be uncomfortable - sometimes even frightening - even when your in pain. My ideal client is willing to do battle with their ambivalence and their fears and participate in the struggle to learn new ways to cope and deal with what hurts them.

I work best with clients who are troubled by anxiety, depression, relationship issues, losses or trauma, and life transition issues. I provide individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. I use a variety of treatment techniques including cognitive, psychodynamic, and client-centered therapies as well as behavior management strategies. My research on coping with traumatic life events has prepared me well to work with clients who have experienced trauma and crisis. A life crisis can be debilitating at first, but can lead to a search for meaning and dramatic new growth. It is exciting for me to accompany clients in this process!

Your healing can begin right now when you make the brave decision to choose a therapist who will listen deeply, seek to understand your feelings, and help you create a new and empowering story about who you truly are. That is my approach to therapy. My aim is to teach my clients how to identify old, limiting beliefs that interfere with their relationships, their sense of purpose, and inner peace. Together, we can work on healing the unhealthy relationship you have with yourself if you are willing to shed that old identity to embrace one that is whole, genuine, and resilient.

Everyone goes through times of struggle and needs someone to listen, reflect and help them move forward. We specialize in working with persons who have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect. Trauma can lead to many life issues & symptoms that we can help you manage & alleviate. Using trauma-informed attachment focused psychotherapy we provide parents with therapeutic skills to help their children heal. I have worked with families, kids, & adults for 25 of years who have various mental illnesses and emotional challenges. Everyone deserves happiness & we can help you through the healing process to restore your mind, body & spirit.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist who provides evidence-based care for children, teens, adults, and families. I specialize in treating anxiety of all types, depression, OCD, trauma, tics, and body-focused repetitive behaviors (hair pulling and skin picking). I have particular expertise at working with adolescents and adults who struggle with multiple challenges simultaneously, and with severe anxiety. I have worked in numerous settings including hospital inpatient units, outpatient clinics, and private practices.

Therapy is hard work but it’s worth it because it starts with choosing yourself and being intentional about how you want to live your life. While we may come to therapy in a time of hardship, we all have strengths that we can use a foundation for growth. There’s no one-size-fits-all therapeutic approach so I use a blend of approaches including DBT, CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, Expressive Arts, and Play/Narrative therapies. I also understand how systemic forces shape our realities, and I help clients recognize these forces and develop skills to cope.

Donna aligns closely with Adlerian, Cognitive behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral therapy. Adlerian theory has been shown in research for treating multiple mental health conditions: anxiety, depression, grief, eating disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenic, and substance abuse disorders. Adlerian theory suggests that people are driven by a need to feel that they matter, and they belong. How do you want to grow as a person, what are your dreams and goals? Donna is passionate about offering a non-judgmental, supportive environment to men, women, couples and children; ages four and up.

"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Congratulations on having the courage to take the first step toward the change that you wish to see in your life. At Life to the Fullest LLC, we strive to help you navigate your unique situation with more adaptive coping skills and a general sense of fulfillment. We hope to work with you in a way that best meets your needs and helps you start living your life to the fullest.

Asking for help when you are having emotional difficulties may not be easy. Whether you are depressed or anxious, dealing with a recent loss, coping with past or present trauma, have low self-esteem, interpersonal difficulties, or facing the challenges of everyday living and/or negotiating life transitions, you hope to find a compassionate and caring person who will understand. In my practice providing psychotherapy to adults, adolescents, and couples, I offer a comfortable and confidential place where clients can explore feelings and concerns safely, while also addressing their most difficult problems or life challenges.

While in school, I was asked why I choose the field of psychology. I replied, "life doesn't need to be so painful". Finding relief isn't always easy. Life offers us many challenges that are not only difficult to face; but, even more painful to face alone. I am here to offer unbiased support and help processing through and uncover feelings, beliefs, behaviors, and consequences to life's discomforts. I counsel: ADULTS in transition, personal development, trauma, depression, anxiety, impulse, and mood disorders. ADOLESCENCE: social anxiety, ocd, adhd/add, school issues/avoidance, self-harm, and issues with self-esteem.

Listening is a lost art in modern psychotherapy. Change begins when you are heard and understood. I use simple, effective, proven techniques to lead my clients to greater insight, which leads to change. Individuals, couples, and families are my focus from adolescents through senior citizens. I help folks manage life's many stressors including but not limited to loss, grief, separation, substance abuse, and illness.

I have extensive clinical experience in treating adolescents, adults, families and couples. I specialize in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse. I improve my patient's lives by implementing evidenced-based treatment approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy in combination with a supportive, skill based approach to decrease symptoms and provide a brighter future for their lives. I also provide Exposure Response Prevention Therapy for OCD and am certified to treat Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors such as hair pulling, skin picking, and nail biting.

Safety is the utmost concern I have for you. During your first session, I will provide you the safety you need in order to develop curiosity and a deeper understanding of yourself. With curiosity and motivation, you will develop a strong desire to make changes leading to a more pleasing and beneficial life. During the session, I will gather some background information that will help both of us to understand any contributing factors that lead to your presenting problem.

Are you struggling with balance in your life? Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the demands of everyday life? If you have a handle on things some days, but other days feel overwhelming and out of control, you have come to the right place. Maybe you are struggling to find meaning or connect with friends or loved ones. Possibly a recent change or life transition has upset the delicate balance in your life. Or you have been feeling this way for what seems like forever: Any of these experiences can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation and loss.

Life brings many stressors, and we could all benefit from a safe and supportive place to sort out our feelings and process our concerns. In counseling, I aim to provide my clients with a warm and non-judgmental space to be truly heard so that they can feel free to communicate openly and authentically. I use a person-centered and collaborative approach, providing clients with the opportunity to identify and clarify their own goals, gifts, and qualities. I have experience with an array of clients from adolescents to adults, and focus on issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image issues, and self-esteem.

Ellie Mental Health is all about being authentic while providing a safe, compassionate and inviting space for our clients. We strive to provide exceptional ethical, compassionate care that meets people where they are, demonstrates empathy and recognizes whole person care.