Therapists in Wilmette, IL

I am an Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in private practice with offices in Evanston and Chicago offering psychotherapy services to adult individuals, couples, and families.

I am certified in Imago Relationship Therapy and I have completed all levels of training from the Gottman Institute. In addition I trained with The Family Institute. I offer a one hour free lecture entitled the The Art and Science of Relationships. I am available to churches, synagogues, community centers, attorneys and physicians to offer this free lecture to their parishioners, attendees, clients or patients. In addition I am available to give a couple's workshop on The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work and would consider any requests on topics that are deemed of interest.

I view psychotherapy as an opportunity for personal growth and greater self-understanding. While it is important to address specific issues in the here and now, often the process can also lead to broader gains in self-awareness and life satisfaction. My approach is collaborative, supportive, and tailored to each person's unique needs and goals. I will work with you to address your concerns, overcome obstacles and find greater personal satisfaction.

Many clients tell me that they feel safe with me and that I "get them." I love helping individuals and couples clarify issues, understand their relationships triggers and move into gratifying connection with others and themselves. I work particularly well with Highly Sensitive and Creative people. I graduated with a Masters from the University of Chicago specializing in individual, couples and family therapy. I offer both long and short-term counseling. I also provide consultation to other therapists both individually and in a group.

People often search for a therapist when they feel like they've tried everything and it's just not working well enough. It can be hard to see a situation clearly when you've been immersed in it for so long. I help people to take a step back, so they can see things more objectively. Through psychotherapy, people can find internal strength and resources they didn't know were there. They can then start to see new perspectives, both of themselves and their situations, and can begin to make changes.

Children, teens, and adults each approach their problems from differing levels of life-experience and developmentally varied problem-solving skill sets. They also have differing neurological availability to the resources and strategies that their brains can employ. At Collaborators, Inc., we work with people where they are in time, place, development, neurology, and life space. Hearing people process their experiences in this way, and joining with them in making sense of challenges, relationship issues, conflicts, and family history issues makes for a context where people can find new ways to explore their world with confidence.

I mostly work in an Internal Family Systems (IFS), relational way. To me that means working in therapy towards having good enough internal harmony. Life is hard and life is amazing. Because life can be hard, we often have to get into intense, protective relationships with ourselves. Then parts of us can be pushed into the shadows. So we can wind up feeling "out of whack" and living our daily lives can be harder. Therapy can help us work with our multifaceted psychology so that we then have greater internal friendship and harmony. That can then translate into our relationships, our work, and our lives in the world.

As a trauma informed therapist, I aim provide culturally sensitive and empowerment focused therapy when working with individuals, couples, and families. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Earlham College and Master of Arts in Counseling from Illinois School of Professional Psychology. I utilizes empathic listening and supportive techniques to help explore concerns and goals.

My advanced training in Marriage and Family Therapy and Sex Therapy provide me with the skills and experience necessary to help you meet your treatment goals. I strive to create a safe, non judgmental, compassionate context for clients to explore their struggles and maximize their growth potential. I work with individuals and couples with a range of presenting concerns, including, but not limited to: relationship distress, sexual functioning and satisfaction, lack of emotional and sexual intimacy, low sexual desire and/or pleasure and hypersexual behaviors ("sex addiction").

I have a restorative and relational approach with the clients I serve. I embrace a strengths perspective which encourages self-sufficiency and acknowledges that individuals have the capability to engage in problem-solving work and improve their own functioning. I also recognize the important role of parents and other significant adults in youths' lives and strive to work together in addressing youth behavior and promoting appropriate parent leadership and family capabilities. I have a collaborative, trauma informed lens to treatment, and provide a warm, comforting environment to address difficult yet important issues in your life.

For over 15 years I have worked with children, teens and adults managing difficulties with social, emotional and behavioral difficulties. The diverse experience with each age has given me insight to share in the therapy room with you. I address each challenge with great care and energy to help move toward growth with you or your child to find understanding and greater ways of coping, being in relationships and thriving.

My approach derives from psychodynamic, family systems, relational and cognitive schools of psychotherapy. I want to help my clients achieve greater clarity about their circumstances, choices, relationships, and ultimately, themselves. I am highly engaged and attuned, warm, enthusiastic and personable. I find that when clients feel seen, deeply understood, and accepted, their internal compasses become more finely tuned, enabling them to make life choices that better align with their values and personal nature. These changes become vehicles for developing new ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others.

By listening to issues and concerns, I help my clients process, develop, and improve by defining new ways to identify and solve problems; with family members, at home, at school and in the workplace. My expertise includes treating individuals with wide ranging emotional or behavioral issues. I have extensive experience in helping struggling families improve their relationships.

It can sometimes feel as if our thoughts are overtaking us, sending us down a negative or anxious spiral. In these moments, it can be difficult to think clearly, feel connected to our bodies, or even to take a deep breath. We start to panic, realizing that we are spiraling downwards, which often leads to even more panic. This negative or anxious spiral does not just live in our minds, but also impacts our everyday lives--we can experience difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, changed eating habits, or withdrawal from social activities, among other things.

I work with children, teenagers, and young adults who have survived traumatic experiences or are dealing with behavioral-based, emotional disorders, school stress, identity formation, and relationship concerns. I value incorporating parents and caregivers in their child's therapy, as well as working with families through divorce, grief, and life transitions. In addition, I perform diagnostic evaluations for individuals of all ages including cognitive, emotional, social, and personality assessments that can be used to inform therapeutic intervention and gain resources outside of therapy.

It is not always easy to admit when we need help – and then to ask for it. Taking the step to seek therapy is an important one, and I want to help make it a positive experience for you. Sometimes our worlds on the inside and on the outside can leave us with overwhelming feelings that may not be easy to manage on our own, and you don’t have to. As you work with me, you will find that I am compassionate and easy to talk to. I support clients in a number of areas, including: trauma; questions around identity and expression; relationships; family of origin; life transitions; anxiety; and depression, to name a few.

Clinicians at Orchard Wellness are highly skilled mental health providers who deeply value your health and wellbeing and respect the challenges that you and/or your children or family is experiencing. We take great pride in providing our community with high quality, patient-centered care and health education. Our mission is to improve people's lives, one at a time. We base our success on helping people live and feel better.

I primarily work with parents, adolescents,and children. I utilize a combination of expressive therapies ( Sandplay,art, and play based treatment) and insight oriented ( talk Therapy). I listen carefully; together we discover what works best for your specific concerns. I specialize in trauma, anxiety separation,relational concerns,grief, loss depression and adjustment-identity dificulties. On This journey toward healing it helps to have someone you trust accompany you.

Val has woven traditional talk therapy and creative techniques to provide a safe, supportive and non-judgmental space for individuals, youth and families to work through difficult life experiences. They have extensive experience working with youth and families managing the challenges associated with emotional and behavioral problems, domestic violence, sexual assault, mental health concerns, and various traumatic life events. She believes in an empowerment and strength-based approach while fostering an environment that encourages self-acceptance, self-awareness and growth.