CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. My goals: to help you get un-stuck, face your difficulties, and restore your connection to yourself and others. I am focused on walking alongside you as we get to the root of issues, while providing you with new tools along the way. I work with individuals around trauma/PTSD (past abuse, dangerous childhoods, sexual assault, witnessing violence), grief/loss, divorce, spiritual instability and identity issues. I also help couples with pre-engagement/pre-marital counseling, healing from emotional and/or sexual affairs, conflict/communication issues, and relationship enrichment. LGBTQ affirmative.

Bailey Kraft graduated from Purdue University with a Masters in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy and is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in Illinois. She is a LGBTQ-affirmative therapist and has worked with a variety of clients including children, adolescents, families, and couples. She utilizes a solution-focused approach with an emphasis on how our lives are affected by the many different intersectional aspects of both ourselves and our relationships. Bailey seeks to connect with each client based on their individual needs and works collaboratively with her clients

We all need someone to talk to sometimes. You may find yourself faced with difficulties in your relationships, moods, money, work, the troubles in the world, even your sense of who you really are and what you want in your life, and you just can't seem to cope with them on your own. I will provide a safe and judgment-free environment in which to develop a therapeutic relationship focused on your goals and needs. I work from an integrative therapeutic approach and tailor my approach to meet the needs of each client I see.

Do you feel like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh? Your outlook on life is gloomy at best. When your mood and energy are low, it’s hard to get excited to show up for your life. Maybe you’re attracted to risk, and as such, using drugs/alcohol to the point where it's derailing your life? Does food control you or do you use food to control your life? There’s also the worrier. Does your stomach ache, your palms sweat, or maybe the spinning in your head is nonstop about whether or not to take a certain action. You get stuck in paralysis due to all of your analysis. In all this madness, there’s no time to thrive; merely survive.

As a practicing artist, (30 years as a designer, visual artist and entrepreneur) I have a particular understanding of issues and situations affecting working creative professionals and people who identify as artists. My goal is to serve the creative community, as well as other clients, with mental health and wellness services. I work towards gaining a cultural, societal, and situational understanding of each persons' attitudes, beliefs, and desires in order to create awareness and therapeutic change. My approach is humanistic, and includes a variety of techniques. I hope that my encounters with clients can be transformational, not a transaction.

Therapy should feel like a safe harbor where we can talk through the meaning of challenges in life and sort through how to make changes in relationships or coping. I work with young children, older children, adolescents, adults, and families, responding to each client's needs. My training includes addressing childhood trauma for adults and for children & their families, supporting children with developmental delays through family play- & relationship-based interventions, and working through the stress, grief, anger, sadness, pain, and worry that happens throughout each of our lives in unique ways.

* only offering Telehealth sessions at this time* 
. We can all get a bit lost and need help finding our way again. You might be feeling that you are not living in congruence to your true essence and you are wanting to feel differently. Therapy can help you take control of your life and alleviate emotional pain.

I help people who are feeling anxious or depressed, or who find it difficult to relax, focus, follow through or relate to others. We work together to relieve symptoms, strengthen coping skills, and identify and mitigate the root causes of suffering. My goal is to provide a safe, accepting place for people to explore feelings and beliefs, particularly those that are limiting and stressful. For many, the ultimate benefit of this work is greater emotional and cognitive freedom. I also work with couples to bring their relationship back to health, or to gain clarity and acceptance about a decision to end a relationship.

My primary goal is to make you feel heard, seen, and understood. I help my clients tap into the resources and resiliency they already have to figure out how they can support themselves and ask for support from others. I work in a collaborative way with you to determine how you want to dig in with therapy and what works for you. You will learn to harness your existing strengths towards achieving your goals and lasting change. I help my clients give themselves permission to explore their identities and anxieties in a safe, affirming environment. I'm here to support you as you get curious about your past, present, and future.

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." - Maya Angelou. Have you ever found yourself stuck within stressful relationships, uncomfortable environments or confusing emotions? That "stuck" feeling often leads to discomfort in our daily lives and uncertainty about the future. I address these struggles by utilizing a holistic approach that combines attachment theories, body-centered techniques, and family context awareness. These strategies allow me to focus on the strengths already within each client, and uncover past wounds that might be limiting growth. I truly believe that every individual, couple and family has the capacity to grow and thrive!

If you're here maybe a small part of you believes change is possible, if that part isn't there, I'll believe until you can. I provide a compassionate and caring space where you feel seen and heard, so that we can uncover your strengths, dreams, and learn how to navigate through the complexities of society, your experiences, and your feelings. My hope is to create a space of exploration and collaboration, where you can feel empowered, laugh, be vulnerable, and grow. I enjoy working with clients of all identities, including: LBGTQ+ individuals, gender identities, cultural and racial backgrounds, and creatives.

Societal norms, social oppression, and even loved ones can contribute to us feeling like we are not enough. This can have a significant impact on our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, and our negative automatic thoughts can be persistent and isolating. They can affect the way we approach others and how we navigate the world.

Briarwood Counseling seeks to help people who are struggling to figure out how to feel better in their lives. I work with individuals, couples and families struggling with depression, anxiety, life and relationship transitions into and out of parenthood, grief, loss, and rebuilding after abuse and trauma experiences. I also help clients that aren't quite sure what is wrong but want to figure out what is wrong. Sometimes people just feel "stuck" and want their lives to look different or want to move into a more positive space. I help sift through the trouble and find solutions and move forward.

As a caregiver, you want a meaningful relationship with your child that helps them to thrive, succeed and feel safe. But parenting can be difficult and feel overwhelming! Your child’s behavior may be impacting your relationships, work, and sleep. You may even feel stuck trying to figure out how to best connect with your child to help them grow. When I work with families, I meet with the caregiver first to gain a deeper understanding of the current challenges you are experiencing. Ultimately, you are the expert of your child, so together we will set goals and work together every step of the way.

There is a powerful connection between emotional wellbeing and behavioral change; I strive to create a balance where both can be nurtured and understood. I believe in establishing a space where you can better understand your values, your own unique set of strengths and challenges, and recognition of your thought and behavioral patterns that align to your values. I strive for a collaborative relationship where you can set and attain goals. I am responsive, timely, and look forward to supporting your journey towards understanding, growth, and healing!

Often we seek therapy when our natural tools alone can't support us anymore. Maybe life has thrown something too big at us, or we have suffered silently for too long. I work collaboratively with clients to move towards personal growth, stress reduction and improved coping techniques. Through compassion and clinical tools I partner with clients to manage life transitions and navigate developmental processes. I work to create a safe, empowering space for my clients. It's an environment where I believe we are are best positioned to access insight strengthen our resilience, and build readiness for change,

I believe in culturally informed treatment in the context of a supportive, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship. I value each person’s distinct experiences and goals, working collaboratively to create a path towards growth and healing. I take a strength-based approach when helping clients move towards their desired lifestyles. My theoretical approach is psychodynamic and includes mindfulness skills and family systems thinking-including genogram plotting.

When life becomes painful, chaotic and filled with uncertainty we can all get a bit lost and need help finding our way again. Reaching out for help can be both scary and challenging and I offer a safe and non-judgmental environment to explore difficult feelings, thoughts and experiences. I will work with you to uncover your strengths, build awareness and provide empowerment to live a rich and meaningful life that is in line with your individual values.

Repeated patterns, behaviors, and feelings show up in our lives and can get in the way of growth, healing, and positive relationships. As your therapist, I will help you connect the dots in your life story to reveal what may be keeping you ‘stuck’. I have seen how transformative it is when someone gains a bird’s-eye view of their life, and I consider it a privilege to play an active role in this process with you.

Perhaps you are wondering if therapy is really for you. Are you feeling overwhelmed and unable to manage the negative thoughts and overpowering emotions that are impacting your ability to live a happy and peaceful life? Your feelings are valid, and they provide you with a clue to uncover what is working in your life and what is not. The experience of being stuck in this negative emotional cycle can seem unending and hold you back from reaching out for support. Therapy can help.