You deserve to live a life with a calm and focused mind, a relaxed body, and a sense of wellbeing. Sessions with me involve a collaborative approach to help you improve relationships, ease your racing mind, relax physical tension, and live a more fulfilling and balanced life. Whether it be work stress, trauma, challenging relationships or addictive behaviors, I will help you explore the issues you are facing and cope with crisis better.

Mike graduated from Adler University with a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Illinois. Mike has worked with individuals, families, intimate partners, adolescents, and children on many issues including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, communication, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, Autism spectrum disorder, trauma, and life transitions. Mike bases his approach to therapy on the idea that the secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

Oftentimes, we develop patterns of behaving and relating to others as a way of coping with and protecting ourselves from our early environments. As we expand out past those early experiences and relationships, we may find that these old ways of thinking, behaving, and relating no longer work for us. Together in therapy, we will explore the origins and functions of those patterns, gaining an awareness of how they show up and how we might develop a new path.

*NOW OFFERING TELETHERAPY VIA VIDEO OR PHONE* Becoming a first time mom and/or growing your family can be the most transformative event of a woman’s life. The transition can be overwhelming physically and mentally. Women often think to themselves, "What did I get myself into?" Whether it’s dealing with fertility issues, grief for your old life, the trauma of birth, managing the challenges of a newborn, older siblings, or infant colic, there are many factors that can affect the transition. The anxiety and depression that come with these transitions are a common part of the pre and postpartum experience.

The clients that I have had the most experience with are those that have experienced trauma at some point in their lives. They are coming in because they are ready to begin the healing process. It's important for clients to see and feel what it's like to have a supportive person in their life. They also need someone who believes them and will not question their story. Clients often seek help to manage their triggers, nightmares, learn better coping skills, and many other things. They would also like to eventually get to a place where they don't blame themselves for what happened. They want to live a happier life.

I specialize in working with clients who are struggling with anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationship conflict and life transitions such as moving to a new city, starting a family, becoming a new student or starting a new job. I do not view therapy from a "one size fits all" approach, rather I tailor therapy for each client I work with based on each client's individual needs. I come from a strengths-based perspective and use evidence based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness to guide my sessions with clients.

My hope is that through our work, you can develop skills and insight to help you create meaningful change in your life while feeling supported and guided through the process. I work collaboratively with you in order to develop a plan for therapy that fits you well.

Smart Love Family Services is a team of experienced therapists providing supportive relationship based psychotherapy. Our approach recognizes that all people are born with an innate potential to be happy, to feel good about themselves, and to experience close relationships. However, many find that they are not as happy as they wish. We help people create the kind of life that they want for themselves. At Smart Love, clients learn to turn away from self-sabotaging behaviors, and turn to self-caretaking and constructive coping choices for a more fulfilling life.

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.

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,

Finding a therapist can feel overwhelming. You probably sense that it’s finally time to reach out for help, but feel unsure of where to begin. Perhaps you feel uncertain if there is anyone out there who can understand, let alone help. I believe that the strength of the therapeutic relationship directly impacts an individual’s capacity for change, and thus my first priority is to cultivate a safe, open, and compassionate relationship with each of my clients. My style of therapy is supportive, lively, and direct. My goal is to help you learn to trust yourself and feel less weighed down by self doubt.

Do you feel out of touch with your needs and feelings, or unable to communicate them effectively? Do you feel stuck in self-defeating patterns; aware of the problem but unable to change? Does your tendency to put others first leave you feeling stressed, unappreciated, resentful, or alone? Has your avoidance of vulnerability kept you from feeling connected, supported, and understood?

When working with individuals, I believe that the counselor/client relationship is the basis on which other relationships are modeled, and made healthy and whole. When working with couples, therapy is a process in which all present parties contribute to the work. Treatment goals are mutually established, addressed collaboratively, and revisited throughout the treatment process. Some of the areas in which I am experienced working include relationship issues, depression, and anxiety.

It is my true belief that, with support, we are all capable of creating the change that we wish to see in our lives. Through a collaborative and strengths-based approach, I have helped my clients to do just that, by reaching their personal goals and gainer greater insight into their lives. My clinical experience thus far has exposed me to clients of vast cultures, socioeconomic statuses, racial/ethnic identities, and overall presenting issues. I utilize evidence-based approaches best suited for each client's presenting issue(s), along with unconditional positive regard, in order to help facilitate growth.

Understanding one's uniqueness is key, along with the critical importance of being listened to and respected for who you are. My extensive clinical background has spanned across ages, gender, racial/ethnic groups, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and presenting concerns. I tailor my approach by using an array of techniques and interventions depending on what fits and helps you as you aim towards growth, reaching your potential, and resolving any problems. My style is best described as being open-minded, empathic, and non-judgemental.

Beginning the journey to self-discovery and growth can be a scary and daunting process. I strive to provide a warm, safe space where we can explore your goals and create meaningful change together. My approach is warm and collaborative, but direct. I believe that we as humans have the unique ability to look inward, build insight into our constraining patterns of thought and behavior, and work to renew our sense of self. I aim to empower my clients to make substantial and lasting changes in their lives. Although therapy is collaborative, it is my belief that the work you put in, determines the quality you receive.

People come to me when they feel misunderstood, lonely, and disconnected in their relationship with themselves and their relationships with others. You want relationships full of effective communication, intimacy, trust, and maybe a little bit of magic. I help individuals and partners feel more intimate and connected with themselves and others. From a multicultural perspective, I work collaboratively with clients to help them feel empowered to take control of negative thinking, decrease depression and anxiety, and believe in their own loveability.

We all need a little help from time to time. Especially now, when life throws us a curveball and we need help processing things like loss, anxiety, life transitions, heartache, and depression. Going it alone is possible, but whew, it’s not easy. I'm a mental health professional and have “just sucked it up” several times in my life. When I slogged it out on my own there were bouts of prolonged frustration, sadness, loss, and confusion. When I did finally “get it together already” and saw a therapist, I felt clearer, more like myself and had a sense of hope that it would get better and it usually did.

I have over 20 years of experience collaborating with individuals to help them navigate some of life’s most personal and difficult challenges. I strongly believe in the power of connection and human resiliency and view therapy as an opportunity for growth and change. I primarily work with adults around issues of grief/loss, depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationships, trauma and life transitions. I want to work together to help you achieve your goals and to help you feel more balanced and fulfilled.

My goal as your therapist is to provide a space where your thoughts, feelings, and ideas can be formed and expressed through supportive dialogue. Whether you are experiencing anxiety or depression, going through a difficult transition, processing a challenging relationship, or struggling to cope with trauma or loss, I can help you find meaning in your experiences and make changes at your pace. People often seek therapy when they experience a loss of power and choice in some aspect of their lives. Empowerment and conscious choice-making are primary themes throughout my work with clients.