Therapists in Downers Grove, IL

I feel that the most important component of every successful therapy outcome is the therapeutic relationship between therapist and client. Trust, safety, empathy, and authenticity should be experienced within the relationship. These relationship qualities create an environment conducive to working on life’s issues and feeling comfortable throughout the process of change. I take a collaborative approach to therapy to meet the goals presented by my clients. My style is interactive and my treatment orientation is tailored to each individual client to meet their individual needs and to fit with their unique personalities.

I have worked through a compassionate and trauma-informed lens with children, adolescents, adults, families and LGBTQIA+ community for over ten years. I have an empathetic and direct approach to therapy and I believe that, with a little non judgmental support, everyone is capable of growth and change.

Trying to heal and work through trauma can be overwhelming and difficult to begin. Going through major life transitions can cause unwanted stress. Asking for help can be hard, but taking that step shows strength and resilience. My goal is to help you feel empowered, validated, and supported along your healing journey.

Often, there are mental health complications that arise during major life transitions such as relationship and career changes, marriage, divorce, pregnancy and birth. I enjoy working with people during these difficult and stressful periods. I believe in creating a safe and comfortable space for clients as they confront challenges in life. I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Illinois and earned a Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Chicago. I have worked in a variety of mental health organizations and have completed advanced certification and training in perinatal mood disorders.

Welcome! I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and I love working with people. My goal is to create a space where you can feel heard and supported. My style is open, friendly and allowing you to be yourself. I am passionate about helping people create goals to help them realize their full potential.

Let's talk! Sessions are confidential, safe and non-judgmental. You can share your most personal concerns. Feeling helpless and stuck? We will get you moving again by talking, offering suggestions, helping you take advantage of your (and my) available resources, and also skills training. Contact me. Please leave a message so I know you're serious (I get many telemarketing calls). I will get back to you asap. I do in-person sessions in Evergreen Park, IL. I do phone sessions from Downers Grove, IL and welcome potential clients from all over the state.

Everyone could use more support these days, if you're ready to make the decision to start therapy then I am here to help. As a licensed clinical social worker, it's my passion to help you facilitate growth, healing and progress. I specialize in anxiety, depression, loss and grief, life transitions, relationship issues and chronic illness.

Your relationship is unraveling before you. You never imagined things could get this bad or that you would ever deal with such painful issues. You’re feeling invalidated, misunderstood, confused, hurt, and angry on a regular basis. All you want is to be happy again. You find yourself doubting the relationship and yourself on a regular basis. You've even considered what it would be like if you weren't together anymore. Other times you want to do everything you can to fix the problems but your efforts just aren't getting you the long term results you want. Your head is constantly spinning. Things were supposed to be different.

Brianne Collins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a minor in child and family studies. She then graduated with a Master of Social Work with a specialization in children and youth services from Louisiana State University. She understands that issues that are experienced at any point in an individual’s life can cause significant distress both psychologically and emotionally. She believes in meeting each individual where they are and focuses on their strengths to empower them along their journey.

Tamakisha is passionate about being of service to others. She makes it her business to meet her clients where they are and work as a team to accomplish their therapeutic goals.

I work best with clients that are open to exploring their feelings and emotions in new ways. Grief support is my specialty and I also work with trauma, anticipatory grief, anxiety and depression. When I support grievers, we work together to determine how and if you'd like to honor your person that died, explore feelings around their death, and what life looks like now.

I work primarily with teens, men's issues, and couples, but if you are a person in need of help, I'm here for that. I want to help you overcome whatever challenges you are facing, and that will happen as we work together. I am currently working with a team of therapists through Unbroken Family Counseling, under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). When necessary, I work with schools, psychiatrists, and other community resources necessary to help my clients.

As a seasoned therapist, I strongly believe that every individual has the potential to change, grow and experience joy if he/she/they are invested in the process. I work with children, adolescents, adults and couples and I am accepting new clients.

As human beings we learn, develop meaning, and create a sense of purpose through each other and the relationships we form. In the same spirit I believe the therapeutic process is driven by the relationship formed between the client and the therapist. This is why my approach in therapy is guided by the question - "How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for their personal growth?" I strive to create an empathic, nonjudgmental atmosphere where you feel safe and empowered to work toward personal growth and creating lasting change; forming trust and leaning toward vulnerability.

I welcome you to my practice site. If you are here at this site I make the assumption that you are secure enough to know that you deserve to feel better and have good relationships. With a comfortable match up of therapist and client, both of us work towards understanding the challenges you face, getting some clarity about what can be changed, and learning how to take action. Getting comfortable involves feeling listened to and understood by me and developing trust that I will be knowledgeable about your subject and I will be supportive and non judgmental in this therapeutic relationship.

I love working with individuals of all ages, and from different backgrounds. I believe that therapy is for any and every person, and my hope is to help people on their therapeutic journey of relief and growth. My goal is to meet each person where they are on their journey, by recognizing and understanding their reasons for coming to therapy. In past experiences, I have worked with many different presenting concerns, including anxiety, depression, life transitions, eating disorders, and more.

My practice specialties are: child therapy, and adult therapy, including couples. My child therapy practice is devoted to treating children with a variety of emotional and developmental challenges, is respectful of children, valuing highly the views of parents. It uses techniques from Siegel's Interpersonal Neurobiology such as "name it to tame it" and the four S's that create a secure parent child attachment: feeling safe, seen, soothed, and secure. It also draws from Greenspan's DIR Floortime model, with key goals being to increase calmness, attention, and engagement, strengthen the ability to communicate, and develop higher level thinking.

I specialize in treating adults with emotional difficulties involving anxiety, trauma, depression, life transitions, and more. My goal is to create a nonjudgmental environment where you feel safe to process your emotions and work towards the meaningful life that you want. I’m particularly passionate about applying my expertise to women’s reproductive health issues, such as pregnancy, postpartum, pregnancy loss, infertility, transitioning into motherhood, and sexual difficulties. Additionally, integrating diversity and intersectionality into our work together is incredibly important to me.