Adoption Therapists in Oak Park, IL

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.

Are you looking for an experienced, local therapist for yourself or a family member? I have had extensive experience, both professionally and personally, in treating both adults and children. who have suffered loss, childhood abuse, depression and shame. I am currently offering clients a choice between teletherapy or being seen in my Oak Park office.

People come to therapy at different times, for different reasons, and with different needs. Perhaps you need a space to process current or past events in your life, or maybe you know there is a difficult change you need to make. Maybe both, or maybe you're not sure. My approach to therapy is to provide the specific balance you need between support and challenge. As we develop the therapeutic relationship, it is my hope that you will feel safe and supported to do the kind of work that is most beneficial to you at this time.

Committing to the work of therapy – reflecting on our inner lives and histories to find balance and to illuminate our life’s purpose and meaning – can be both challenging and gratifying. I strive to provide an accepting, trusting and compassionate atmosphere to support my clients’ work.

I am continually amazed by the human capacity to grow, change, and flourish in the midst of personal and societal challenges. Particularly as we grapple with the developmental challenges that emerge throughout our lives. Circumstances such as new relationships, pregnancy and adoption , career changes, midlife shifts, retirement, and older age are all normal and create opportunities for growth. All of this can be stressful and we often need extra support in the midst of these experiences. In a counseling relationship with me, we will walk through this journey together, focusing our work on what brings joy and contentment to your life.

It is the desire of every human being to be loved and to belong. The only true thing that distinguishes us from one another is our experiences and our perspective of those experiences. Your past, the personal struggles and decisions you currently face and the conflicts between you and those you care about does not define you. What I offer is empathy, compassion, and support with a focus on creating a warm, safe and welcoming environment where you can be heard and understood without judgment.

Our most important relationships are also those we struggle with the most and the people we care about can also really hurt us. That’s where I come in as your expert listener, advisor, and facilitator. Working together, we’ll turn struggles into opportunity and strife into increased affection and connection.

My therapeutic style focuses on safety and empowerment. While I may be the “professional,” you are the expert of your own life. To establish trust, I wear my heart on my nerdy sleeve. I would never ask you to risk your vulnerability if I am unwilling to risk my own. I may use humor to foster hope and ease discomfort. I welcome you to question my perspectives to improve the power of our co-created insights. We will collaborate and develop ways for you to make new choices, break old patterns, and build more effective supports. Our work will help you unlock your potential for healing, and get you closer to the person you want to be.

Participation in mental health counseling is one of the greatest gifts a person can give himself or herself, at anytime, but especially during times of stress. The opportunity to meet with a therapist and explore troubling issues in a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgemental environment is an immediate stress reliever. The support and encouragement that I can provide will assist you with learning new strategies to cope with what is troubling you in your life.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than two decades of experience treating children, adolescents, adults, couples, biological families, foster families and adoptive families. I provide home-based and in office therapeutic services. I have found that the home is a wonderful place to observe, diagnose and treat interpersonal dynamics and conflicts. Home-based therapy is also beneficial for individuals who feel more comfortable addressing personal issues in the comfort and privacy of a home setting, are homebound due to illness or disability, have limited transportation options or have young children at home.

My career has focused on working with children from birth through their teen years and their families. Whether impacted by trauma and attachment issues, behavioral concerns or managing difficult emotions, my goal is to help you and your family get back on track sharing laughter, joy and connection.

The focus and passion of our practice is multicultural counseling using a social justice lense. We work with people who are dealing with issues around sexual orientation, race, gender identity and neurodiversity. We support you in processing how being you in our society affects how you feel about yourself and ultimately your mental health. We want our clients to learn to appreciate the unique gifts that they bring as they process past experiences and achieve their goals.

I Welcome being able to help you with the challenges that are causing stress and concerns for you. I work with individuals, couple, and children. I can help you improve your parenting tools to decrease conflict. I can assist with tools to decrease anviety aboiut life challenges and transitions. I counsel individuals and couples going through the challenges of infertility and family planning choices. I am dedicated to offering support and guidance to find hope during this journey . I conduct required psychological assessment for Intended Parents, egg donors, and surrogates.

If you, or your child, is struggling, engaging in therapy can make a difference. I am an experienced Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing both in-person and virtually in Oak Park, IL and Madison WI. I work with adults, children and adolescents, as well as couples & families seeking psychotherapy for a range of issues. My approach is supportive, collaborative, and interactive. I strive to create a non-judgmental environment in where we explore relationships, identify patterns, and establish new, healthier ways of living and relating.

Our life's work is helping clients achieve a better sense of self and happiness...more recently we've recognized that without good mental health providers finding this balance in life can be more difficult and stressful. As a result, we tend toward and Integrative approach and have our clients transform into the people they want to be. We see each client as an individual with many parts to their identity. Utilizing a holistic and systemic approach we help clients reintegrate the parts of themselves to function better as individuals and within their systems. Our focus tends toward a systems-based approach using behavior methods.

My focus and passion as a social worker is to provide therapy to people facing difficult life situations. Clients may have unexpected changes or losses to navigate or simply want perspective and insight from past challenges. I believe people benefit from exploring their thoughts and feelings in a setting where there is understanding and encouragement. This provides an opportunity to develop more effective coping strategies.

I provide therapy for adults, couples and families. Clients frequently are struggling with symptoms of depression, anxiety, grief and loss. My clients are often going thru a medical crisis, managing chronic pain or are dealing with a family member's illness. I also help clients who are grieving or who have issues with aging parents and need a plan and to deal with feelings of sadness. I am a registered nurse as well as a clinical social worker and have advanced training in medical family therapy. I am a very good listener and assist my clients in finding their strengths to help them move forward in life.

Does your life seem to be less fulfilling and you do not know why? Look no further. Your best life is waiting. I work to provide a safe space and collaborate with clients on finding their inner strengths to utilize them in building resiliency. I work to guide children ages four and older, adolescents, adults, couples, and first responders to reach their goals and experience a happier life. Given my experience working in emergency rooms, outpatient, residential and schools, I understand how the impact of these challenges can often leave people feeling unable to participate in life roles that lead to life satisfaction.