Therapists in Oak Park, IL

I have been working in the mental health field for nearly two decades, with a diverse array of clients: adults, adolescents, children, families, couples, groups, foster care, substance abuse, mental illness and more. I offer telehealth services and/or my office is conveniently located near public transportation and off street parking. I offer day, and evening appointments and will work with you, or your insurance, to assure coverage. I would like the opportunity to build a collaborative therapeutic relationship with you and provide you with the support, honesty and understanding we all need to grow.

Through more than 20 years of experience, I have worked extensively with individuals, couples and multi-generational families providing treatment for a wide range of conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior. I grew up in a large & humble home; learning and understanding the complexities of dealing with different types of personalities, sometimes in difficult circumstances at an early age. My goal is to see clients do amazing work in treatment by strengthening their coping skills, removing limiting beliefs, resolving conflicts, and lifestyle changes through a positive way of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

I specialize in the assessment and treatment of behavior problems in children and adolescents, as well as depression and anxiety in individuals of all ages. I also specialize in the treatment of relationship problems and the psychological management of acute and chronic medical disorders, particularly cardiovascular disorders and encopresis. I help people gain insights into their difficulties and teach them skills that will facilitate the resolution of their difficulties. When requested, I confer with attending physicians and, in the case of minors, with their teachers and/or school social workers. I am on the medical staff of Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

I see adults for both individual and couple's therapy addressing many common areas of concern, including: stress; anxiety; depression; relationship issues; intimacy & communication; self-esteem & identity issues; work & life satisfaction; meaning & purpose; and general unhappiness. My style is direct and collaborative. I use a flexible approach that is adapted to each individual or couple. My approach is especially effective at getting to the root of issues, sorting through the conflict and confusion, and portraying what the trouble is in a clear new light.

Welcome; I enjoy helping people cope with anxiety, depression, anger management, couple relationships, and life transitions. (divorce, loss, career change, family relationships) I have a directive, practical approach that balances understanding and support with guidance and direction. I believe that in order for therapy to be meaningful, it is important to work together and create an individualized approach which is a unique match for your concerns and style. Many people who have felt little or no progress in therapy before, have made positive changes with my active, engaged approach.

Success in therapy is a result of the expertise of the therapist and the participation of the client. The therapist is responsible for helping the client to participate in a way that is comfortable and promotes growth and change. For more than 25 years, I have been training doctoral level clinical psychologists. To do so, I have had to remain current with advances in the field and have benefited from the input of new ideas and techniques. Techniques are not effective unless the therapist establishes a trusting relationship with his clients. This is my first goal.

In a word, my approach to therapy is relational. I am at my best when I am centered, curious and genuinely engaged in my client's experience... exploring, nuancing and understanding their unique perspective and the struggles they are facing. I believe in the importance of finding the right "fit" between client and therapist and it is for that reason that I strive to be authentic and fully engaged in every session. My training, areas of specialization and personal style are well suited for those who might be seeking to go deeper in their understanding of themselves and their relationships.

I have been in practice for over 30 years and feel that I'm best at dealing with individuals with anxiety, depression and relationship issues. The goal of all my work is to help individuals live up to their full potential. I have an expertise with numerous techniques to accomplish this goal. Traditional insight-oriented, cognitive/behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and specialty techniques such as hypnotherapy, biofeedback and relaxation training are just a few of the interventions I use.

I am a National Certified Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University in Chicago in 2017. Along with my counseling education and skills, I had a successful first career working as a special education and traditional elementary teacher, reading specialist, and literacy staff developer. Recently, I worked in higher education as a doctorate level college professor for 18 years, at a community college teaching developmental and traditional English classes.

Home Psych Services, P.C. is perfectly suited for clients looking for integrated behavioral healthcare where they can receive counseling, neuropsychological testing, and psychotropic medication management all under one roof with seamless coordination of care. Our ideal client is looking for a provider who will serve as a partner in change - respecting their unique goals and providing expert guidance to achieve these goals. Our clients appreciate that we use evidence-based treatment protocols and respect and honor diversity in our clients.

Together we will identify what leads you to want to meet with a therapist, what you hope to accomplish in those meetings, and steps to achieve your goals. Finding the right words to describe the situation you are in and the feelings you hold occurs more readily when there is time set aside for those conversations, when judgment is suspended, and where comfort is pervasive. I try to create with you all the ingredients to accomplish those goals.

Hello! Effective psychotherapy helps people make meaningful changes that improve their lives. A good therapist should, first and foremost, be able to help you reduce the immediate distress that has pushed you to look for treatment. Once that initial relief is accomplished, the way is then cleared to focus on the bigger-picture of your life: your beliefs and feelings about yourself and others, your interpersonal style, the usual ways in which you protect yourself from getting hurt, the influence of your childhood experiences, and many other factors, all with the aim of facilitating lasting improvements in quality of life.

In individual therapy, I emphasize a short-term, time-sensitive approach that is problem focused. During troublesome periods in our lives, powerful ideas about ourselves or about the world can become activated that result in our feeling anxious, sad or depressed. Relief comes from replacing these notions with a more realistic perception of our circumstances and ourselves. A principal goal of this approach is assist clients to learn how to become their own therapist, thereby preventing relapse and decreasing dependence on therapy or when appropriate medications.

Stories have always fascinated me. They have the power to move us emotionally, to educate and instruct, to entertain us, and to cultivate true compassion and empathy through the act of sharing a story with another. They are also a powerful vehicle for how we perceive, interpret, define and live our lives, yet sometimes it can be easy to forget that we can be the authors of our story, not just a character proceeding along some previously determined narrative.

I start with a thorough assessment of your current concerns. I take a broad-minded, non-judgmental approach to understanding what you are looking for help with. I try to be helpful by offering feedback and new perspectives and insights. I understand that you have probably already attempted several ways to address your concerns and by now you are most likely frustrated and worried. I will take a proactive and positive approach to your participation by helping you identify your personal strengths and assets that you can then use to develop a new and better response to your concerns.