Eclectic Therapists in Oak Park, IL

For many years, I have been helping my clients to lead happier and more fulfilling lives. One of my main psychotherapy approaches is cognitive-behavioral therapy, a well-established, efficient and effective form of psychotherapy. It directly targets the patient's thinking, and behavior, patterns that are producing psychological problems, and teaches the patient to change those patterns. In marital and family therapy, I help the parties to communicate better with one another and to reach agreements acceptable to all. If the children have behavior problems, I often help the parents to become more effective disciplinarians.

I believe in everyone's resilience and capacity to change and grow. I strive to foster optimism and hope so you can envision your possibilities and options in life, motivating you to try something new or different to change yourself or your life. I work collaboratively with you to explore, make sense of, and help navigate issues with relationships, work-related stress, school performance, grief, adjustment to illness, dealing with immigration or relocation, and other changes we go through.

I am here to assist others in their journey of healing. Life is wonderful but it can also give us a sense of insecurity and hardship. I have worked with many individuals providing mental health services in in-patient settings since 2015. I later started to work one-on-one with individuals with mood disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, martial issues, minority issues, first responders with family conflict, trauma and other issues that keep the individual from having an abundant life. I am here to provide you with knowledge and guidance on what your life can look like if you put faith in yourself

I'm an experienced Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master's in Social Work from Aurora University. With over a decade of experience including inpatient and outpatient hospitals, chemical dependency, and non-profit organizations, I have a passion for working with adults of all ages. My areas of specialization include the treatment of depression, anxiety, relationship issues, couples therapy, life transitions, and caregiver burnout. I'm trained in both Gottman Level 1 and Level 2. My therapeutic approach is strength-based and tailored to your unique needs and pace.

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.

Angry, anxious, confused, or depressed because of relationship problems? Feel your partner never listens to you? Keep having the same old fights over and over? Imago Relationship Therapy is very helpful in restoring connection, safety, and romance. As a Certified Imago Therapist I enable each partner to be heard and understood so the needs of each can be met. Usually couples experience some immediate relief from the pain of alienation and begin to rediscover the love that brought them together. If your spouse won't come for counseling, come alone! I also do individual therapy, including EMDR for trauma resolution..

My approach as a therapist is warm, kind, and relatable. Recognizing that therapy can be a difficult step to make I strive to help you navigate through the problems that are causing stress or pain. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or your child I am dedicated to helping explore what is preventing you in moving forward in life. I work with individuals with a variety of issues ranging from anxiety and depression to parenting issues and childhood behavioral problems.

You Don’t Have to Go Through Life’s Struggles Alone Often in life, our journey towards growth and happiness becomes obstructed by our past experiences. Additionally, current experiences, stressors, and traumas, can impact our mental health and well-being. Our unmanaged fear, trauma, anxiety, and depression can leave us feeling like we are not worthy of happiness or positive relationships. These underlying thoughts impact our actions and emotions and can impact our quality of life and mental health. However, you do not have to face these challenges alone.

Taking steps to improve your quality of life may begin with reaching out to a therapist. I welcome you to give me a call! I have built my therapeutic practice upon the guiding principles of support and collaboration. We will work towards determining challenges and obstacles in your life and create a plan that is individualized to your needs. I take a functional approach to healing and help clients determine underlying challenges to health and wellness. I truly enjoy providing a space to help clients gain insight and understanding in order to move towards balance with improved quality of life.

I find deep meaning in supporting clients facing challenges related to self-esteem, body image, and disordered eating, as well as women navigating anxiety, significant life changes, perinatal mental health and most women's issues. My passion for this work stems from personal experiences and interactions with clients, revealing how pervasive societal pressures, particularly those perpetuated by diet culture and media, can deeply impact individuals, especially those in larger bodies. I aim to empower clients to engage in work that leads to embracing their bodies as they are.

Choosing therapy is a brave step to take, and after you take that step, I will walk with you. It is my priority to create a space where you feel comfortable and supported as you express yourself. I want to partner with you and learn about your specific needs so that I can understand your experience, without assumptions. I will provide empathy, education, and insight as we work together. I want to help you recognize your own strengths and build off of them as we create solid goals so that you can take active steps towards healing, change, and growth. I will work with you and your family to help you meet your individual needs.

Supervising since 2005, and a previous Director of Training with over 20 years of experience, I consider it a privilege to offer meaningful work for children, adolescents, adults, couples, parents, and families. Through a genuine caregiving, positive lens I provide support to others. Through the relationship-oriented, Inner Humanism approach, I offer an understanding of development across the lifespan. The care individuals receive is characterized by achieving an inner well-being and happiness that remains stable and conflict free regardless of life obstacles, family changes, and daily ups and downs.

I am an art therapist & counselor who supports humans across the lifespan, providing services to children, teens, and adults of any age. My approach is genuine, relational, collaborative, responsive to your needs, and always with a lens on how the world around us impacts our mental health and access to resources. Many people come to therapy because they feel stuck in their story. I am curious to know yours and to help you strengthen your ability to envision other ways of living. I use an anti-oppressive lens in my work and value anti-racism, disability justice, community, and gender-affirming approaches to care.

I specialize in self-esteem issues and will work with you to increase your confidence and sense of well-being. I work with a variety of individuals and provide culturally affirming counselling to BIPOC, with a focus on first-generation and immigrants. Whether you're feeling stuck, depressed, helpless, anxious, worried, unsure, or insecure you deserve to be heard and understood. My passion is creating a safe and supportive environment to navigate life's challenges. Wherever you may be on that journey, I want to help support you!

Life can be challenging and overwhelming for everyone. As we attempt to navigate in these uncertain times, therapy can be a great benefit in helping us cope with the stressors of everyday life. In me you will find an honest, non-judgmental and experienced therapist dedicated to helping you unlock and reach your potential. Whether you have been experiencing depression, anxiety, traumatic stress or or you just need someone to listen, I will be there to help guide you in meeting your goals.

It is my belief that through the therapeutic relationship one can grow and make significant changes in their life. I will provide a supportive environment to assist you to increase your self knowledge, work through difficult feelings, overcome long standing patterns, and to find solutions to improve the overall quality of your relationship both with yourself and with others.

Very rarely in our lives are we given the opportunity and the space to truly look at ourselves, where we have been, and the person we are looking to become. At Kate Giandonato & Associates, we create an environment where you can safely look at yourself, relationships, and potential barriers to achieving your goals. Our relationship-based training in Social Work + Child Development has given us the background to notice and work through the conflicting messages, thoughts and emotions present not only in the parent-child relationship, but in every relationship. We work with our clients to better understand and negotiate these most important relationships.

In over 35 years as a therapist and in writing my national column for 55,000 therapists about the latest ideas and research in therapy, I'm still convinced that good therapy comes down to this: listening as carefully as I can, trying to understand your world through your eyes, then using my knowledge and both our perspectives to help meet your goals, face your fears, grow and begin a process of learning that continues long after therapy's over. Everyone wants to connect; it begins with the first phone call in therapy and then continues outside my office.

I love working with clients who are new to or curious about therapy. Sometimes people feel that they have been half-living, or "faking it" (hoping to make it), but don't know what to do about it. Sometimes people are looking for ways to live more mindfully and purposefully. And sometimes people just need help tackling a specific problem. My work with clients generally focuses on anxiety, depression, life transitions, sleep issues, and relationship conflicts. Together, we can discover what changes will help your life become more enjoyable - and then put those changes into action.