Mindfulness-Based (MBCT) Therapists in Teutopolis, IL

Hello! My name is Scott Murray, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in private practice as a psychotherapist. I am a graduate of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, where I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work and soon after attained my Illinois clinical social work licensure. I have 20+ years experience working in outpatient clinics, in-patient psychiatric treatment facilities, academic institutions, and forensic facilities where I provided assessment and therapy to individuals, groups, couples, and families.

Hello! Whether you're embarking on the roller coaster of pregnancy, navigating the whirlwind of childbirth, or finding your footing in the unpredictable journey of parenthood, I'm here to be your dedicated support system through it all. I specialize in helping moms and parents through the highs and lows, offering a safe harbor for those overwhelmed by postpartum blues, anxiety, or the aftermath of a challenging birth experience. Or if life's challenges have left you scarred with trauma –whether from military or first-responder experiences, childhood adversities, difficult relationships, traumatic births, or anything else- I am here.

Sometimes in life we struggle with understanding why or how we ended up where we have. I believe that most of us attempt to manage the best we can given our current circumstances, struggles and challenges. Even then life can still seem insurmountable. I want you to know that change is possible, but doing it alone may feel like an added burden. I will work with you collaboratively to navigate the challenges at hand. My goal is to provide an unbiased, welcoming, and therapeutic environment.

No two people are alike and that's the same way I treat therapy. Your therapy is just that.. yours. I take a multidisciplinary and individualized approach to offer support that is genuine and non-judgmental. I offer a comfortable atmosphere that allows for genuine growth that creates a positive change.

If you're ready to make a change and move in a new direction or if you're just looking for extra support and guidance with daily stressors, I can assist you in making changes toward a positive direction. Whether it is relationship, divorce or marriage issues, anxiety/depression, grief/loss or parenting problems, we can help. As a nationally licensed, clinical therapist, I use evidence based treatments to help you learn healthy life choices for a healthy balance! Today you are one step closer to a new you, on a path to health, well-being and life balance.

I appreciate a person who is ready to work on becoming the best they can be. I have a "get real" approach to what matters and that is you! I utilize your strengths to identify interfering issues and will help you to develop effective coping strategies in a confidential setting.

Empowering people to become their best self is my life’s work. If you want to end unhealthy interactions, struggle with anxiety and/or depression, have experienced trauma or feel generally unsatisfied or lonely, I can assist you. My role is to help you uncover what makes you the unique individual you are. Together, we will gain insight about yourself, explore patterns in your relationships and behaviors and address the impact of your past experiences on your current functioning. I will create a safe space for you to experiment with new ways of being, recognizing that ultimately it will be your decision as to what changes to make.

If you are having feelings of insecurity, fear or impulsive, if others have noticed you are irritable, angry or having feelings of depression, anxiety, negative beliefs and difficulties in relationships at school, home or on the job. Do you want to be able to recognize triggers, stop avoiding issues and gain coping skills. Do you want to be happier, feel more capable, gain confidence and knowledge about how you have gotten to this point? As a trauma informed therapist I can help you build solution focus skills to address trauma symptoms and understand how ACES’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) affect your actions today.

There are so many reasons people want to go to therapy: to learn more about themselves and their relationships, to process life events, to share things that are difficult to share with other people, to be vulnerable, or to explore how past experiences have shaped them. You don’t need to be in a crisis to benefit from therapy. It can be a wellness tool that is useful for maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

As a therapist, I understand the significance of feeling safe, heard, and validated. I strive to provide an environment that is not only safe but culturally affirming, non judgemental, supportive, and accountable. I utilize laughter and humor as a big part of my approach in session. Pain, sadness, grief, stress, etc are carried throughout our day to day - and honestly, it’s exhausting. My primary goal is to meet you where you are and join you on your journey in healing to harvest joy, improve your mood, develop relationships, and embrace self-love.

Life events can cause anyone to experience symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. How you respond to these symptoms makes all the difference in your overall health. Together we will work to identify your goals of managing these symptoms and develop steps to reduce their affect on your day to day life. Sometimes these life events are traumatic, which can cause much longer term effects on your health. Processing trauma, no matter how long ago it happened, is vital to moving forward past the traumatic event.

I specialize in helping individuals soothe pain, anxiety, and stress as a residual from chronic illness or injury. Those diagnosed with chronic illness / chronic pain often have anxiety and depression surrounding their illness. This can contribute to sleepless nights, shameful feelings, self-blame, fear of social situations, isolation, and anger. Within our partnership we will create a new awareness and understanding of the impact your illness has had on your quality of life and how this has created your current internal narrative.

In some way, life hasn't turned out exactly as you planned but you're not ready to give up. I've often found that, no matter the diagnosis, the folks I work with feel disconnected, dissatisfied, and struggle to create a meaningful life. You might worry so much about the future that you lie awake at night or miss out on special moments. You're overwhelmed and end up scrolling, numb with food or substances, or can't finish a book. You're keeping up on basic responsibilities but what you're doing isn't working long-term. Life has lost it's vibrancy. You may doubt that you can change and yet, here you are, taking that first step.

"Do you feel that something needs to change? Do you feel worn out from coping with grief or trauma? It can be painful when you are going through this, and it's common to experience other problems like anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, a lot of people develop strategies to avoidance for these problems. In reality, though, this can result in a buildup of repressed emotions, worsening issues long-term and making symptoms more frequent. My focus is on EMDR and Brainspotting. These practices help people’s brains to reprocess specific memories in the proper ways.

After many years in multiple different employs within social work, I have settled in to a love for helping children, adolescents and young adults cope with life's stressors. I am equipped with individual and small group space and accepting new clients. I utilize several evidence based therapies, including, but not limited to cognitive behavioral (CBT), Mindfulness CBT, and Strengths based.

Compassionate, active, and evidence-based treatment help you heal with a focus on your goals. I am trained in working with young children. I see children 0-5, school aged children, teens, and adults. We will work as a team together to meet your needs. Our relationship will help you gain and maintain mental health and overcome difficulties. I look forward to meeting you and assisting you.

I am a licensed professional counselor with a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Many therapeutic modalities, such as talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-centered therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, trauma-informed practice, and play therapy, are available to support clients on their healing paths. I draw from a combination of these techniques uniquely combined and applied according to each client’s needs.

Life can sometimes be overwhelming and present challenging situations. Therapy can provide tools and support to assist individuals in dealing with life's challenges. I use a holistic, strength focused therapy approach to assist you in goal setting to address your problems or challenges. My approach emphasizes a balanced lifestyle through a combination of nutrition/exercise and mindfulness, as well as utilizing a variety of therapeutic approaches. I provide a safe and supportive environment empowering you to address challenges and make meaningful changes in your life.

I believe deeply in the power of relationships for growth and healing. If we have the privilege of working together, I will listen attentively to understand your experiences. When applicable, I will seek to help you recognize and develop your strengths and skills to respond effectively to life’s many difficulties and opportunities. Areas of support include guidance for concerns with anxiety, depression, OCD, panic attacks, PTSD, anger, grief, mood disorders, personality disorders, impulse control, relationship challenges, sexual pain disorders and concerns regarding gender and sexuality.