Therapists in River Forest, IL

As the parent of a struggling child or teen, you may wonder what you can do to help them feel better. I’m here to provide you and your family the support and guidance that will help you gain a deeper understanding of your child, and feel more connected to them. I am passionate and experienced in helping children, teenagers, and their families overcome life's challenges. I have seen many children and teens struggle to express or articulate their emotions. That’s what I am here for. I find playful ways to help children express their inner world while guiding parents to also be curious to what is under their behavior.

I am a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker, who brings over a decade of experience in outpatient mental health. I graduated with a Master's in social work from Dominican University. Since 2013, I have been serving individuals and families.Specializing in the well-being of children, adolescents, and older adults. My extensive background includes working with clients with anxiety disorders, depression, grief, loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major life changes.

The teenage years are a whirlwind of change, growth, and discovery. As beautiful as this phase is, it's also when many challenges surface—be it emotional, social, or psychological. Tweens are not far behind in experiencing these changes, often feeling caught between childhood and adolescence. Recognizing the need for support during these crucial years, our practice offers a warm, engaging, and understanding space for your child to navigate their emotions and experiences.

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.

LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services offers services to children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I believe that we all must weather challenges throughout life, and sometimes we need assistance to endure and make sense of these trials in a way that helps us to grow into the best versions of ourselves. My goal as a therapist is to assist children, adolescents, adults, and familes through these times by helping them achieve better understandings of personal choices, strengths, and resilience. In this way, clients come to see themselves as individuals that are capable of change in order to live fulfilling lives.

I work best with clients who are troubled by anxiety, depression, relationship issues, losses or trauma, and life transition issues. I provide individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. I use a variety of treatment techniques including cognitive, psychodynamic, and client-centered therapies as well as behavior management strategies. My research on coping with traumatic life events has prepared me well to work with clients who have experienced trauma and crisis. A life crisis can be debilitating at first, but can lead to a search for meaning and dramatic new growth. It is exciting for me to accompany clients in this process!

Life’s challenges happen suddenly. Without warning it feels like you can’t navigate through with confidence and calm. Instead, you are plagued with worry, hesitation, anxiety, and depression. At times, life feels like a ticking time bomb, and you are desperately searching for an effective means to diffuse it. But your coping skills aren’t working well enough, or maybe they weren’t that healthy in the first place. How are you supposed to get comfortable with the challenges you are experiencing, let alone feel you are responding in a healthy way, when everything around you – maybe even your person – can be so unpredictable?

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 an Integrative approach and help 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.

Does your child seem "off" and "not like themselves?" Do they have a hard time calming down? Do they seem angry or worried all of the time? It can be scary and frustrating when you notice your child isn't living with ease and joy. You've tried all of the behavioral approaches, read all the books, and yet your child continues to struggle. You wish your child was available for connection and playfulness but there's something getting in the way. Your child might be feeling one way and showing something completely different to you and you want to better understand what they are going through. I hear you and I see you.