Therapists in Illinois

I enjoy working with people of all ages and have additional training specialized in working with children and adolescents. I am very interested in play and creativity as tools in promoting wellness and healing. This can look like using art materials to explore emotions or guided visualizations to process and get to the root of an experience or issue.

I work with children, adults, and families, and utilize psychodynamic and family systems therapies to increase resiliency and self-awareness in order for direct changes to occur in your daily life. I specialize in child/adolescent therapy, play therapy, family therapy, trauma, child sexual abuse, anxiety, addiction, diagnostic assessments for children 0-5, racial/cultural stress and acculturation, grief/loss, attachment difficulties, and parental stress.

I have experience working with children as young as four years old, adolescents, adults, couples, and families and have a strong tie to the systems dynamic in my clinical work. I work with clients experiencing a wide variety of concerns including anxiety, depression, relational problems, social isolation and bullying, family and parent-child conflict, school concerns, and a multitude of other presenting issues. I work from a compassionate, strengths-based approach and promote positive, healthy change through self-advocacy. Working from a systemic perspective with individuals, couples, and families allows me to assist my clients in actualizing the change they wish to see in their lives. In addition, I promote the process of change through differentiation of self and gaining an understanding of how individuals work and function within a system. I recently underwent a training in the Certificate Program in Traumatic Stress Studies through the Trauma Center at JRI and have also received training to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I recently attended the Childhood Trauma Symposium to increase my efforts in being an effective trauma-informed clinician.

Are you still trying to feel better, adjust to stressors, find balance, better relationships, or cope with mental illness? We will join you. At the White Oak we believe that the relationship with our clients is the paramount of any successful therapeutic endeavor. Your professional specialized counselor will tailor a plan to help you gain insight, develop mental skills, and better balance your life in coordination with your perceived mental health dilemma, stressors, or problem. Our beautiful new facility is located in Orland Park on 143rd Street 1 mile west of Route 45 in a beautifully renovated unique office in Old Orland.

It can be difficult to ask for support, especially when you aren't sure how it all works. I will work with you to create a treatment plan that makes sense to you and meets your unique goals. I value a person-centered approach to treatment where you and I work as a team to address the issues you want to explore. I believe that you have the answers to your struggles but need a safe space, support, and guidance, in order to achieve your goals.

Working with a wide age range of clients & problems requires a unique set of skills. Play, art, & music therapy are often utilized with children as young as 4, while more traditional therapy can be helpful with adults. Concerns address in session may include: anger, attention, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, ect. Psychological evaluations are conducted to evaluate a variety of concerns. Helping each client develop skills to positively cope with current struggles and improve their ability to conquer these problems in the future is my goal.

The idea of counseling can be very foreign or daunting to a new, potential client. Samantha is a committed counselor whose drive is to deliver comprehensive case management and treatment to clients of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. Her goal is to work in collaboration with clients to achieve a happy, healthy level of functioning. She aims to align clients with their ideals, aspirations, and values so they can become they person they strive to be. Samantha ensures that her clients feel seen and heard, providing a safe and welcoming environment for clients to work on their presenting issues.

Are you an adult who is trying to manage a traumatic experience, process grief or anxiety/depression at this time in your life? Are you a parent that is looking for an experienced clinician to support you and your child to navigate overwhelming emotions both at home and in school? I am here for you! I am passionate about journeying alongside you with compassion, creating a safe place where you can discover your creative self, and focused upon supporting you as you work towards your unique treatment goals.

I specialize in clinical counseling and art therapy. I utilize my skills to increase clients' installation of hope, trust, and faith within themselves. These qualities are imperative to gain self-esteem, improve insight, and strengthen stability in our lives. "I strongly believe that the healing process begins when a therapeutic relationship is established and that the power of art is an important piece of this process." My ideal clients are ones who are willing to work hard, play hard, have fun and enjoy life with the assistance of myself and, the therapeutic process.

Are you dealing with struggles in your life? I can help you separate yourself from those challenges.

My primary goal is to provide you with a warm and caring therapeutic space where you feel heard and understood. I bring genuineness, compassion, and unconditional acceptance into my work with children, adolescence, and adults. I am a relational, collaborative, and person-centered therapist. I utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, values driven work, Adlerian psychotherapy, and play therapy interventions to help my clients facilitate meaningful growth and change.

Phoenix Rising Counseling and Guidance, LLC is a holistic practice built on the premise of helping individuals like you to recognize your strengths and potential and rise up from the ashes that have negatively impacted your life. We strive to combine the treatment of mental health with mindfulness and spirituality. We believe that everyone has the tools and the innate ability to change their external world by working through the blockages, thought perceptions and cloud of their internal world.

I have been coming alongside individuals and families to provide understanding and motivation. I believe we are capable of finding peace emotionally and spiritually. I like using nature and activities in counseling along with art to help process our stories. We use metaphors in adventure therapy and interactive games in play therapy to grow in new ways. I have experience also as a coach, teacher, and youth leader. We have raised 2 children and had a foster son. I supervise Cathy who is a PLPC/CIT2 and enjoys working with women/teens. We all are skilled in interpersonal process therapy.

I work with children, adolescents, and adults with a focus on complex trauma, PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, emotional neglect/emotional abuse, depression, anxiety, family conflict, and substance use. As a DIR Practitioner, I work with neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan, focusing on regulation, engagement, and self-awareness through developmental, individual differences, and relationship-based lenses.

I am a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. I am currently pursuing additional training to become a certified Dance/Movement Therapist. Dance/Movement Therapy uses the body and movement to promote an embodied sense of wholeness and well-being. I am able to provide this form of therapy under supervision of a board certified Dance/Movement therapist. Additionally, I have completed an intensive training in EMDR and am able to perform EMDR therapy with clients.

It is my goal to provide a safe and collaborative space where you can fully express your thoughts, feelings, doubts, and desires. I deeply respect all people and their unique identities and experiences. I listen carefully to make sure I fully understand and then work in partnership and support to develop goals and plans. It is my hope that everyone I meet with feels accepted and comfortable throughout our journey together.

If you're looking to work through trauma that is making it hard for you to breathe, to function, to know and be yourself, you've come to the right place. I often treat individuals who are recognizing how past ways of functioning just aren't working for them anymore and want to make real and lasting change. If you're struggling with anxiety, depression or mood disorders, dissociation, and possibly some ADHD too, I'm here for you. Together we can work through the things that are bothering you and get you to a place where you can truly feel that your past is in your past and you have the skills and strength to keep moving forward.

Just as we exist within an external system; family, work environments, neighborhoods, school community, we have a personal internal system within each of us. These two systems influence each other throughout every day of our lives. Just as our minds need to understand our external systems like the rules at our office or school, we need to understand the interaction of the parts within ourselves. This may be a difficult concept to wrap your mind around because we live in a world with such external rules. What would it be like if we lived by the knowledge of the internal and external systems ?

I have been providing mental and behavioral support to children, adolescents, and adults for over 20 years. I enjoy helping couples (particularly neurodiverse), find common ground and connection. I have extensive experience working with individuals on the Autism Spectrum. I also work with folks living with Schizophrenia, Bipolar, and Personality Disorders. I enjoy using play therapy with children to build strength through their understanding of the world. My work with different client needs and strengths keeps me excited, engaged, and active in each journey toward stability and wellness.