CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. My goals: to help you get un-stuck, face your difficulties, and restore your connection to yourself and others. I am focused on walking alongside you as we get to the root of issues, while providing you with new tools along the way. I work with individuals around trauma/PTSD (past abuse, dangerous childhoods, sexual assault, witnessing violence), grief/loss, divorce, spiritual instability and identity issues. I also help couples with pre-engagement/pre-marital counseling, healing from emotional and/or sexual affairs, conflict/communication issues, and relationship enrichment. LGBTQ affirmative.

You deserve to live a life with a calm and focused mind, a relaxed body, and a sense of wellbeing. Sessions with me involve a collaborative approach to help you improve relationships, ease your racing mind, relax physical tension, and live a more fulfilling and balanced life. Whether it be work stress, trauma, challenging relationships or addictive behaviors, I will help you explore the issues you are facing and cope with crisis better.

Mike graduated from Adler University with a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Illinois. Mike has worked with individuals, families, intimate partners, adolescents, and children on many issues including, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, communication, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, Autism spectrum disorder, trauma, and life transitions. Mike bases his approach to therapy on the idea that the secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.

You want to feel securely connected to others in your life. You want to feel empowered to navigate through life’s obstacles, with someone reliably in your corner. You want to trust in your own value and heal from being hurt. You deserve to feel seen and heard for all that you bring to this world and accepted for the myriad of identities that you inhabit.

I am passionate about creating a safe environment in which people can experience healthier, whole relationships. In my work, I focus on equipping families, couples, and individuals to navigate life’s challenges in relationship with others. I am deeply honored and humbled to walk alongside people in their journeys.

Oftentimes, we develop patterns of behaving and relating to others as a way of coping with and protecting ourselves from our early environments. As we expand out past those early experiences and relationships, we may find that these old ways of thinking, behaving, and relating no longer work for us. Together in therapy, we will explore the origins and functions of those patterns, gaining an awareness of how they show up and how we might develop a new path.

I work to create a warm, inviting space where clients can feel comfortable exploring their struggles and where they can work towards their goals. I have extensive experience working with kids, teens, adults and family. My background includes work in schools, community mental health, the justice system and crisis intervention. My areas of specialty include anxiety, social anxiety, depression, OCD, self-esteem, relationships, career and academic exploration, and other stressors. I incorporate CBT, DBT and mindfulness approaches to best assist my clients. I aim to partner with my clients to help them live a more fulfilling life.

Do you ever experience sadness, anxiety, or a hard time getting your point across within relationships? Often these root experiences will lead us to increased feelings of loneliness, confusion, distress, and overwhelming thoughts. It takes strength to reach out and ask for assistance, I am here to work with you and to help you live the life you deserve. Working together we will find ways to manage thoughts and feelings, establish boundaries, and make positive changes. I am here to support you as we reach your goals.

Life can be difficult and all of us struggle at times. We deal with hardship, loss, pain, break ups, hurt, relationship turmoil, work/life balance, transitions, crisis, sadness, worry and difficulty managing intense feelings. We are also resillient. We all have the inherent ability to change and thrive. Each day offers an opportunity to learn from the past and fully immerse ourselves in the present. We offer the space and tools to learn and grow through collaborative, compassionate therapeutic relationships.

When we feel stuck, we might need help to step back, see the patterns, and find a new way forward. I specialize in helping you unpack what shapes the ways you understand and cope with the world, and how to shift out of patterns that keep you from living your life to the fullest. My practice focuses on what makes you who you are today, what you want to keep, and what you want to change. Whether you begin therapy as a means of self-care, to navigate a transition, or to heal from trauma or a mental health condition, we start from wherever you are today, and move at the right pace for you.

Michelle Nation is a licensed clinical therapist that has almost 10 years working experience in the mental health field. When it comes to her therapy approach, she uses an array of skills from a more laid back approached, like person centered to a more structured approach, like cognitive behavior therapy or dialectical behavior therapy. She previously worked in a community mental health center, so she is used to working with an array of different individuals, like those struggling with paranoia to those that are struggling with their emotions. The age ranges that she has experience with varies from young adults to the elderly.

The clients that I have had the most experience with are those that have experienced trauma at some point in their lives. They are coming in because they are ready to begin the healing process. It's important for clients to see and feel what it's like to have a supportive person in their life. They also need someone who believes them and will not question their story. Clients often seek help to manage their triggers, nightmares, learn better coping skills, and many other things. They would also like to eventually get to a place where they don't blame themselves for what happened. They want to live a happier life.

Life can be beautiful, complicated, and messy all at the same time. The road at times can be riddled by twists, turns, and detours you were not expecting. It would be nice if life was a straight path to fulfillment and happiness but life is not linear. Perhaps you found yourself starting over after a recent break-up? Or, you experienced the loss of a loved one. Maybe even faced with an unexpected medical diagnosis or have been questioning your purpose in life. Whether you’re prepared or not, life has a way of making you feel the challenges you are faced with are too difficult to overcome.

I emphasize diversity, creativity, and inclusion in my practice. I recognize the effects of the larger societal and cultural environment in which identity and relationships around sexual orientation and class are shaped. It is my goal to promote the process of healing by helping clients cultivate an understanding within themselves that can help unveil the deeper meaning their struggle is pointing towards.

Is your life being restricted by fear, worry, phobias, shyness, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, or repetitive/compulsive behaviors? Do you feel that your "comfort zone" has been shrinking, you've been avoiding things that you want/need to do, or that you get "stuck in your head" and can't be present in your life? There's good news: things can get better. My goal is to always bring a compassionate, authentic attitude to therapy that respects each client’s individuality, while utilizing powerful, evidence-based practices that have been proven to work.

I enjoy working with all age groups. My experience includes anxiety, trauma, divorce, grief/loss, depression, family relationships, addiction, self-esteem, anger management and life transitions. I believe that healing is a collaborative endeavor that requires honest caring without judgment. I provide a safe, caring and confidential environment for clients to explore their feelings, beliefs and clarify their goals. I utilize evidence-based practices such as CBT, solution-focused, and mindfulness-based models with tailored treatment plans to meet the individual needs of each client.

There is a powerful connection between emotional wellbeing and behavioral change; I strive to create a balance where both can be nurtured and understood. I believe in establishing a space where you can better understand your values, your own unique set of strengths and challenges, and recognition of your thought and behavioral patterns that align to your values. I strive for a collaborative relationship where you can set and attain goals. I am responsive, timely, and look forward to supporting your journey towards understanding, growth, and healing!

Sam begins the therapeutic journey with you by working together to create an individualized treatment plan for you as a unique client. Sam’s therapeutic approach remains solution-focused in that it fosters and encourages your growth and progress over the course of treatment. Sam wholeheartedly believes your background, personal beliefs, and value system are of primary importance in assisting you on your journey toward whole health and contentment. Sam has specialized training and experience in the treatment of addiction and trauma, as well as stressors related to life transitions occurring during adolescence through adulthood.

*Telehealth appointments now available* Welcome! My practice is based on the belief that life brings us many challenges and at times we can get stuck. Feeling stuck can cause us to feel uncomfortable symptoms - anxiety, depression, anger, etc. I believe that therapy is a process where you can gain tools to address those challenges, determine what needs to be changed, work towards making those changes while navigating all the thoughts, feelings and emotions that may come up in the process. I strive to provide a compassionate and non-judgmental environment where clients can work towards living a value-driven, meaningful life.