Psychological Testing and Evaluation Therapists in Niles, IL

Today's children are faced with many pressures. Kids worry about lots of things-from being accepted by their peers and parents to worrying about academic pressures, ADHD, divorce, crime, drugs and illness. We understand these issues must be treated with great sensitivity-especially when working with children and adolescents. And that it is important that the therapeutic process be a positive experience in which young people feel safe and nurtured. Our goal is to help young people trust this process and understand that we're on "their team" as we help them successfully manage their world.

Do you sometimes feel like you can't get beyond events that have happened in your life? Do you feel troubled or haunted by them despite your best efforts to move on? Are you withdrawn, unpredictable or irritable, releasing your feelings on the ones you love most. You may feel like you can't control your emotions or life. We work to help you understand what is happening in your brain and body that prevent you from digesting what has happened and to help you put it in the past, to move on. At The Juniper Center, we're helping you live your best life.

I think of myself as someone you can trust and collaborate with, someone who brings a fresh perspective. My priority is to be attentive, to listen and to understand what is important to you. I want you to be comfortable discussing whatever is on your mind--stress and discomfort, worry, anxiety, difficult relationships or simply overall personal growth. My goals are to minimize discomfort, promote healing and health, increase understanding of yourself and others, assist you in finding ways to create and maintain rewarding relationships and to help you build greater comfort, effectiveness and meaning into your daily living.

Life gets complicated. You may be trying all that you know how to do to make things better for yourself or for someone you love but have run out of energy, ideas or both. You may have a relationship with someone you love but just can't seem to get along. You may be a parent trying to best figure out how to help a child or teen who is having problems. You may feel burdened by sadness, fear or stress.Or, perhaps you have old wounds that seem to keep interfering with you creating the life you want.

Do you identify as neurodivergent, such as autistic, ADHD, or otherwise? Do you notice key differences in the way you process information, communicate, and problem solve? Our therapists are well-versed in neurodivergent and LGBTQ issues, and are committed to creating a warm and welcoming environment free of judgment or pretense. They are skilled at validating differences, supporting clients to create meaning, and helping to uncover their purpose and potential. You will be invited to speak candidly and explore your desires outside the bounds of rigid binaries and external expectations.

We are a multi-specialty group of doctoral level Licensed Clinical Psychologists and more recently, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. We work with children, adolescents, adults, and families of all ages. We are interested in empowering and reinforcing a person's strengths, rather than focusing on their negative qualities. As such, positive coping skills and the concept of Health Psychology is important. Proper nutrition, exercise, and a healthy mind is important in finding balance and happiness in one's life. We try to understand maladaptive patterns and help focus our clients in participating in healthy patterns and outcomes.

Is your child having difficulty in school? Do you feel that he/she is not trying hard enough? Or do you feel that the school is not providing enough effective support? Perhaps there is a different problem interfering with learning. We can complete a comprehensive assessment of your child's strengths and weaknesses and provide recommendations to enhance his/her learning.

I am passionate about working with individuals with developmental differences (ex: ASD, Intellectual Disability), comorbid mental health concerns (ex: anxiety), and related challenges. I strive to individualize treatment so that it best matches each patient’s unique strengths and needs and supports patients in reaching their therapy goals. Often, my work involves supporting patients and their families in increasing insight into reported areas of concern, building strengths, growing new skills, developing greater community connection and support, and managing stressors that arise as one navigates daily life.

I work with outpatients, mostly children but some adults. We have treated both Adults and children with a specialty intervention called neurofeedback. Our target clients are neurodevelopmentally delayed such as autism, learning disabilities, and other neurologically impaired clientele. We have been highly successful treating attention deficit disorder without medication with a 90% success rate. We have also treated with success those with cognitive impairment due to head injuries, stroke, and have been particularly effective in treating anxiety disorder.

Do you want a safe, nurturing, and empathetic space where you can share your fears and painful life circumstances? Do you want to learn concrete coping skills to work through difficult thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and embark on a path of improved quality of life? I have extensive experience working with adults, children, adolescents, couples, and families. I specialize in anxiety, depression, grief counseling, trauma/PTSD, substance abuse, pediatric concerns and maternal depression. I also enjoy working with couples who are experiencing conflicts in their marriage and are determined to bring positive changes in their life.

The experience of intense and often painful emotions is a normal part of human existence, sometimes this struggle can become so overwhelming it begins to greatly impact one's ability to function, maintain and improve interpersonal relationships, and lead a valued life; leaving us feeling stuck. Therapy allows us to process these emotions, stop the experiential avoidance, and develop more constructive and adaptive ways of dealing with life's challenges and transitions. Through a collaborative, empathic, and values-based relationship, we can work towards increasing one's psychological flexibility, behavioral workability, and coping skills to live a life worth living

As a parent, you want your child to be happy and successful. You want a calm, peaceful home where everyone feels safe and comfortable. If your child is sad, irritable, withdrawn, isolating, not sleeping, complaining of stomachaches or headaches, not getting the grades you know they can achieve or they just don't seem like themselves, our team of child and adolescent therapists will do everything in their power to help your child get back on track and feel better. Our therapists are easy to relate to and they get good results.

Meghann Richko is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Yoga Therapist, and Fitness Professional. Her emphasis is on methods for managing a variety of conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, stress reduction, eating disorders, body image issues, mental and emotional disorders, improving nutrition, muscular skeletal issues, stress related illnesses, injury rehab and prevention, preventative health, and the psychological aspects of pain and pain management.

I provide specialized interventions for clients struggling with a variety of challenges including peer relationships, mood, and career changes. My clinical focus is working with individuals with anxiety and ADHD. Through a warm and collaborative approach, I address unique concerns and support you or your child in learning skills to better function in day-to-day life, building peer relationships, gaining confidence, and overcoming challenges.