Dialectical Behavior (DBT) Therapists in Peru, IL

You can and either crumble or pivot. I want to help you pivot and cope with the challenges of life. While I can’t change difficult situations, I can provide a safe and inclusive environment as you heal and work through the struggles of life. I am currently accepting new clients who have mid-morning and afternoon availability. Please note: All sessions are conducted virtually. Don't hesitate to contact me directly to schedule an initial appointment. If you are an existing client, please feel free to use the self-scheduling link below to scheduling a follow-up appointment.

It is important to talk through the different therapy strategies with a client to determine what suits them and meets their expectations of treatment. I like using different modalities of treatment (like Dialectical Behavioral Treatment, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, and Client-Centered Interventions) and feel it is important to educate the client on these options so they can decide on what will work well for them. Regardless of the treatment modality they choose, setting realistic treatment goals is so important and will allow clients to see change as they work through treatment.

Taking the first step and reaching out for help can be the most difficult part of beginning professional counseling. Here at Open Doors we believe that an investment in yourself is always beneficial, and we hope to assist you on your journey of mental wellness. Open Doors Community Counseling is a program of Gateway Services, Inc. We opened our community counseling program in July 2017. We have three full-time clinicians who provide compassionate support and encouragement to help you meet your wellness goals.

I work with people who have experience trauma, abuse, and survived toxic environments. I believe that everyone can improve their lives through counseling. Life does not have to be filled with suffering, stress, anxiety, or depression. I base my treatment off of the belief that we heal through the mind, body, and spirit. I offer a unique approach to counseling with a sense of humor.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, a non-binary individual, I cater to the needs of my fellow members of the community, especially transgender individuals. I have advocated for the LGBTQIA+ community for about four years, returning to my former high school to educate the advanced health classes on gender, sex, sexuality, and gender expression. I provide a unique experience that leads to my ability to relate to my communities and understand what they're going through.

I see therapy as a secure space where people can explore who they are and how they can overcome whatever obstacles they may face without fear of judgment. I approach my position with compassion, patience, and a sense of humor. Opening up to a stranger is not easy, and I respect the work it takes on a client's end to participate in therapy. Clients can gain a greater sense of insight into who they are by reflecting on their identity, life experiences, and relationships with themselves and others. My background includes work with survivors of childhood trauma, LGBTQ+ clients, older adults, refugees, and young men.

I'm a multicultural, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex-positive therapist. I have worked with clients to address issues of desire discrepancy, lack of emotional and physical intimacy, difficulties with orgasm, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, mood dysregulation, substance use disorder, chronic pain, somatic symptoms, and trauma-related disorders.

Life’s journey will surprise us with twists, unexpected paths and roadblocks. As your therapist, my goal is to create a warm, supportive and non-judgmental environment where you will feel empowered to navigate through the life challenges that are bringing you down. You are the expert on you! I’ll meet you where your needs are. Then my job is to support you and implement the tools that will best help you find relief from your pain. Whether you are feeling anxious, depressed, struggling with a life transition, grieving a loss, or looking to make positive changes in your life; I’m here to help you heal and grow.

I work with individual adults and couples and am passionate about serving marginalized communities through a social justice advocacy lens. As a former “parachute kid” who started living abroad on my own as a teenager, I understand the complications of establishing one’s cultural identity while struggling to find meaning or belonging. I have experience working in different mental health settings with varying levels of needs, ranging from stress, trauma, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, relationship and intimacy, identity development, racial and cultural issues, neurodivergent issues, to suicidal ideation and/or past attempts.

I currently specialize in supporting neurodivergent and/or queer emerging adults as they navigate the anxieties and stressors of late stage capitalism. I particularly enjoy working with late-diagnosed or self-diagnosed autistic young adults. I also work with trauma survivors, people with chronic illnesses and pain, and LGBTQ2IA emerging adults. I am sex/kink/polyamory-positive, body-neutral, and sex-worker affirming. I strive to acknowledge and to combat the systemic impact of White supremacy, including its relationship to fatphobia, transphobia, and ableism.

I see adults, couples and families, specializing in: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, Life stressors, Chronic Mental Illness, gender-affirming care and relationship/marital issues. I use CBT, Person-centered, and DBT. I also like working with members of the LGBTQIA population and clients who are gender-seeking and transitioning.

Everyone deserves a safe, non-judgmental space to process, reflect and heal. I am passionate about providing my clients a space to examine patterns and behaviors that are no longer serving them and move forward with their lives in an empowered, healthy way. No matter what your current challenges and needs are, we can work together to establish realistic goals for therapy that will help move you toward creating the life and relationships you want.

I believe that our problems can be linked to frozen patterns and cycles we have learned to protect ourselves. I passionately believe that you are not your problem, but rather these persistent patterns are to blame. I have found that the key to breaking these patterns and unlocking our potential is through the courage to be emotionally vulnerable with others while cultivating compassion toward ourselves. While I help people get “unstuck” from a variety of issues, I specialize in helping individuals and couples with religious trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, eating disorders, and relationship issues.

I believe that authenticity is an essential tool in the therapeutic process. I use an integrative approach with a focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I work with my clients to identify what their meaningful life looks like and to set goals that will move them towards that meaningful life. I believe in empowering my clients to advocate for themselves both within the therapeutic relationship and in their everyday lives. I see my clients through a strengths-based lens and encourage them to explore and connect to their strengths as a resource for healing.

Many of us seek supportive relationships and a meaningful life, yet internal distress can stop us from pursuing the life we want. We can become entangled in unhelpful patterns, making it difficult to move forward with what is important to us. I work with individuals grappling with distress related to anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and trauma. I help them improve their relationships and build a meaningful life. I also support those who feel overwhelmed and stuck, assisting them in overcoming prolonged cycles of distress.