Dual Diagnosis Therapists in River Forest, IL

I offer an array of services centered around the needs you bring. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, school struggles or difficult transitions is not always something we can go through alone. Needing someone to talk to is human, or if you do not like to talk maybe writing or art feels safer.

Stories have always fascinated me. They have the power to move us emotionally, to educate and instruct, to entertain us, and to cultivate true compassion and empathy through the act of sharing a story with another. They are also a powerful vehicle for how we perceive, interpret, define and live our lives, yet sometimes it can be easy to forget that we can be the authors of our story, not just a character proceeding along some previously determined narrative.

If you can change your thoughts, you can change your world. I believe that our day-to-day thoughts directly dictate our emotions and ultimately our decisions and actions. Whether it is childhood trauma, adult anxiety or postpartum depression, we can take captive every self-defeating thought and turn that negative narrative into a powerful and hopeful future. Regaining control over our thoughts and actions can provide such lasting peace and happiness. My focus is to thoroughly get to know my patients, by listening to and trying my best to understand their unique experiences, while working collaboratively toward agreed upon goals.

Making the decision to enter therapy is not an easy one. It demands courage, vulnerability, and a deep sense of self-awareness. I'm here to support you as you navigate life's challenges. I specialize in working with individuals and couples in the queer community, especially those who might be questioning their relationship with their sexuality, gender, or substance use. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship issues or trauma, I'm here to offer guidance and understanding without judgement.

I work with all aged clients. I have long -term school experience: teacher, counselor, administrator. I enjoy all ages.Many people enjoy my mix of therapeutic and personal coaching styles. During the years, I have advanced my training into divorce mediation and custody mediation. I have also expanded my clientelle to include people who have long-term illness with pain. I work with health issues to help people learn to better adapt to their condition while also finding and concentrating on creating healthy lifestyle choices and personal calmness. I consider my background in addiction as a pathway to help people achieve wellness.

You Don’t Have to Go Through Life’s Struggles Alone Often in life, our journey towards growth and happiness becomes obstructed by our past experiences. Additionally, current experiences, stressors, and traumas, can impact our mental health and well-being. Our unmanaged fear, trauma, anxiety, and depression can leave us feeling like we are not worthy of happiness or positive relationships. These underlying thoughts impact our actions and emotions and can impact our quality of life and mental health. However, you do not have to face these challenges alone.

I approach my therapeutic work as my genuine self, incorporating humor, directness, and accountability in our sessions, to build rapport and challenge clients towards their identified goals. I recognize societal and other life-factors that impact/influence each individual, gaining understanding of each person’s unique framework for moving through the world. I believe a diagnosis defines a constellation of symptoms, it does not define a person. I also value and welcome feedback in order to provide the best possible clinical care - and it's a beautiful place to practice self-advocacy.

Finding yourself here means that you are curious— curious about why you are feeling this way and how therapy might help. Often we forget to take the necessary time to check in with ourselves; to figure out where we’re at, how we got here & what we need in a particular moment to move forward. We find ourselves STUCK. Allowing yourself a weekly space to slow down and think aloud, opens you up for deeper clarity. I have 18 years of clinical experience collaborating with my patients to unearth underlying concerns and figure out future goals and intentions to begin moving forward.

(She/Her/Hers) Over the years, I have built a practice devoted to improving the lives of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, struggling with a number of different issues. More recently, I have shifted my focus from clinical practice to the training of pre-licensed and early career therapists. I very much enjoy mentoring as it gives me the opportunity to share all that I have learned in my two decades of providing psychotherapy.

As co-founder of SpringSource Psychological Center, I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience. We have a fantastic team of talented doctors and therapists at SpringSource who are immediately available to help new clients in the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs. I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, eating disorders, trauma, infertility, and relationship issues and provide care that is grounded in evidence-based treatments (including DBT, ACT, CPT, MBCT, and more).