Mindfulness-Based (MBCT) Therapists in Willowbrook, IL

Are you feeling stuck in your life and repeating the same patterns? Do you feel insecure or find yourself questioning your worth? Do you feel emotionally off balance, whether that’s anxious, lonely, angry, depressed, or a combination of these? Do you just want to get to know yourself better? You want to feel self-confident, content, and fulfilled. You want to feel better, and you want to make changes.

Coping with life challenges can be a difficult journey to navigate and each of us does so in our own unique way. Some of these experiences happen in moments yet leave an impact for a lifetime. Whether you are dealing with a traumatic experience, depression, anxiety or difficulty adjusting to changes in your life, it can get in the way of your ability to function in healthy ways. Having a sense of feeling stuck, loneliness or fear are all to common experiences and having a skilled therapist can guide you towards living a more satisfying life. My hope is to guide my clients to a deeper understanding of their thoughts and emotions.

Anjelica Joy, LCPC, creates a safe and comfortable space for clients to find their strengths during challenging times. By highlighting these strengths while increasing personal awareness, she guides clients on their journey and helps them become the people they want to be. Anjelica earned a BS from Purdue University and an MA from Valparaiso University. Her experience includes counseling adolescents, teens, and adults in residential, inpatient, and outpatient community health settings. She also served as a phone volunteer helping callers in a variety of crisis situations.

As a second-generation woman of color, I have extensive experience working with clients from various diverse backgrounds. Some of my specialties include PTSD, complex/intergenerational trauma, religious trauma, anxiety, depression, adjustment issues, family/relationship conflicts, postpartum issues, self-esteem, stress, etc. Coming from a community health background, I invest in the needs of clients that come from traditionally underserved communities. I also have considerable experience and strengths in spiritually-integrated holistic psychotherapy, incorporating values one holds into their therapeutic needs and goals.

How do you speak to yourself? Do you practice self-compassion in your daily life, or are you more prone to self-criticism? We all know that life can bring many challenges our way. Some challenges we can easily navigate, while others leave us feeling overwhelmed and struggling to process our experiences and manage our emotions. Whatever you’re facing in your life—whether relationship difficulties, past or present trauma, depression, anxiety, or any number of other challenges impacting your well-being—insightful and compassionate therapy may help you learn to identify the symptoms of the problem and find healing to move forward.

The time we spend together is for you. “You” have many parts, and all parts of you are welcome – whether you are feeling scared, hurt, shameful, angry, or happy. Our work will be about welcoming all parts of who you are, including those that feel challenging, so you feel comfortable with all parts of yourself. All of you will always be welcome with me, on your timeline and without judgment.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) currently serving as a full-time school social worker. My experience in the field spans 30 years in a variety of educational, clinical inpatient/outpatient, agency, and hospital/emergency department settings. I enjoy working with diverse adolescent and adult populations utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), solution-focused, and strengths approaches. As a school social worker, expertise includes knowledge of special education, Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans, and crisis management.

Trauma can make you feel like someone has robbed you of your innocence, purpose, sense of belonging, your voice, and ability to feel safe in your own body. You might be searching for a sense of control, but feeling completely powerless. You escape into activities or relationships in order to feel anything at all and other times to make the feelings stop all together. You may have developed parts of yourself in order to survive, but what would life look like if you could shed old scripts and truly live a life that’s worth living?

Seeking a therapist is a positive step in your pursuit to feel better. As a trauma-informed therapist, I understand that trauma does not discriminate and may present in several different forms. Research has shown that both “big T” (a single, terrible event) and “little t” trauma (daily stressors) can block the brain’s ability to process distressing events and have a profoundly negative impact on emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual well-being. Both of these types of traumas can lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, addiction, phobias, relationship issues, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or more.

With empathy as our compass and expertise as our tool, we walk alongside you, empowering you to reclaim your joy, rebuild your relationships, and rediscover the resilience within. RelationshipStore provides compassionate, result-oriented guidance to create positive life change, heal trauma, depression & anxiety. We will support and guide you on your path to self confidence, improved communication and a happier tomorrow. Our licensed Counselors & Social Workers assist with all areas of your life.

Beth Cappelli is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. She earned her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Concordia University Chicago, and her internship training was completed at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Behavioral Health. Beth’s approach to therapy is collaborative and focused on your unique needs, goals, and life experiences. Your personal values will guide your work together and help create meaningful ways to manage whatever life challenges you are facing. Together you and Beth can gain insight to problems, discover ways to reduce stress and worry, and develop a greater sense of wellbeing.

Karen (Kari) Fisher is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois. She has earned her MSW in social work from Loyola University Chicago. In addition, she has an MA in School Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Kari spent 28 years in the public school system working with ages 2 years to 22 years old, along with parents. Additional experiences include clinics and hospitals with multi-generational ages, as well as treatment with older mature adults.

Emily Spaargaren, a compassionate Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois, creates a safe and welcoming space for clients seeking support and understanding. Emily received an undergraduate degree from Emmaus Bible college in Biblical Studies and Counseling Psychology. Emily received her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Indiana Wesleyan University. With a background in Christian counseling, Emily is open to incorporating faith-based perspectives into therapy. Emily would like to help guide her clients through their spiritual exploration. Allowing a safe space for her clients to ask questions.

*ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS FOR PHONE, VIDEO AND IN-PERSON SESSIONS" Hi, I am Nancy Griffin, Integrative Life Coach! Using my own life experiences combined with a diverse range of healing techniques in the areas of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness, I have a passion for helping you achieve positive changes in all areas of life! Therapy is a great way to improve the quality of relationships, learn coping skills, overcome obstacles and to focus on better understanding yourself and the intricate layers within your life's purpose.

Dr. Kirsten Raether is a Post Doctoral Fellow in Illinois. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Illinois State University and then went on to receive her M.Ed. and Psy.D. in School Psychology from the APA-accredited Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. Dr. Raether is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). She completed her pre-doctoral internship through the University of Arizona Psychology Internship Consortium, where she worked for Tucson Unified School District in both primary and secondary schools.

Are you ready to take action and bring about positive change in your life and relationships? Are you looking for a deeper understanding of both who you are and how that shapes your interactions with the world? I feel passionately about guiding individuals and couples as you develop the skills needed for positive and impactful change both individually and within your relationships. I will help you to gain a better understanding of your own story and how it shapes your interactions with the world.

Baiba Davydenkovas is a bilingual Licensed Social Worker in Illinois, practicing since 2018. She brings a multicultural, diverse, and non-judgmental approach to her work with individuals, couples, families, and groups. Baiba earned her bachelor’s degree in Latvia in 2020 and graduated from Aurora University with her LSW. With over four years of experience, she specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and realistic interventions. Baiba helps clients connect with their undiscovered strengths and resources, encouraging them to find hope and resilience after loss, divorce, depression, trauma, abuse, life-altering experiences.

Ashley is experienced in many counseling techniques with her main approaches being ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). She likes to meet clients wherever they are in life and views each client as an individual with their own unique needs and goals for therapy. She feels it is important to understand how our thinking and our actions work together. We can then use this understanding to help us cope with our life circumstances and reach the goals we set for ourselves.

Cory Dolley is a Licensed Social Worker in Illinois who has been practicing since 2019. Cory just wants to be able to help give people a fighting chance to have a healthy, happy, productive life. Perhaps you are someone in your late 20's to 60's and are not used to asking for help because you were taught early never to show vulnerability. Perhaps you are dealing with unacknowledged trauma from years ago that was never seriously addressed. All you know is that you are in pain, and that pain is affecting all your other relationships, making it harder to reach out to others, hard to trust anyone.