Meet Elizabeth Berland, one of our newest clinicians here at The Juniper Center. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and has several years of experience working with children on the Autism spectrum, adolescents going through life changes, and adults with severe mental illnesses. That includes being trained in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is an educational/behavioral technique for teaching kids on the spectrum.
An LPC with an artist’s background
Elizabeth got her bachelor’s degree in fine art, and in mid-life felt called to return to school to obtain her master’s in counseling from National Louis University. Having been in counseling herself, she’s seen first-hand what a positive effect it can have on someone’s life.
“I really enjoy the relationship that can develop between the client and therapist.”
Her appreciation for the generalist approach allows her to pull from different areas of theory — such as mindfulness, play therapy, talk therapy, and Somatic Experience — and fit them into her client’s treatment plan. Her objective is to follow the needs of the client and use the approach that would work best for their present needs.
Helping kids and young adults through the mind-body connection
Elizabeth utilizes the benefits of play therapy and creative expression in her work with kids, both with and without disabilities. She also frequently works with teens and young adults who are having trouble finding their way and are living with anxiety and depression.
“I believe connecting the whole body is where the future is.”
Recently, Elizabeth began her Somatic Experience training and looks forward to becoming skilled in that form of therapy. Somatic Experience focuses on the mind-body connection, and deals with where we hold trauma, anxiety, etc. in our bodies and how we can regulate those processes. She believes it’s important that clinicians and clients both pay attention to not just what we think but also what they are feeling in our bodies and how the two are interconnected.
Therapy that empowers transformation instead of fixing problems
Elizabeth’s client-centered approach helps her to understand a client’s issues both internally and externally. Learning about mental health and where anxiety and depression stem from is important for being able to cope with it and move forward.
“The therapist is not there to “fix” the problem but to help guide the client to their own enlightenment.”
Her safe, supportive sessions center around helping her clients learn how to work through anxiety, grief, and depression. In a session with Elizabeth, clients learn self-understanding, coping skills, connection, and healing to guide them through their own transformation.
Elizabeth provides services at the Park Ridge and Northfield locations. If you would like to learn more about working with Elizabeth or any other clinicians at The Juniper Center, please contact us at info@thejunipercenter.com or call us at 847-759-9110.
