I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a graduate of The Family Institute at Northwestern University. I have clinical experience working with children, adults and adolescents in a variety of settings including residential, foster care, and private practice. I have also volunteered with youth in a domestic violence shelter, teen shelters, a hospital, and on the National Runaway Safeline in Chicago. While I was trained in psychodynamic theory, I have learned to incorporate a variety of approaches including CBT, play therapy, and motivational interviewing. I have experience and interest in working with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Self-Esteem issues, Relationships, Communication, and teaching Social Skills. I believe that therapy is a partnership between client and therapist and would like to help guide and empower clients toward accomplishing their own individualized goals. My therapeutic style is warm and empathetic trying to promote change from within the therapeutic relationship. I believe that every client’s journey is unique and try to meet clients where they are at emotionally.
One quote I like by David Joy is: “Empathy’s not standing over a hole looking down and saying you understand. Empathy is having been in that hole yourself.” I believe in sitting with clients when they are feeling stuck and trying to understand where they are coming from while also building an emotional connection. While there is a lot of growth and work that happens in therapy, sometimes it is also sitting with difficult feelings or situations. I hope I can join clients in that hole and also help guide them. My personal style of therapy is about exploring how past experiences or attachment influences interactions in the present. In addition, I believe therapy is also about processing and exploring where you feel stuck and learning to move beyond that feeling of stuckness. I look forward to helping you grow on your journey.
