Grief counselors and therapists in Northbrook, IL

I've devoted a decade of my career helping parents learn how to best help their children. And another decade helping adults in an out-patient partial hospitalization program. These are the moments when people have felt the most vulnerable and in need of something more than what they are already trying to manage their mental health. Hopefully, my experience and tools that I've gathered working across the age groups and in a more intense level of care can help you build your own toolbox.

I’m a multilingual (English, German, French) licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience helping people through life’s challenges. I’ve worked with individuals of different ages and backgrounds in the United States and internationally, including in schools, hospitals, residential programs, and community mental health settings. I hold a Master of Social Work, a Bachelor of Social Work from Vienna, Austria, and a CADC. I have experience supporting people through trauma, substance use, depression, anxiety, women’s issues, cultural and identity concerns, and everyday stress. I value creating a space where you feel heard, respected, and comfortable being yourself. I see therapy as a collaborative process and am here to meet you where you are and support you in finding greater balance, clarity, and effective ways to cope with life’s challenges.

I began working broadly in this field nearly 30 years ago and became a licensed clinical social worker 20 years ago. Along with completing a masters degree in social work from the University of Illinois, Chicago, I hold a masters degree in fine art in drawing and painting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I believe these areas of study have come to inform my practice in obvious and sometimes less obvious ways.

I began my private practice in 2014 specializing in a harm reduction and moderation as apt responses to problematic substance use, as defined by those seeking my help.

Largely in response to the evolving relationships with my clients and referrals that often came in for friends and family of previous clients, I've come to work with trauma survivors, people identifying difficulty establishing stable relationships in social and professional settings, and people addressing loneliness and mood dysregulation.

Welcome — I'm so glad you're here! With 23 years of experience as a school social worker, I am passionate about helping children, adolescents, and families navigate life's challenges and build the skills needed to thrive at home, school and in their communities. I work with children and teens ages 3-17, as well as parents and caregivers who are seeking support, guidance, and practical strategies to strengthen family relationships, work through family conflicts and improve daily functioning. My goal is to help build the necessary skills to strengthen relationships and homeostasis within family structures and the individual.

I specialize in working with neurodivergent children, adolescents, and families including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), social-communication challenges, anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, and behavioral challenges. I also specialize in working with high conflict family dynamics which include parent-child relationships, divorce (for families that are both in and/or out of the family court system), sibling rivalry, and multicultural child rearing.

With my background in art, bodywork, and spirituality, I am able to work holistically, and to faciliate mind/body/spirit wellness. I enjoy working with clients of all faiths, ethnicities, genders, and sexual preferences. Artists, introverts, and introspective people will find me especially understanding and perceptive.

I am a solution focused therapist with 39 years of experience. My therapy style is cognitive, interactive, compassionate, and, if need be, challenging. I believe effective therapy should produce change, not just insight. I will listen to you deeply, help conceptualize the problems, patterns, and dynamics which are causing you trouble, and give you feedback. Together, we will develop a strategy for more effective functioning and a better quality of life. therapy.

I do not do phone consultations.

I believe that therapy works best when people feel understood, respected and safe. I have over 20 year of experience helping adults navigate trauma, depression, anxiety, identity exploration, grief/loss, life transitions and relationship challenges. Much of my career has been devoted to working with veterans and individuals who have faced difficult or traumatic experiences. I strongly believe in establishing a relationship of equals and mutual respect between therapist and client; one that leads to a guided journey of self-discovery and change.