Grief counselors and therapists in Northbrook, IL

Life can be messy, and you don’t have to figure it all out alone. I’m an LCSW who genuinely enjoys helping people recognize their strengths and feel more confident in who they are. I work with children, teens, and adults navigating anxiety, ADHD, trauma, stress, relationships, and life’s challenges. Most importantly, I want you to feel comfortable being yourself with me.

As a first-generation Mexican-American therapist and clinical social worker, I believe that the identities I hold as well as my professional and community-oriented experiences have influenced the way I approach therapy. I have seen firsthand how our emotional wellbeing is greatly influenced by the relationships, culture, communities, and larger systems that surround us. Throughout my clinical practice, I've had the honor of working with clients from diverse racial/ethnic and cultural backgrounds, particularly those that identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+, in a variety of settings, including nonprofit, inpatient, and a university counseling center.

My experience spans across the lifespan, working with children, adolescents, adults, and families navigating the complexities of life transitions, generational family patterns, estranged or strained relationships, chronic stress/burnout, and trauma. I specialize in supporting adolescents and adults who are navigating first and second-generation experiences, identity development, family and cultural expectations, relational and intergenerational wounds, life transitions, and anxiety/OCD. I also work well with college students seeking support around adjustment-related concerns, interpersonal issues, identity exploration, self-esteem concerns, perfectionism, and uncertainty about the post-grad transition.

I believe meaningful change begins with feeling heard, understood, and accepted. My goal is to create a warm, affirming, and nonjudgmental space where children and teens feel safe being themselves while working toward positive change.

I am a licensed clinical social worker with more than 22 years of experience supporting children, adolescents, and families in both school and mental health settings. I currently work in a school, helping students navigate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. I also have experience in an adolescent psychiatric hospital, where I supported teens struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

I understand the unique pressures young people face today—from school stress, academic expectations, and fitting in with peers to family conflict, identity development, anxiety, depression, and parental stress. My approach is affirming, strengths-based, and solution-focused, combining empathy and a genuine sense of humor. I believe therapy doesn't always have to feel heavy and that laughter can be an important part of healing. Together, we'll build on your strengths to help you feel more confident, resilient, and empowered.

Some weight is hard to name. Grief that surfaces unexpectedly. Trauma that won’t stay in the past. Anxiety that makes the present feel unmanageable. Whatever you’re carrying, I’m here to help you make sense of it.

I work with adults and adolescents, navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and major life transitions, including end-of-life care for individuals and families facing serious illness. With 8 years of experience across criminal justice and clinical social work, I bring a grounded, practical perspective to therapy, one that takes your full story into account, not just the presenting problem.

My approach is client-centered, strengths-based, and collaborative. I believe therapy should be a space where you feel heard, respected, and free from judgment. Together, we can better understand what you’re experiencing, build meaningful coping strategies, and identify practical steps toward healing and greater emotional well-being.

You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin. Wherever you are in your journey, I’m here to meet you there.

Sometimes the hardest part is just being able to show up as yourself without editing anything out. I work with teens, young adults, and adults working through anxiety, stress, and big life transitions, and I have a particular focus on supporting people in the LGBTQIA+ community who want a space that feels genuinely affirming. Whether you are navigating identity, family dynamics, or just trying to feel more like yourself, I want our sessions to be a place where you do not have to perform or have it all figured out.

I am passionate about helping people! Everyone wants to be heard and valued. My approach as a counselor is to build a strong therapeutic relationship with you in a nonjudgmental space. I will demonstrate consistent empathy towards your feelings and struggles while verbalizing positive regard and validating you. I believe thoughts (positive & negative) have strong influences on emotions and as well as behaviors. I believe that answers to life’s difficulties are within each of us

As an independently licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, and supervisor, I believe that everyone deserves a space where they can feel heard, supported, and accepted. I've been practicing for 15 years and hold a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a doctorate in Counselor Education, and a Fellowship in Thanatology with specialized expertise in grief and loss. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and someone with AuDHD, I bring both professional knowledge and lived experience to my work. My goal is to create a warm, affirming environment where you can show up as your authentic self and move toward meaningful change.

With over a decade of psychiatric nursing experience, I've built a practice around making people feel truly understood from the very first conversation. I'm fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu, and I've found that meeting someone in their first language changes everything about how safe they feel opening up. I work with adults and teens navigating anxiety, depression, substance use, and eating disorders, combining medication management with therapeutic support to care for the whole person. My practice is fully virtual, so you can access care from wherever feels most comfortable for you.

With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, I have worked across both mental health and critical care settings. I hold degrees in nursing and counseling psychology, and I am passionate about providing compassionate, patient-centered care. As a dedicated advocate for my patients, my goal is to help each individual function at their highest potential and achieve meaningful, lasting improvements in their well-being.