LCSW, 8 years of experience
Hi! My name is Gilmarie, but you can feel free to call me Gigi. I am a licensed, clinical social worker providing individual therapy and couples counseling for clients in Illinois. I am bilingual in Spanish and English and am of Puerto Rican descent. As a social worker/therapist, I love working with people and I believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. It is an honor to walk through life with my clients. Also, I enjoy providing faith-based counseling for those who desire to incorporate their faith in their therapeutic journey.
In our first session there will be a time for some introductions and going over consents and confidentiality for clarity. After that, we can dive in to what brings client to therapy and what specific challenges they may be facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
My greatest strength is that I genuinely care for my clients and use all tools at my disposal to help client reach their therapeutic goals. I provide a client-centered approach with an eclectic application of theories that will be used as needed and that would be most effective for the presenting issues.
I have been able to best serve clients who are going through transitions in life (newlywed, new to parenting, new job, divorce, grief, relocation, menopause, etc.). Clients going through transitions may be feeling stuck or overwhelmed and experiencing some anxiety and/or depression as well. I also have enjoyed serving those who have self-esteem issues and want to build confidence in themselves. A client who is open, honest with themselves, and willing to engage in a therapeutic journey is ideal.
In my practice, I like to be client centered. I believe there is not a one size fits all treatment, so with an eclectic approach, I can combine different methods according to the presenting needs of my clients. As an example, I enjoy using a mix of DBT with some Motivational Interviewing and strengths based/solution focused therapy as needed, with the openness of shifting according to the client's progress and goals.
**This is only for those that choose a faith-based approach to be included in their therapy. It is not a requirement to be seen by me nor is it imposed. I have served in my community and church providing Christian counsel since 2013.