I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois with over 20 years of experience providing clinical services in one capacity or another. My experience includes working with children, teens, and adults and my areas of practice have included substance use, serious mental illness, and a variety of anxiety issues. I believe that you are the expert on your own thoughts and feelings, but unhelpful behavior patterns are not always as obvious to the person engaging in them. My role with you will be to help you discover those patterns and their root cause so that we can give them a tune-up to get you going on a more functional path.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Being on the receiving end of therapy myself, I find that comfort with my therapist is the most important factor in making change. You are free to ask me (most) questions to get comfortable with me! You are also free to share as little or as much as you'd like in our first session. Opening up to a stranger can feel...strange. If after our first session-or even after our 10th session-you feel something is uncomfortable, I welcome you to be direct and to communicate this to me.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I use an empathic, yet "no-nonsense" approach and help you to take accountability for your decisions and actions. I will work hard with you to find and change unhelpful behaviors, but you hold the power and control to your own life. I will be here as a guide to help you get your momentum going in a more helpful direction. I also believe that mutually agreed upon humor can be an absolute asset in the therapeutic process.