Before I get started, I want commend you for making it to this point in your search for a therapist. Asking for help, especially from someone you haven't met before, is hard. I am proud of you that you have decided to take this step towards your healing process, anyways!
First, my name is Antoinette. I am licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Illinois. That's a fancy way of saying that I have both the educational and professional training necessary to work as a therapist independently. I've been in the field for 6 years and have had the privilege to work with so many great folx! I have helped clients with stress and anxiety, lgbtq+ related issues, trauma and abuse, & coping with grief and loss, just to name a few. It has been an honor to witness people heal and get through parts of their life they thought they never could. As your therapist, I promise to see and acknowledge your innate strengths and help you be able to do the same. I'll let you know what I hear, see, and feel in sessions and hope you feel empowered to do the same. As needed, I can help you identify the tools you need to achieve your goals. I will always meet you where you are in this moment with only one ask -- that our work together is as collaborative as possible. I want to hear your voice! That being said, feel free to ask questions throughout our interactions, whether we've just met or have been meeting for some time.
While I don't believe in a "one size fits all" perspective to practicing therapy, it's helpful to know what therapeutic framework your therapist uses while making informed decisions about your health. Therefore, I draw from several types of therapy as appropriate: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT), psychodynamic principles, narrative therapies, object relations, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT).
Additional areas of focus: Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Attachment issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Dissociation, Emptiness, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Forgiveness, Gender dysphoria, Guilt and shame, HIV / AIDS, Impulsivity, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Mood disorders, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Paranoia, Personality disorders, Phobias, Post-traumatic stress, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexuality, Social anxiety and phobia, Somatization, Trichotillomania, Workplace issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Jungian Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Systemic Therapy
IL LCSW 149024625