I am a licensed clinical social worker with two Master's degrees, one in Community Health and one in Social Work! I have 40 plus year of clinical experience. I am a registered play therapy supervisor with extensive training in the use of Play therapy with all age populations. I have had clinical training and certification in EMDR. I have worked in every clinical setting, inpatient psychiatric, outpatient community mental health. In outpatient community mental health I have worked in Emergency/Crisis Intervention Services. I have been a Qualified Examiner. I have worked with Adults with chronic mental illness in Outpatient Day treatment and Extended Day Treatment Programs. I have worked Case management with Adults and Children and Families. addressing parenting, developmental growth and development and behavioral problems. i have worked Ih-home programs and in private practice. . I have provided services in Emergency rooms, school settings, churches, social service agencies and community settings. I have worked with all age populations, birth to Seniors in individual, family and group therapy in community mental health and in the child welfare system.
My initial style is client centered until a trusting relationship has developed and then will switch to whatever theoretical approach which addresses the treatment issue and what fits your personality and understanding. I am compassionate, supportive, and sensitive to you but when that right moment comes I will challenge your belief system. I do not fix people and tell them what to do. You are in charge of your treatment. I help people explore their options and find their own way. We will laugh a little, cry a little and disagree at times but you will feel better.
Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Anger management, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Antisocial personality, Attachment issues, Blended family issues, Body image, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Dependent personality, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Family of origin issues, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Mood disorders, Personality disorders, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Self-harm, Sexual assault and abuse, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues
Clinical approaches: Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
IL LCSW 149008067