Simple formulas often don’t describe the realities and complexities of life.
Call me anytime for a free
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224-266-8842
224-266-8842
Take the first step towards solving your problems and feeling better about your life today. My calling is to help others, and do that in a timely and affordable way.
I provide counseling services, both in person and online.
I accept insurance, and I can see you without delay.
Learn About Me
Why I Do This
I believe that at the end of our lives, what will have mattered most is the difference
we’ve made in other people’s lives. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of helping
many people of different backgrounds overcome obstacles and achieve greater
happiness. It’s always been a great thrill for me, one that I never tire of. As a therapist,
my primary goal is to help people to feel better about their lives. To that end, I’ll equip
you with the tools and techniques to solve your problems and motivate you towards
positive change that improves the quality of your life. Counseling is a partnership, and
your progress is how I define my success.
How I Can Help You
More than anything else, you should be comfortable with your therapist. Throughout my life, people have commented that they feel relaxed in my presence, that I have a laid-back style with a calming voice. While that is no guarantee of there being a “fit”, it’s an important consideration in choosing someone to work with. The easiest way to test it out is to call me for a free no obligation consultation. I’d love to work with you, but if you don’t feel sufficient connection that is what is important. I have a wealth of experience in life and in working with people. I have a long track record of helping people to overcome obstacles and lead more fulfilling lives. I’ve worked with kids, teenagers and adults. While each population is different, I’ve helped people in a number of settings. I’ve had a lot of exposure to the human condition and the challenges you may be dealing with. I have also been a lifelong learner. From a very young age I’ve sought answers as to why people do some things and not others, and what the meaning of our existence is. I’ve been exposed to many different teachers, many theories along the way. My professional training is as clinical mental health counselor, and I’ll never stop learning with the goal of helping others in mind. As a consequence, I have a robust and comprehensive toolkit available to assist you in getting back on track. In summary, I believe the combination of my interpersonal style, experience, training, and above all my passion to help you overcome challenges can be beneficial to you as you consider your options in taking the next steps towards wellness.
My Philosophies
I practice from a wellness model. What this means is that we’ll build upon your strengths at the same time as working on your challenges. My goal is for you to fire me as quickly as possible. Strange goal, I know. But what that means in practicality is that we will have addressed your issues and built the tools necessary for you to manage future challenges yourself in as short a time as possible. You’ll be confident in your ability to self-regulate. The amount of time it takes to achieve this can be different for everyone, and there is no definitive answer as to how long it may take for you to feel ready to fire me. Once we partner, I’ll be there for you in the long run.
The Tools I Use
Some therapists have been trained in one theoretical orientation, and this is what they stick to. While I feel this can work in some circumstances, I don’t think helping you to solve your problems is a one size fits all approach. To that end, I use techniques and tools from a number of sources to provide a customized approach to helping you as a unique individual with a unique perspective. It’s also about what you’re comfortable with. The counseling relationship is a partnership, one in which we work together towards getting you where you want to be
Inclusion
I believe that all human beings have the same value. This is embodied in the idea that when we’re born, we’re given a value, the same value as anyone else, no more or no less. All through our lives this value is unchanged, it can’t be diminished, and nobody can take it away from us. Understanding that, my practice is inclusive to all races, ethnicities and sexual orientations. I am LGBTQ friendly. As a part of my ethical oath as a counselor, I acknowledge discrimination and advocate for marginalized groups. I try to operate with compassion for all people in understanding that suffering is a universal part of the human condition. As a counselor, I realize that all human beings desire the same things, like happiness, meaning and purpose, and a sense of acceptance and belonging.
Conditions I Treat
Life Issues
Anxiety
Couples & Relationships
Grief & Loss
ADHD
Transitions
Depression & Self Esteem
Family Dynamics
Work & Career
OCD
Quotes
These can give you some insight into my thought process in helping others to lead better lives.
"It's not things that upset us but our judgments about things“- Epictetus
Bad things happen to everyone. Have you ever wondered why when the same thing happens to two different people, one gets over it quickly and the other is never the same, what the difference is? This quote gives us some insight into understanding the difference. Bad things are going to happen, but how we think about those things can determine how we feel and act as a consequence. Feelings can be misleading. By examining the thoughts behind our feelings we can see how they might be serving or sabotaging us. This change in perspective can lead to a change in how we look at the challenges in our lives.
“We are never so defenseless against suffering as when we love.” – Sigmund Freud
To be human is to suffer. Not just in relationships, but in all the things we invest in. The greater the investment, the more we can suffer. It’s why we’re often hurt the most by the people and things we care about the most. How do we transcend this suffering? It’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time now. I can show you techniques to achieve greater personal peace and happiness.
“What I am is good enough if I would only be it openly.” - Carl R. Rogers
You have survived everything that’s happened to you up until now. Think about that. Every.Single.Thing. Human beings are amazingly resilient. Yet we are often our own worst critics, looking at our perceived shortcomings as opposed to seeing our strengths. You are good enough, resilient enough, strong enough, to survive pretty much anything and move forward, once you realize your inner strength and potential. I’ll help you do that. It’s something I’ve done many times before. It’s always a great thrill for me to see someone mired in doubt and looking for direction emerge strong, confident, and successful in overcoming challenges. It’s how I define my success as a therapist.
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” - Carl Gustav Jung
Bad things happen. Problems arise. We deal with this adversity in different ways. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, like we just want to give up. Understand that it’s not what is wrong with you, it’s what happened to you, and more importantly, how you reacted to it. I believe we do have choices, but we are not always consciously aware of the choices we might be making. We’re conditioned to respond to certain things in certain ways. We can choose differently, with different thoughts that foster different behaviors. This is the essence of therapy, that of learning to respond to similar things in different and more empowering ways.
Posts
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Its not so Simple
Misconceptions
Gratitude
As emotional creatures living in a fast-paced competitive society, it’s easy to get caught up and focus on the things we don’t have, what we’ve lost, or how we compare to others. These thoughts are normal, but we also have good things in our life, present in even the darkest moments. Expressing gratitude is acknowledging those good things, the things we often overlook every day. It can be something as simple as hearing a bird’s song or seeing a beautiful sunset.
One way to cultivate gratitude is through journaling. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to reflect on the day and jot down one thing you’re grateful for. It can be something big, like a supportive friend, or something small, like a good cup of coffee. It can be anything, there are no rules.
This simple daily practice can improve your outlook. By focusing on the positive, you’re essentially retraining your brain to look for and appreciate the good. It’s a small practice that can make a big difference to your mental health and well-being.
This quote from Marcus Aurelius reminds us to be grateful for the most precious gift, the privilege of being alive. So, what are you grateful for today?
Learning and Change
Some thoughts on life experience
Feeling of Bliss
When asked what the meaning of life is, the Dalai Lama said “Happiness.” Is what you’re doing making you happy? It’s a simple question, but one we don’t really ask ourselves that often. Of course, we can’t be happy with everything all the time, but what about the important things? If you were to rate your happiness with your work, for example, on a scale of 1-10, what would the number be? What number would it need to be to motivate you to change? This simple quote reminds us to keep the most important thing uppermost in our minds, that being our happiness. In answering the question, you take a step towards viewing each element of your life through this lens.
