I help transgender clients move from dysphoria to finding comfort and pride in their identity. The Transition Journey - physical and emotional
2. Support and Connection - You are not alone!
3. Stigma - both internalized and from society
This page has a couple purposes. It is an opportunity for those individuals looking for services to get to know me a little better in order to decide if they feel like we would be a good fit. It is also intended to be a site for education and support. Those who follow this page are not necessarily clients (and for those who are, your confidentiality will be maintained). Counseling services will not be provided in the content on this page - if you are seeking services for yourself or a loved one, please contact me to set up an appointment or call for a free phone consultation. Here's a little more to help you get to know me...
I completed my Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Governors State University in August 2017. Prior to that I had graduated with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Social Work & Human Services from Lewis University. I have over 25 years of experience working in the mental health field, including partial hospitalization programs, inpatient psychiatric programs, and an outpatient community mental health center. I had been very fortunate to wear a variety of hats over the years. I have run groups, done case management, been a counselor, worked in a psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) program, worked in a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) program with chronically mentally ill adults, trained new staff, supervised volunteers and other staff, and was the program coordinator for all psychiatric services. (I know a lot about mental health medications!) I have worked with individuals and couples for a variety of issues including depression, anxiety, chronic mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder, relationship issues, stress, trauma, personal growth, and so much more. Eventually I realized that my credentials needed to catch up with my experience, and I finally returned to graduate school. As I approached internship I wanted to add something to my experience. (After all, I had already been "counseling" for a couple decades!) So I decided to focus on a specialization. I was already familiar and comfortable with the "LGB" community and culture. I had been a certified Red Cross HIV/AIDS Instructor and volunteered with an HIV/AIDS organization as early as during my undergrad years, and I have a significant number of friends who identified as LGB. But I didn't know too much about the "T" in LGBT. I sought out internship sites where I could work with more of the LGBTQ population, and especially the transgender community, but almost all LGBTQ providers were in Chicago or, even farther, on the north side of the city. I quickly became aware that there was a serious lack of resources, especially for the transgender community, in the south suburbs. I began to immerse myself in anything I could learn about the trans* community. I joined Facebook and Reddit groups, I read professional ACA recommended books, I attended seminars, I took an additional elective three-credit course in Counseling LGBTQ Individuals, and I sought supervision from a transgender specialist with whom I still consult. I became a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the ACA Divisions of Association for Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC) and Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD). I found an internship site, Turning Point Counseling in Mokena, that was very open to working with the LGBTQ population. And I found that I was right... Not only is there a lack of resources out here, but there is a NEED for services in the south suburbs. After completing my internship, I was able to stay on in private practice at Turning Point. More than half of my current caseload identifies as somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. I am able to write safe passage letters, letters of support for medical transition, assist you with the name change process, and provide additional information and resources. My clients find me to be calming, open, non-judgmental, and easy to build a strong relationship with quickly. It is my privilege to work with and get to know you. Counseling is an intimate and collaborative relationship and I respect your willingness to allow me into some of the most private parts of your life and walk this journey with you. Being a counselor isn't just what I do for a living, it's very much just a part of who I am.
