Find a Therapist in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

My training and my practice have all involved psychotherapy in its different manifestations. I first learned the Reflective Approach from Carl Rogers, PhD at the University of Chicago. I then learned more analytic therapies, brief therapies and other skills such as hypnosis, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, and Biofeedback. Some of these techniques can be only used in the office.

We provide individual and and family therapy. We treat a variety of psychiatric disorders with appropriate therapy techniques. We try to tailor our therapy techniques to suit the needs of the patient. We believe that all patients are not similar so all techniques used to treat them also need to be individualized. We closely work with other professionals to ensure that all of the needs of our patients are met.

My approach to psychotherapy is based on Compassion, Clarity, and Results. First, you will feel heard. You will be skillfully understood and supported. Second, you will gain new insights about your situation, your options, and yourself. Third, you will learn new strategies to handle the challenges in your life. Strategies that work. My focus is on supporting your strengths, often identifying strengths you did not know you had. This is where your strongest growth will come from. These will become the basis of your enjoyment of life and coping strategies when necessary.

I believe that individuals are resilient and have the capacity to make positive changes in their lives. Psychotherapy, while sounding like a "mysterious" term, is working with an individual to overcome patterns of feelings, thoughts and behaviors which cause you distress, pain or unhappiness. You will find a safe and non-judgmental place to overcome feeling stuck in patterns that stifle your happiness and personal growth. Every person is unique, and I work to understand your individual circumstances, family background, feelings and circumstances. You can experience feeling peaceful, happy and hopeful though our work together.

I believe our current struggles often have a link to past struggles. I work with clients to understand the both/and. What are the current challenges and struggles that you want to improve or change and in doing that how is it link to the past. In other words what previous distortions or hurts are causing the person current struggles and how to they build current health to grow and heal from previous hurts.

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in a positive manner. Its aim is to help people understand the thoughts behind feeling anxious or depressed and addressing these thinking patterns. Psychotherapy will help you change behaviors and habits that are limiting you, to experiencing your fullest potential.

Using the Adlerian approach, I focus on you as a whole, because I believe that people are more than a diagnosis or an issue. We start by reviewing your family and past history to discover any patterns. We focus on your involvement with your community and how to gain a better sense of belonging. Additionally, we will also address how your thoughts reflect your actions in past and current events to approach future situations more confidently.

My approach to psychotherapy starts with a careful assessment of the problem and your attempts to solve them. We will look at your whole life, your health, your relationships with loved ones, your relationship with God. Sometimes, we are living life out of balance or we are going through difficult transitions and we just need some coaching on how to get ourselves unstuck. Other times solutions seem much more difficult to find. I can help with both but I am especially committed to finding creative solutions for those times when that problem just doesn't seem to go away no matter how hard you try.

Psychotherapy is a process of self discovery and skill learning. If a person comes in to learn some new skills and is willing to take the responsibility for meaningful change to occur, then the success of our work together goes up dramatically. I see psychotherapy as a process of working together on the things that the client wants to address with compassion and acceptance.

Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the therapist, the client, and the particular problems one is experiencing. There are many different methods that may be used to deal with the problems that you hope to address. Psychotherapy calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for therapy to be successful, you will have to work on things discussed during the session when at home. There are benefits to psychotherapy even though therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life. You may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and significant reductions in feelings of distress.

Psychotherapy - for those willing to take the journey - can be one of the most amazing experiences we do in life. When a person gets insight into their own psychological processes, and achieves that understanding of how it all comes together and interacts on a psychological level, it can be really empowering, liberating, and exciting. This can also be a bit scary to try because usually there is a lot going on before someone decides to find a therapist. But any journey starts with that first step - and that first step can be a great step.

.At times psychotherapy will be recommended when a person is struggling with a life, relationship, employment, or a mental health issue, and these issues are causing the individual a great deal of emotional pain or are profoundly impacting their ability to function. Psychotherapy tends to be goal-oriented, so Karen and the client will discuss the changes the client would like to make in their life, develop a treatment plan for pursuing these changes, and focus on helping the individual succeed in achieving these goals. A variety of techniques are available to assist the client in making these changes, including challenging and changing thoughts related to the issue(s).

With every client, I strive to create an accepting, empathic, and warm environment while building a strong rapport. Building a strong rapport and therapeutic alliance is a top priority of mine while accurately and empathically supporting the client and creating a treatment plan. Under my care and support, you will feel heard, understood, and advocated for.