Find a Therapist in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

With over 20 years experience as a Therapist and Coach and a graduate of Wheaton College, Margo continues to devote her lives work to encouraging people in all walks of life. She especially loves walking along side women, helping them discover and grow the person they were created to be. She believes the core of all life work will include: Identifying the Voices that hold you back, as well as the root of those Voices. Telling and Rewriting your lives journey, creating meaning from the ugly-beautiful in your life, and knowing and Unleashing the Amazingness of who you were created to be.

Psychotherapy as a whole is a form of support I strongly believe can help anyone struggling with a wide array of issues. Simply having the space to confide in someone who is safe, non judgmental, validating, and consistent can make a great impact in your healing process. I value client-therapist alliance and am a firm believer that the relationship between a client and therapist is the most important factor in whether therapy will be deemed successful by the client.

Which do I search for? Psychotherapy? Counseling? Therapy? For all intense purposes, they are all the same thing, but finding the right provider is where it can get tricky. At The Lighthouse Emotional Wellness Center, our providers are educated and experienced on evidenced-based practices in the field of psychotherapy and pride ourselves on having helped thousands of clients for over 15 years. Whether your struggle with issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief & loss, bipolar disorder, addictions, relationship issues, or family discord, our practitioners are here to help.

"Psychotherapy is the informed and intentional application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and/or other personal characteristics in directions that the participants deem desirable" (Norcross, 1990, p. 218-220 ) We use Freudian-based theories, object relations, attachment theories and self-psychology to assist our clients in identifying and understanding the underlying issues that may color their current relationships.

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.

I believe that the therapy process should be one in which the therapist and client work TOGETHER to achieve the client's vision. The relationship should be built on trust and mutual respect. I will offer guidance and recommendations if you request it, but will never tell you how you should or should not live your life. I believe you're an expert on your own life. Together, we will work to determine what you want from life, what's getting in the way, and what to do to help you feel better and let go of old behaviors or thought patterns that don't serve you anymore.

I create a safe space in which my clients can feel comfortable in talking openly about who they are and the difficulties they are facing. People come to see me because they are having difficulties, but these problems do not define them and they also have incredible strengths. Although I use different therapies and provide my clients with tools they can use, I believe that the relationship between the therapist and the client determines how successful therapy will be. I engage fully with my clients, listening to them carefully and providing them with genuine respect and positive regard.

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.

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.

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.

I believe that seeking psychotherapy is healthy and proactive and that we could all benefit from therapy or counseling at different points in our lives. I feel that a good therapeutic relationship is critical to successful therapy and I aim to really understand my clients and develop collaborative relationships. My therapeutic style is warm and empathic and also direct and active. My theoretical orientation is eclectic in that I incorporate therapeutic techniques that I see would be most effective for each client. Overall, I help my clients achieve higher self-esteem and increased happiness personally and professionally.

Not every counselor has the ability, patience or interest in doing psychotherapy which I see as different from counseling as men are from women. I'm an experienced psychotherapist who has helped man clients deal with the internal and family of origin issues which lead to repetitive negative patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior. I'm not only a good listener, but engage the client in a process to feel more related with their internal lives so they can make healthier life choices. My clients have reported feeling more content and capable as a result of our work together.

Psychotherapy is a form of "talk-treatment" with psychologists which uses scientifically validated procedures to help you develop healthier and more effective habits. The form of psychotherapy I most commonly use is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is effective for problems with unhealthy behaviors, depression, anxiety, anger, and concentration. I have a more practical approach to treatment so in psychotherapy with me, we will discuss the problem bothering you and how to fix it efficiently, practice coping skills to address the problem, and then implement these into your life. Give me a call today for a free consultation and we can put together a preliminary plan over the telephone.