Social work is a second career, with my first being public relations, marketing and communications. As an undergraduate, I studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduated with my BA. After more than a decade working in social service and government, I was diagnosed with cancer in 1999. This illness sparked important changes; I enrolled at Loyola University Chicago and got my Masters of Social Work in 2003. I had wanted to be a therapist for decades and lacked the courage to do so; it took something as challenging as cancer to empower me toward my dreams.
I have experience working with a variety of mood (depression and bipolar), anxiety (including phobias and panic), and adjustment disorders as well as the impact medical and psychiatric conditions can have on one’s life and family. I enjoy helping people get to the other side of life transitions, like healing from divorce, changing jobs or careers, or caregiving stress. And for people already recovering from addiction (yours or someone else’s), I bring a deep understanding of 12 step recovery to the therapeutic experience.
My style is generally engaging and affirming, and when we need to look at something painful, I strive to do so with compassion and courage. I believe we get better faster when we focus on solutions rather than problems. I also offer walk and talk therapy, great for alleviating depression.
There are two ways to meet with me: in my office in Park Ridge, at 350 S Northwest Highway, or in your home. You may pay privately, of course, and bypass insurance; I also accept several insurance plans like BCBSIL, Cigna, United Behavioral Health, and Medicare.
My passion is to improve people’s lives by enlightening, empowering and healing. As a former hospice social worker, I believe that what matters most is how much life we put into our days, not how many days we live. It’s important to know what we’re working toward, what you want in your life, and we’ll figure it out if you don’t know. It’s challenging enough to grow toward our visions when things are good; when we’re struggling with physical and/or mental illness or just every day life, it helps to have someone to share the journey.