Marriage Therapist in Bartlett

Hi, I’m Colleen.

I can help you create a life filled with health, hope, healing, and happiness.

If you’re like me, when I am looking for a Bartlett area health care provider, I search for them online, read what I can find about them so I can get a sense of what they are like, and try to determine if I think they will be able to help me. I wonder if they know all the things they should know, how long they’ve been treating people, if they keep up to date with new treatments and research, and what their specialties are. By searching and checking them out, I try to discern if I will be able to talk to them, if I will feel comfortable with them, and if I can be confident in their knowledge and abilities.

WHO I AM

I thought I would take this opportunity and explain some different things to you to help shed some light on who I am, what I know, what I’ve been doing, what I believe, and some other random things about me. In doing so, I hope you will get a better idea of what I may be able to do for you and how working together can benefit you.

THE PAIN WE ALL EXPERIENCE

I believe that each of us is confronted with things that are devastating, painful, and overwhelming at different times in our lives. It is at these times we are called to find the courage that lies within us, to face whatever the difficulties are, and to tap into our internal strengths and resilience to survive the experiences.

Often, the pain and devastation that lingers from these experiences is something that can continue to hurt us. When this happens, we may find that we need additional support, professional guidance, understanding, and compassion so that we can heal the parts of ourselves that were hurt and are hurting because of these painful and difficult experiences.

WHAT I HOPE TO PROVIDE THROUGH COUNSELING & THERAPY

I offer to you an opportunity to build a safe, supportive, and empowering relationship where you can work through disappointment, grief, hurt, trauma, fear, or loss.

Introducing and teaching people strategies and coping skills that assist them in reducing their depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and chronic illness is vital in my therapy practice. Supporting adults who are working through relationship issues and are seeking couples counseling or marriage therapy is another part of my practice that I enjoy.

Having the opportunities to help those who struggle with self-doubt, self-esteem, social anxiety, perfectionism, or parenting stress is something I’m grateful for.

Whether you are struggling with one of the above issues or concerns, or past trauma, complex trauma, or problem and compulsive gambling, I would welcome the chance to help you work through the emotions and issues that are keeping you from living the life you want. With support, guidance, encouragement, and assistance, together, we can help you to reduce, improve and/or resolve whatever you are struggling with.

It would be a privilege to support and join with you.

MY PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY AS A THERAPIST

I have been providing counseling, therapy, and treatment services for the past 28 years. I have been a private practice therapist in Bartlett, Illinois and Elgin, Illinois for a total of 8 years.

I provide therapy to adults and couples in our practice, Health and Healing Therapy LLC, in Bartlett, Illinois, where I serve as the Director as well as a Therapist.

In addition, I serve as a Clinical Consultant, supporting and helping other therapists and counselors learn more about how to help friends, family members, and those individuals who struggle with and need problem gambling, compulsive gambling, or gambling disorder treatment. As a Board Approved Clinical Consultant, I assist therapists throughout the state of Illinois to meet all the requirements to become Internationally Certified Gambling Counselors.

Previously, for 22 years, from April of 1996 – July of 2018, I served as the Director of a non-profit community counseling program that had offices in Elgin, Illinois, St. Charles, Illinois, and Streamwood, Illinois.

Throughout my clinical career, I’ve provided clinical supervision and directly supervised over a hundred (100) therapists and counselors in training. Together, the teams of clinicians I’ve supervised, mentored, and supported have provided counseling and therapy services for over 16,000 people. It’s been a profound privilege to have been involved in serving so many people while helping to enrich their lives.

MY COMMITMENT TO YOU

I am a lifelong learner and, because of that, I continue to seek and learn about the most updated, research-based clinical practices that are proven to work and help people transform their lives. Since the early 1990s, I’ve done just that as I continue to strive to learn and grow as a therapist. I learn every day. It’s not just a cliché – I do learn new things every day. I continually read, gather information, improve my skill set, and seek specialized training so I can offer the most proven, appropriate, and helpful services and care possible.

This allows me to help people learn, change, grow, and support their healing – it’s how I honor and fulfill what I am professionally meant to do: help people improve their relationship with themselves, grow closer to others, and begin their healing from their emotional pain and trauma so they can live their lives in new ways that promote health, hope, and joy.

USING SCIENCE AND RESEARCH WITHIN THERAPY

I value and, at times, even cherish the health care professionals I see as a patient who keep abreast of the most current research and updated on the most successful medications, and, overall, best treatments available. So, I assume any person who chooses to work with me as one of their healthcare providers through counseling and therapy would want nothing less from me. In doing so, I use various evidenced-based therapeutic practices that science supports through research, showing proof that change can and does happen and people get and feel better.

Professional Bio

COUNSELING AND THERAPY APPROACHES

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Attachment Based Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills (DBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Gottman Therapy Method for Couples Counseling
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
• Psychodynamic Therapy / Insight – Oriented Therapy

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• B.A. in Psychology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL
• M.S.W. in Social Work, University of Illinois, Jane Addams College of Social Work
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Illinois License #149008267
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Illinois #12158
• International Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-II)
• Board Approved Clinical Consultant (BACC) #1261
• Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor, American Council, #337

In Closing

Hopefully, sharing these things about myself has helped you get a picture and impression of me. Now you get to decide if I seem to know my stuff, if you think I can help you, and if you are willing to take the next step… contacting me so we can begin working together.

You deserve support, encouragement, and grace, and it would be a privilege to walk alongside you as you make the necessary changes in your life that will enable you to start living the life you want and deserve.

Click here to schedule an appointment.