Tara is a warm and empathetic professional, who unconditionally supports clients as they consider who they are, what they want for themselves, and what is meaningful in their lives. She is a depth-oriented clinician helping clients get at the heart of their issues to cultivate the self-awareness needed to create long-lasting change and transformation in their lives. She believes that the most effective way to engender meaningful growth requires being willing to discover and connect with one’s soul’s longing and purpose.

Doubly educated as both a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and as a Professional Counselor, Tara is also trained and certified in the treatment of trauma. She loves working with all adults but has a special place in her heart for inspiring couples to recapture the love that originally brought them together— or helping them sort out that it’s time to move on.

With over twenty years of experience as a yoga teacher, Tara brings not just clinical expertise to Sound Mind Counseling but offers expansive knowledge to her clients on how to use mindfulness and the yogic perspective to manage and heal anxiety and depression in their daily life. Like me, Tara credits great therapy with putting her on the path to personal fulfillment, and she is eager to share that gift with others.

Some people are lucky enough to have a true vocation, and Jen is one of them. She recently shared that she feels “genuinely called” to counseling because she is fascinated by the human condition and deeply appreciates the power of human connection to heal. She believes that with the right therapist, people can begin to see themselves differently and find resources within that they didn’t know they had.

Jen focuses her considerable skill on individuals ages sixteen and up managing life transitions, trauma, relationships, anxiety, and depression. With over 10 years of clinical experience, she has a sharp instinct for what might be holding her clients back, and a gentle but direct hand when it comes to helping them develop the insight required to create change.

She is unwaveringly dedicated to the people with whom she works, and that commitment creates an atmosphere of hope and possibility. Sometimes we just need a place to feel safe with a trusted professional to explore the stuff that keeps us stuck, and Jen is a master at creating that space and welcoming her clients in.

I wish I’d had a therapist like Stephanie when I was younger! Her calm yet charismatic personality instantly puts clients at ease, allowing them to let down their defenses so they can start unraveling the riddle of why they are there in the first place.

It takes a certain kind of person to do this work with teens and even young adults, who are used to keeping their cards close to the vest for fear of being judged, ridiculed, or simply not believed. With extensive experience as a school counselor, she has firsthand knowledge of the spectrum of issues that kids face today. She encourages families to get involved with treatment and hones in on communication, behavioral health, skill building, self-esteem, and social/emotional health.

Uniquely informed by her Assyrian background, she will (rightly) say that her multiculturalism is one of her strongest assets. Rooted in a CBT, Person-Centered/Strengths Based, and Mindfulness approach, she aims to empower clients to make the “unconscious conscious”, build self-awareness, and encourage creative change.

Hailing from the University of Chicago, where she received her master’s degree in social work, Debra is a gifted clinician whose diverse experiences, both in her own life and in her career, enable her to bring a wealth of insight to her clients.

Skilled in several therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic (or mind-body) Therapies, and mindfulness techniques, she also has a high level of comfortability using those modalities with clients working toward managing ADHD and similar diagnoses.

Debra believes that “the best way out is always through” (Robert Frost) and knows firsthand that therapy can help move us past our most painful and confusing moments in ways that not only help us grow but fill us with a sense of possibility. Adults of all ages who are feeling stuck in grief, toxic behaviors or relationships, unproductive thought patterns, or overwhelming emotions will find Debra’s intelligence and compassion to be powerful agents of change.

When I first spoke to Julie about writing this bio, she emphasized that “cookie cutter” is not in her vocabulary. This didn’t surprise me, given her complex and dynamic professional and educative experience, and her obvious appreciation for all things out of the ordinary… including people and ideas.

She recently shared a quote with me that described therapy as “more of an art than a science,” which I believe captures her nuanced approach to her work. Outside of diagnostics and other typical measures that are used to gauge mental health, Julie leaves room for the mysteries of being human. She will also say that her therapeutic style “is steeped in humility – cultural humility and personal humility,” and that [her] clinical practice is informed by existential thinking. Why is this happening? How can I survive? What does it mean?”

Julie believes in the power of lived experience in learning: whether it’s by creating a learning expedition in Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, or, more significantly, by having navigated disability, health, and healing for the last 20 years while also being a mom. As such, she has expertise in a broad range of issues including chronic illness, neurodivergence, parenting, spiritual exploration, queer populations, trauma, grief, and relationships, and is also the proud companion to therapy dog Reggie.

The first person who told me about Mansi, a mutual colleague, described her as “magical”, a description with which I wholeheartedly agree. Aside from her professional accomplishments- and there are many- including the completion of her Master of Arts in Clinical Social Work at the University of Chicago to her service as a middle school English teacher, her non-profit work with victims of natural disasters, and formerly incarcerated individuals, and her therapeutic experience supporting perinatal women, she has a wise and peaceful energy that sets people at ease. 

Raised with a spiritual background in Eastern philosophy, Mansi incorporates mindfulness into her personal and professional life. That, combined with extensive global travel, and a “natural curiosity and desire to get to know people”, as well as her distinct clinical perspective which combines the research and practice of the new modality C-DBT, make her a singular and dynamic therapist.

When asked why she was called to counseling, Mansi said, “I want to facilitate the process of others’ recognition of their own worth and mattering- there is nothing more meaningful and rewarding to me because we all want to matter and belong, which makes us human.” 

Regardless of who it may be, Mansi uses her empathy and intelligence to partner with clients and find real growth, resilience, and a sense of possibility.

Maureen comes to Sound Mind Counseling as a second career therapist. With extensive experience in schools and special education, her ability to form strong nurturing relationships with others was critical to her excellence in that role. Her transition to counseling was a natural progression for someone who wishes to continue working alongside those who seek to improve their lives through self-awareness.

Maureen notes that she has an “innate talent for connecting with people and a curiosity to uncover their stories and strengths,” which is exactly the reason I asked her to join our team. Within moments of meeting her, clients find themselves surprisingly at ease, and able to start unpacking whatever it is that has brought them there. She knows that “each of us has a story” and that it is understanding, accepting, and transcending our stories that help get us to the next chapter of our lives.

Maureen’s life experience as a wife, mom, and working woman make her well-suited to counseling people of all ages. Under her care, you can develop the insight and the courage to tackle the issues that are weighing you down, and allow you to move into a happier, more productive, and more centered place.

LGBTQ affirming

Trained in Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Northwestern University, Rosy believes that “we are all connected and influenced by our interpersonal relationships, family, community, and culture”.

This idea of connectedness extends to the relationship between her and her clients, with whom she establishes a warm and easy rapport right out of the gate. Her strengths-based and solution-focused perspective means that she collaborates with them to build on what’s been working and understand the unconscious patterns and belief systems that have been holding them back. This approach lends itself well to adolescents and adults of all ages dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, and of course, relationships, as well as couples who find themselves stuck in counterproductive cycles and who are trying to find that all-important work-life balance. 

Rosy’s international background, which includes residency in the U.S., Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur, as well as travel to over 40 countries including North Korea, and her multilingual ability (English- Native, Korean, and Mandarin) add to her unique orientation, as does her high-level corporate experience. She is someone who readily sees the complexities of the human condition and has the wisdom to interpret them. She says, “I genuinely appreciate people’s stories, and the level of depth and diversity of experiences we all possess never ceases to amaze me”. 

LGBTQ affirming

One of the (many!) reasons I am thrilled to have Anum Zafar on the SMC roster is her strong background in working with kids of all ages who face a multitude of challenges. There is an ever-growing number of children who are grappling with Autism, ADHD, emotional regulation issues, anger management, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, fractured or toxic families, and trauma, and the need for mental health professionals who understand and can facilitate healing in all these domains is clear. She is here to answer that need.

Anum is more than someone with clinical expertise, however. She speaks to this when she says that “having had a rocky start in life has taught me to lead with love and compassion, especially when working with kids. It has allowed me to have a deep well of patience and understanding for children who are struggling in their lives.” Indeed, that compassionate attitude is evident from the first moment you meet her and helps her make warm, easy connections with both kids and their parents right out of the gate.

Anum’s experience in school and clinical settings means she has had front-row seats for the day-to-day reality children navigate, and she brings an unusual level of insight to her work as a result. She believes in “the inherent dignity and worth of individuals, the importance of personal relationships, and having personal integrity” and is actively grateful that her values are in alignment with this profession. She skillfully utilizes DBT, mindfulness, somatic and activity-based therapies, as well as art and a strengths-based approach to partner with her clients and help them grow into the best version of themselves.

Kristin Hovious, author (“Our Brain Book” and “Nuetro Libro del Cerebro”), certified Positive Discipline Trainer, and the founder of SEL Chicago is not your typical intern. Training to become a therapist seemed like the next logical step in a decades-long pursuit of helping others, as well as herself, find optimal mental, physical, and emotional health. Kristin combines CBT with attachment-based and internal family systems therapies, aiming to provide clients with a holistic and comprehensive healing experience.

Kristin’s personal experiences have deeply influenced her counseling work. As a former educator, social-emotional learning specialist, and mother of a neurodivergent child, she has gained invaluable insight into the complexities of growth and development, parenthood, and family dynamics. Kristin’s capacity for deep listening and her skill in helping clients build reflection and relationship skills enable her to create safe spaces where individuals can explore their emotions, regulate their behaviors, and foster confidence within themselves as well as connection to others.

LGBTQ affirming

When I first met Natalie, I knew she was a kindred spirit. Between her 20-plus years of experience in food in nutrition marketing, her background as a certified yoga instructor and working mom, and her Northwestern University affiliation, we have a lot in common! 

Natalie believes that “our connection to the world and those around us is what defines the human experience” and that “relationships with others can help advance a healthy sense of self”. This is especially true of the therapeutic relationship, where kindness, empathy, and understanding are the building blocks for growth. 

As most of us here at SMC are, Natalie is Psychodynamically informed, but she also loves to incorporate a Person Centered approach and the premise of “unconditional positive regard”. I agree that this is a sacred principle for clinicians, wherein no matter what our clients bring forward, we maintain an attitude of deep compassion.

Natalie is most excited to help the adults and seniors with whom she works to find balance, and reconnect with all the possibilities for joy and optimism that are within each of us.

LGBTQ affirming

Rennie came to Sound Mind Counseling with an impressive resume in her back pocket, which notably includes a doctorate in Cognitive Science from Johns Hopkins University. There, she focused on language development in intellectually disabled individuals with Williams syndrome. The work was deeply rewarding, particularly her focus on service, so much so that she decided she’d like to broaden her reach. Now a student in the Northwestern University Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s program, she is poised to use all that she’s already learned to help children, adolescents, young adults, and the families that surround them who are dealing with things like anxiety, depression, neurodiversity, and developmental and behavioral issues. 

I think of Rennie as a playful intellectual who infuses a sense of creativity and warmth into her practice. She recognizes the autonomy of her clients, but always thinks about them contextually, considering the impact of their culture and environment on their well-being. To her (and to me!) all things are connected, so she considers not just a client’s mental and emotional health, but their physical health, their family system, the state of the world, and all the other factors that affect who, and how, they are. Her Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) training reflects this orientation and gives her the flexibility and depth to approach clients in the ways that are the most meaningful and impactful to them. 

Like lots of people, I credit animals for helping me stay mentally healthy, and there is nothing quite like pure dog love to alleviate depression and anxiety!

After losing my beloved therapy dog Bruno, a big German Shepherd with an old soul with whom I practiced until his passing in 2019, I rescued Bhodi and Enzo, two White Swiss Shepherd puppies, to help take his place. As energetic as they are, it’s taken a bit longer than I anticipated to bring them into the office! Nevertheless, I know that with hard work and patience, they will soon be ready to join me as I work with clients and bring them that spontaneous sense of joy that they bring to me.

Meanwhile, Sound Mind Counseling is a dog-friendly space, and any client who wishes to visit us with their pet (assuming they are friendly) is always welcome!