Hi there! My name is Erica Leibrandt, founder of Sound Mind Counseling. You’ll often hear me say, and this is true, talk therapy changed my life… and it can dramatically improve yours as well.

I believe the best therapists are those who are not just educated in the finest programs but seasoned by the real hardships of life. Someone who can understand on a deeply personal level things like grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, and complicated relationships. I love my job, both as a clinician and as the very first person every potential client at Sound Mind speaks to, because I get to encourage people to heal, grow, and rediscover what makes them amazing.

I was lucky to attend both Loyola and Northwestern Universities and develop my professional identity as a Psychodynamically informed psychotherapist with expertise in mindfulness and Internal Family Systems (IFS). All that’s really just a fancy way of saying I care about all the parts of my client’s lives; past, present, future, mental, emotional, and relational, and I encourage practices that help bring self-awareness into focus.

If you’re ready to get unstuck and start feeling hopeful, empowered, and alive again, reach out. I, and the other talented Sound Mind Counselors, are ready to help you do your work.

From the moment you meet Kaki, you understand that you are in the presence of a consummate professional. Her expertise in treating older adult populations dealing with things like grief, troubled relationships, and chronic illness comes both from her personal and her clinical experience. She is uniquely well-rounded culturally, and loves to work with clients of all ethnicities, particularly those of Indian or Hispanic descent.
Kaki believes that therapy provides much more than simple stress relief, but that it cultivates an understanding of “the bigger picture” and ultimately allows clients to get more enjoyment out of life. A natural problem solver, she enjoys helping people put together the pieces of their own puzzle and working together to find solutions to the tough questions that we all have about ourselves.
Kaki is a true psychodynamic therapist and gives clients the chance to examine where they came from, where they are, and where they’re going. Through their work with her, they will develop increased levels of self-awareness and emotional intelligence, and the ability to see themselves anew, as the person they are meant to be.

A born empath, Kelly brings unmatched energy and compassion to every client she sees. Specializing in working with children ages three and up dealing with trauma, behavioral issues, anxiety, and depression, she is able to use her warmth and intelligence to create strong therapeutic bonds. This is not easy work, and few people are as skilled as she is with these age groups.

She is not only great with kids, but with their parents too. She understands that every child is part of a family system, and as such, that the whole system should be engaged in the treatment process.

Kelly believes that trust is the foundation of successful therapy, and that each client has highly individualized needs. As a result, she incorporates many different modalities including play and experiential therapy, CBT, and role playing. I never see Kelly happier than when she has a meaningful break through with a client, and is able to help them find their voice and get their lives pointed in a healthier, more joyful direction.

In my opinion, the ultimate test of a pediatric clinician’s excellence is whether or not I’d send my own kids to them. Though they are older now, my kids would have been lucky to have her, and yours will be too.

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 is also an expert in all manner of applications of CBD, including its use to manage chronic illness and anxiety.

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.

Katie comes to Sound Mind Counseling via my alma mater, Northwestern University, which boasts one of the finest master’s in counseling programs in the world. Though she has been trained in psychodynamic therapy, she believes, like I do, that different modalities should be liberally integrated into treatment to customize each client’s experience. To that end, she is skilled in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), both of which lend dimension and flexibility to her work.

In addition to being proficient in the art of counseling young people, Katie is an accomplished musician, which informs her creative approach to clients, especially children. Empathetic and wise for her age, you will find her to be completely dedicated to helping those who come to her transcend themselves.

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.

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.

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!