Kyla R. Dannelke (She/Her)

Meet Kyla: Originally from Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Kyla earned her undergraduate degree in Counseling Psychology from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA. While completing her degree, she worked in an adult group home supporting individuals navigating trauma, homelessness, and substance use recovery. These early experiences shaped her understanding of the importance of meeting people where they are, building meaningful connections, and supporting individuals through life’s most challenging transitions. In 2014, Kyla earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology, with a focus in Community Mental Health, from Adler University in Chicago. Since then, she has gained nearly a decade of experience across inpatient and outpatient mental health settings throughout the Chicagoland area. Her clinical background includes supporting adults navigating mental health concerns, substance use and recovery, co-occurring diagnoses, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. Kyla is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) who has pursued additional training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), EMDR, and substance use treatment. She has a particular interest in working with individuals navigating long-term recovery who want to continue growing, strengthening relationships, and building lives that feel meaningful and authentic. She is also committed to expanding her clinical knowledge and working toward certification as a Registered Dual Diagnosis Professional (RDDP). Why Open Book Therapy? The idea for Open Book Therapy began in May 2020, during a time when the world felt especially unpredictable and the next chapter seemed impossible to plan. By July 2020, the practice had officially opened its doors and launched its online patient portal. The name Open Book Therapy was inspired by those old "Choose Your Own Adventure" novels. Remember those? The stories where you could explore different possibilities, make your own choices, and discover that there wasn't always one right path forward? That idea felt like the perfect foundation for the kind of practice Kyla wanted to build. She wanted to create a space where clients could explore their own possibilities, feel safe sharing their stories, and discover what moving forward might look like on their terms. After years of working in inpatient and outpatient mental health settings, Kyla wanted to bring together evidence-based care, genuine connection, and a more approachable, individualized experience of therapy. At Open Book Therapy, Kyla believes everyone has a story worth understanding, but nobody should feel pressured to share every chapter before they're ready. Her mission is to create an inclusive, welcoming space where people can show up as their whole selves—without judgment, pressure to fit the mold, or fear of being misunderstood. A Little About My Approach: Kyla believes therapy should be as unique as the person sitting across from her. Her approach combines evidence-based practices with warmth, collaboration, creativity, and humor. She recognizes that identity, culture, values, relationships, and lived experiences all influence how we understand ourselves and navigate the world. Her clients are people navigating change, questioning old patterns, exploring relationships, working through substance use, or simply trying to make sense of life. Some may not identify with the traditional definition of “normal,” and others may be figuring out who they are or what they want their next chapter to look like. Wherever you find yourself, you deserve support that honors your individual story, values, and goals. Kyla doesn't believe in cookie-cutter solutions or a one-size-fits-all approach to change. There is room for complicated feelings, hard conversations, unexpected discoveries, and creative breakthroughs. Therapy can be grounded in science and still feel human. It can make space for difficult emotions while leaving room for humor, too. Most importantly, you don't have to fit a mold, have all the answers, or know exactly where your story is headed before getting started. At Open Book Therapy, the goal isn't to write your story for you. It's to help you explore the possibilities, reconnect with what matters to you, and discover your own path forward. You bring your story. We'll figure out the next chapter together.