Developmental therapists in Illinois

Welcome to Polaris Counseling! We are a group practice consisting of fully licensed counselors and social workers. Our mission is to provide high quality counseling services to individuals, couples and families in a professional, non-judgmental, and friendly environment at an affordable cost to you!  

While a person can feel better after a good talk with a friend or relative, for moderate or severe emotional distress, this relief is only temporary. Talking with a trained listener helps alleviate emotional distress for good. The clinicians in our practice are trained and ready to help you.  

Hello! Taking the first step to starting psychotherapy can be the hardest part. I am here to support you with your next steps! We are often struggling with multiple issues such as anxiety and trauma-related conditions. Examples of anxiety symptoms: Panic attacks, PTSD, Intrusive thoughts, Ruminations, Nightmares, Phobias, ADHD, Parenting, Life Transitions, Anger, Low Self-esteem, and Generalized Anxiety. Whether you are experiencing some of these issues, or just looking for personal growth, we will partner together to work through these challenges. With a blend of empathy, expertise, and evidence-based approaches, you will be empowered to navigate life's challenges, uncover deep-rooted patterns, and cultivate resilience.  

We started our practice supporting Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse to recover from the effects of their abuse and complex grief, and continue to center that care. Our practice includes support for trauma, complex trauma, dissociation, associated and co-occurring health and chronic health needs, anxiety, depression, addiction, personality disorders. We also offer integrative mental health care for mold toxin and some other environmental toxin exposure, and some TBI and PCS symptoms, as well as support for folks with chronic health related mental health needs that intersect with the above traumas. We offer intersectional care that is decolonizing, supports those impacted by systemic abuse, and supports affirming neurodiversity. We integrate TIST-- Trauma Informed Stabilization Therapy, DBR -- Deep Brain Reorienting to recover from Shock, IFS-- Internal Family Systems Work, PVT-- Polyvagal Theory, AT -- Attachment Theory, Nonviolent Communication, Inner Child Work, IPNB -- Interpersonal Neurobiology, Bonnie Badenoch's IPNB and dyad work, Memory Reconsolidation, Coherence/Existential Level of Care, BrainSpotting, DARE Attachment Model, CranioSacral (for mind, gut, and acute trauma recovery), Mediation/Relational/Partners/Couples Support, Functional Mental Health Care via Psychiatry Redefined Training and BioIndividual Nutrition, Integrative and CAM Health Care (herbalism, homeopathy, remote Traditional Chinese Medicine and other CAM Care), Student-Directed Learning Pedagogies (from Education), compassionate Parenting and inner Re-parenting, ... and a strong Intersectional and Social Justice Framework to support clients to recover from the debilitating effects of traumas and myriad effects of traumas, facilitate clients being centered in their own sense of self, develop healthier boundaries, cultivate self awareness (mindfulness), understand and parse power structures for healthy discernment ... and move towards more fulfilling self actualization that is compassionate, inclusive and also eco-relationally congruent. We are a POC/GM Practice with a decolonizing orientation and Intersectional framework. Red lines are red lines -- we don't support abuses of power systemically and culturally. We are supportive of indigenous peoples and other systemically marginalized peoples, and their rights to safety, parity, sovereignty and dignity. If you are interested in support, we'd love to work with you! Our focus has been on supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma and torture, folks recovering from narcissistic trauma, folks recovering from oppressive hegemonic systemic trauma and/or folks recovering from these traumas along with recovering from toxic mold exposure. We do work with individuals with other needs who are active and engaged bystanders and activists advocating alongside the most systemically oppressed for systemic change for the greater good of the whole global community, prioritizing care for the most marginalized. We also support those who are actively stopping and recovering from committing moral injury and boundary transgressions and willingly doing the work to repair and become bystanders with their privilege rather than violent enactors. This is a no mass media and state propaganda zone. If you are interested in support, please ask! We'd love to work with you. Keywords: Sexual Abuse Survivors Care, DV Care, Trafficking Trauma Care, Colonial Oppression Care, Torture Care, Complex Trauma Care, Dissociation Care, DID, DDNOS, CPTSD, BPD, Narcissistic Abuse and Bullying Trauma Care, Workplace Trauma Care, Mold Recovery Care, Chronic Health Related Care, Integrative, Functional, CAM Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Homeopathy, Flower Essences, Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Intersectional, Intersectional Feminism, Progressive Internationalism, Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppression, Inclusive, Mediation, Repair, Attachment, Transformative Justice, Human and Civil Rights Affirming, Honoring International Law; DBR, IFS, TIST, SPI, PVT, SSP, IPNB, RLT, CI, BSP, Inner Child Work, Psychiatry Redefined Fellow, CranioSacral, Zero Balancing, Somatics Lab, Ethno-Traditional, Eco-relational  

I see the therapeutic process as myself guiding my clients through difficult situations to move forward in life, and feel more energized. My clients say that I supportively nudge them along and that our therapeutic rapport is what helps them better find themselves.