“Be with those who help your being.” -Rumi

I have been a credentialed employee of Northshore Clinic, for

eight years, and a retiree from Aurora Psychiatric Hospital for

over twenty years. Its been a privilege to have worked with adult

chemically dependent patients and their families in Residential,

Partial and Intensive Outpatient therapy levels of care. I have

learned the compassionate side to listening and then educating

individuals, couples, and their families, and helping them to build

supportive systems together. Group therapies have encouraged

interactions in a socially acceptable way to out growing their

problems. I feel grateful to have had others’ teach me about their

lives. I am academically educated in trauma, anxiety, depression,

and alcohol and other drugs of abuse. Additionally before my

formal degrees, I have had my own personal struggles with life

experiences. As I have learned through adversity, I have gained

new insights to helping others. This allows me to have a more

empathetic perspective while supporting others in achieving their

goals. In my understanding of human growth and development, I

believe that people are amazingly adaptive. It is common for

people to react to stress when facing certain personal endeavors,

identity crises, and/or strained relationship struggles. Some

experience problems with attachment or co-dependency issues,

and can feel overwhelmingly insecure and/or have life-long mood

swings which disrupts their lives. Some eclectic approaches or

modalities to helping a process for change might be, cognitive

behavioral, solution-focused, positive psychology, family system

and/or client centered theories as a guide. “Do or do not, there is

no try.” -Yoda. We each learn by “doing.” This is your life’s

journey, you don’t have to go it alone. Buddha once stated.” Pain

is inevitable, suffering is optional.” Just believe… you are worth

another chance!