Yes. There is no threshold you have to meet. People wait years because they're comparing their situation to someone whose situation sounds worse, and all that does is add years. If something is affecting how you sleep, how you relate to people, or how you feel about yourself, that's enough.

That's a normal place to begin, and figuring it out is part of the work rather than a prerequisite for it. In a first session I'll ask questions, you'll answer what you want to answer, and we'll find the thread together. You are not expected to arrive organized.

No. You decide what you share and when. Trauma-informed practice means we build safety before we go anywhere difficult, and that we go at a pace your nervous system can actually tolerate. Pushing too fast isn't brave, it's counterproductive.

It means I understand that what happened to you shaped how you respond now — that hypervigilance, shutting down, people-pleasing, or anger are often adaptations rather than flaws. Practically, it means I explain what we're doing and why, I don't surprise you, and you keep control over the direction and the pace.

I hold a Licensed Social Worker credential in Illinois. LSWs provide clinical services under the supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, which means a qualified clinician reviews my clinical work on an ongoing basis. In practical terms, you get two experienced professionals thinking about your care instead of one. My supervisor is bound by the same confidentiality obligations I am.

I am a licensed Illinois attorney, and no — I cannot serve as both for the same person. The roles carry different obligations and combining them would compromise both. What the legal background does give you is a therapist who understands how divorce, custody, and orders of protection actually work, so you don't have to translate the legal chaos before we can talk about how you're doing inside it.

Yes, with limits I want you to know up front rather than discover later. What you tell me stays between us, and my clinical supervisor, who is bound by the same confidentiality rules. The exceptions are set by law: if there is abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult, if there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, or if a court orders disclosure. I will tell you if one of these comes up rather than acting behind you. We'll go through all of this in the first session.

No, and that's what makes the work possible. Teens don't open up to someone they think is reporting back. I'll share general themes, how things are going, and anything that falls under the legal exceptions above — safety concerns especially. The day-to-day content of sessions stays with your teen. I explain this to both of you at the start so nobody is guessing about the rules.

This practice does not provide emergency or crisis services, and I don't monitor messages after hours or on days I'm not seeing clients.

If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Please don't wait for your next session if you're in danger.

Direct, warm, and practical. I'll ask real questions and I won't pretend to agree with something just to keep the room comfortable. I'm not interested in you performing progress for me. Most people tell me it feels less like being assessed and more like finally being able to say the whole thing out loud.