Lauren Brymer graduated in 2004 with a Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the Adler University (formerly Adler School of Professional Psychology) in Chicago, also receiving a certification in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling. Lauren maintains a Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) license and a certification as a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC). In 2018 and 2020, Lauren obtained her certifications in Internal Family Systems Model in Chicago from the Internal Family Systems Institute.
In her time at Adler, Lauren learned a holistic approach to humankind with a strong emphasis on social interest. She later adopted this theory as a practice model because of its strength based approach to humankind. Lauren's beliefs in people's strong emphasis toward social purpose, positive functioning occurring from encouragement rather than discouragement, and drive to "belong in the world" laid the foundation for her private practice.
From 2002 to 2005, Lauren worked with individuals suffering from chronic and sever mental illness at Lincoln Park Psychiatric Unit. While adhering to Adlerian Theory, exploration into where the individuals came from and treating the individuals inferiorities helped drive them toward successful treatment. In 2004, Lauren shifted her focus toward assisting underprivileged children and families with the Illinois Youth Advocate Program in Harvey, IL. She had the opportunity to provide counseling services to children and adults involved in the child welfare system due to poverty, mental health diagnosis, legal, and/or substance abuse issues. Lauren found herself working toward reuniting families after successful treatment outcomes, and advocating for children lost within the welfare system. During this time, Lauren also worked at the Will County Health Department counseling both adolescents and adults suffering from substance abuse issues.
In 2008, Lauren founded 21 Reflections, Professional Corporation in Naperville, IL. Her mission remains to provide psychotherapy treatments encouraging individuals and families to explore the influences in their lives most affecting their overall functioning. Clients attending therapy understand that the therapeutic relationship is critical toward achieving client driven goals. Clients are encouraged to evaluate and understand the influence in their lives stemming from parenting, birth order, lifestyle, career, relationships, and life experiences using various therapeutic techniques.
Lauren's therapeutic approach continues to center around a holistic model utilizing Internal Family Systems (IFS), Adlerian Psychodynamic Theory, Mindfulness-Based Interventions, and Family Systems. Gaining an understanding of oneself from a holistic perspective can provide insight into the connection between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors - leading to a happier and healthier style of life.
Lauren resides in Naperville with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Lauren's practice has been molded by her professional experiences and training. However, personal struggles, life experiences, and accomplishments have provided a continuous foundation for Lauren to relate to clients on a personal level. Lauren has counseled clients with grief and trauma experiences from the beginning of her career. In 2014, Lauren experienced a personal tragedy by losing her father to a long battle of cancer. Her father was an integral part of Lauren's life and the starting of her therapy practice. Even in the passing of her father, he has continued to influence her practice by creating a new found strength and empathy inside Lauren for client's.
Personal battles can rip us apart and create unimaginable pain, however; we need to decide how we want to rebuild around those experiences.
For Lauren, her father will always be the butterfly on her shoulder.
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
(LCPC) - 180.006727
Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor
(CADC) - 25633
Licenses
2005 - Trauma Therapy
2006 - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
2018 - First Aid -Mental Health
2019 - Internal Family Systems Therapy (Level 1)
2020 - Internal Family Systems Therapy (Level 2)
2021 - Integrated Trauma Therapist
2022 - IFS Treatment for Healing and Restoring Health
Sarah Martin graduated from Lewis University with her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus in Child and Adolescent Counseling in August 2020. During her time at Lewis she developed an eclectic counseling style focusing on cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and person-centered counseling. Sarah received her LPC in 2021 and attends workshops and classes to continue to expand her mental health knowledge.
Sarah has attended the suicide prevention conference in August 2020 to learn more about how mental health providers can help to recognize suicidal ideation in others and how to provide a holistic treatment approach for those who suffer with suicidal ideation.
In 2019-2020 Sarah worked as a counseling intern at Laureate Day School working with children and adolescents with Autism and co-occurring mental health diagnoses. She worked from a psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral lense to provide individual therapy, group therapy, and peer social development groups. Sarah worked with the student, the family, and the teachers to come up with home and school behavioral plans to best accommodate the individual. Sarah transitioned to virtual treatment during the pandemic of 2020 and helped with the transition at the school to virtual care thorough planning groups and providing one on one care to the child and their family. In working with this population, Sarah learned how to identify the function of one's behavior and use this knowledge to better inform the treatment provided.
In 2020, Sarah started working at Rogers Behavioral Health where she currently works in intensive outpatient care for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, depression, and PTSD. While working at Rogers, Sarah was trained in exposure and response prevention therapy which she uses in treating anxiety and OCD. At Rogers, she works with the family system and the individual, leads groups, and coordinates treatment plans with the treatment team.
Sarah's counseling style is kind and compassionate. She believes that everyone has the ability to be the best version of themselves and helps the individual to identify goals which lead the treatment process. She has worked as a dance teacher, theater teacher, and children's church coordinator. Through all these jobs what Sarah learned is that she loves to build relationships with people. Sarah helps to identify and use one's strengths to help conquer their weaknesses.
License
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
(LCPC) - 180.015715
Trainings
2020 - Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
Mary Trovato is a Licensed Professional Counselor who graduated with her Bachelor’s in Psychology from University of St. Francis in 2017 and Master’s in Clinical Mental Health from Adler University in 2020. Mary obtained her LPC and NCC in 2021 and continues to expand her expertise and training interests. Mary uses an eclectic approach to treating all of her clients.
From 2019-2020, Mary began her counseling experience with United Stand Family Counseling Center as a counseling intern. During her experience she provided personal and group counseling to students, assisted students with special needs in compliance with IEP and 504 guidelines, and worked alongside school's diagnosticians for further assessment in developing treatment plans.
Beginning in 2021, Mary began her journey at Sertoma Centre, Inc. This experience was a stepping stone in her career where she assisted in client case management needs, provided individual and group therapy services to a wide range of populations/age groups/mental health diagnoses, and ongoing training in diversity/social services/other miscellaneous arenas to further develop professionalism in career.
Mary is a driven and passionate therapist exercising various therapeutic strategies and techniques to service those within the surrounding communities. Her focus is to empower and connect with youth, adolescents, and adult clients to build confidence in others to recognize their strengths as well as learn strategies to help navigate life’s roadblocks. Mary’s style is to create a safe, genuine, and positive environment for her clients through a Person-Centered Approach. Mary’s experience includes a variety of mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, Bi-Polar I and II, Schizophrenia, and more. She is committed to continuing to learn and train to build her knowledge and expertise within the field.
License
Licensed Professional Counselor
(LPC)- 178017471
Tracy Khan is a licensed Professional Counselor who graduated with her Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Roosevelt University in 2021. Tracy has a strong interest in working with adults and families struggling with anxiety,depression, family dynamics, and life transitions.
After obtaining her bachelors degree in child development from the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana in 2003, Tracy began her career working with children with autism in a classroom setting. She was trained in TEACCH, floortime, and sensory integration principles. She developed compassion for the difficulties that children can face when they have limited ways to express themselves and when the world seems like a frightening and confusing place. She continued her work as a service coordinator and developmental therapist for the Early Intervention program, supporting families with children with special needs.
She learned to listen carefully to help identify family priorities and support families with strategies to help their children gain confidence with communication, social skills and their overall growth and development. After having two children of her own, Tracy developed a newfound appreciation for the difficult job parents face in balancing it all and coping when kids are struggling. It can feel crushing when our kids are having a difficult time and we are at a loss as to how to help.
Tracy has always had a fascination with what helps people thrive and overcome obstacles. Through her own personal challenges, she learned the power of having a kind and nurturing presence to help one cope and overcome difficulties. She also found this to be true in her work with parents and children.
In 2019 Tracy decided to grow in this knowledge and expand her skills by obtaining her MA in clinical mental health counseling from Roosevelt University. She graduated in 2021 and obtained her license as an LPC. During her time at Roosevelt, she developed an eclectic approach utilizing client centered principles, CBT, mindfulness and ACT. In her clinical internship at Breaking Free substance use program, Tracy provided individual and group counseling to clients in the outpatient and intensive outpatient programs. She assisted clients impacted by trauma, PTSD, domestic violence, anxiety and depression. Tracy collaborated with clients on relapse prevention strategies, grounding techniques, managing urges and difficult emotions and how to handle feeling “bullied” by negative thoughts.
Tracy has appreciated integrating her background in child development and her training in mental health counseling to provide a safe place for clients to explore their stories and identify what’s most important to them. She knows it can be hard to reach out for help. With a foundation of empathy and compassion, Tracy aims to help clients feel safe and empowered to overcome the things that keep them stuck, so they can heal, grow and thrive.
License
Licensed Professional Counselor
(LPC) - 178017313
"Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and sits softly on your shoulder."
-Henry David Thoreau
Trainings