About me
I have been "in college" for more than 30 years, first as an undergrad then graduate student, then as a psychotherapist and student success specialist at 3 Illinois colleges, most recently Northern Illinois University.
​​The bottom line: I know about college culture, college stressors, and college success.
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My expertise is in helping students navigate through college by working through personal crises as well as critical decisions about college persistence and career goals, particularly with first-generation college students.
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Students who seek out my services may be experiencing a variety of difficulties, often including things like:
- feeling lost or lacking direction in college
- experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression
- adjusting to the loss of an important relationship
- trying to establish a strong sense of identity and self-esteem
- exploring their sexuality
- building skills for "adulting"
- coming to terms with family dysfunction
In addition to psychotherapy with students, I was Director of Counseling at Aurora University and was Director of College Readiness and Completion at the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI) in Chicago, where I managed a mentoring program for (mostly low-income, first-generation) incoming freshmen that involved 150 students at seven campuses throughout Illinois.
As a student, I attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign for my BA, and completed my Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago. I'm licensed as a Clinical Social Worker by the state of Illinois and maintain an independent psychotherapy practice.
CollegeScoop.com is produced by
LifeGuide Counseling
Located in the Northern Illinois University Building
1120 East Diehl Rd., Suite 110L
Naperville, IL 60563