Luz Bernal, LCSW

Child-parent relationship| Perinatal Mental Health | Grief and Loss, Life Transitions| Adoption & Foster care | Trauma and abuse

Hi! My name is Luz Bernal and I am a bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience specializing in perinatal, infant, and early childhood mental health.

I work with parents, caregivers, and families navigating pregnancy, postpartum, early parenting, and major life transitions. Much of my clinical experience has focused on supporting survivors of gender-based violence and trauma, with particular attention to how these experiences impact caregivers, parent-child relationships, and early development.

My approach is trauma-informed, attachment-based, and relational. I believe healing happens within safe, trusting relationships and that identity, culture, and lived experiences shape how we understand ourselves, our relationships, and our parenting journeys. In our work together, I am passionate in strengthening the caregiver-child bond, supporting emotional regulation, and creating space to process stress, grief, and resilience during vulnerable seasons of life.

I support adults navigating perinatal mood and anxiety concerns, trauma, relationship challenges, and the emotional complexities that often arise during pregnancy and early parenthood.

My goal is to create a warm, collaborative therapeutic space where individuals and families feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Hannah Ritze, LSW

Grief/Loss | Eating disorders | Perinatal OCD | Transitioning to Parenthood | Birth Trauma 

Your physical and mental health are equally important. I’m Hannah, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Illinois and Arizona. With my background in nursing and medical social work, I have seen firsthand how crucial it is to prioritize your emotional well-being.

I aim to foster a safe and inclusive setting that encourages clients to freely explore and work through their experiences. I understand that life is difficult, and I want to be able to support you along the way.

In my therapeutic sessions, I utilize techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Together, we use these supportive techniques to help you reach your fullest potential.

Kathleen Richardson, LCPC, Supervisor

Postpartum OCD | Women’s Issues | Couples | Parenting Support | Attachment | Trauma | Loss

Hi! My name is Kathleen and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). I am passionate about walking beside my clients as they navigate their darkness, confusion, and overwhelming feelings, offering gentle guidance and hope. The perinatal phase of a person’s life is full of twists and turns and it is my honor to walk beside you in this very unique, yet universal, life transition.

I graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2011 and have been in the mental health field for over 10 years. Since graduating, I have worked with young adults in a university setting, people suffering with acute mental illness in a hospital setting, and in private practice. These experiences have equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of mental health issues and a variety of therapeutic skills to address concerns.

As an attachment-based therapist, I believe that our work starts with a secure, therapeutic relationship. Through this relationship, we will explore what is getting in the way, what is causing distress and dysfunction, and work together to find solutions.

I welcome all clients and am particularly passionate about working with people with postpartum depression, postpartum OCD, trauma, PTSD, pregnancy loss, and parenting concerns. As a mom of two, I am also interested in working with people struggling with the identity issues that can arise when you become a parent. It is truly a blessing to be in this field, and I can’t wait to go on this journey together.

Maureen Filantres, LCSW

Transitioning to Parenthood | Motherhood and Fatherhood | Anxiety & Depression | Grief/Loss | Raising Young Children

Transitioning to parenthood is one of the most exciting and challenging experiences. It transforms your mind and body in ways unimaginable and it can take time to get used to this “new normal.” I am deeply passionate about working with those trying to conceive, pregnant and postpartum clients, as well as those struggling to navigate parenting because, let’s be honest, it’s not always easy.

Becoming a mom myself has helped me to better understand what my clients may be experiencing and in turn be a better, more empathetic clinician.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with more than 14 years of experience. Before coming to Crescent Moon Therapy, I worked in community, long-term care and hospice settings as well as the public school system. I use a combination of varying therapeutic approaches, including Solutions Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Holistic theory.

I am here to be your biggest advocate and help you build your team of people to support you during this time. You are where you are supposed to be. Stop and look around to see what it is that the universe is trying to teach you.

Ashley Alvarez, LCSW

Child-Parent Relationship | Grief/Loss | Neurodivergent Parenting | ADHD | Life Transitions | Adoption and Foster Care| Infant Cues | Raising Young Children

Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m so glad you’re here.

I work with individuals and families navigating pregnancy and birth through the early years of parenting. This season can bring big transitions, layered emotions, and unexpected challenges. My role is to offer a steady, compassionate space where you can show up just as you are.

Whether you’re experiencing anxiety, identity shifts, grief, trauma, or simply trying to find your footing as a parent, I’m here to walk alongside you. My approach is relational and grounded in the belief that healing happens in safe, attuned connection. I draw from trauma-informed, attachment-based, and body-aware practices to support your whole self – not just the part of you that’s caregiving.

Before joining Crescent Moon, I worked in early childhood mental health and spent years supporting parents and caregivers through both joyful and overwhelming moments. I understand how much is asked of you in this chapter – and how much you deserve care, too.

Desree McNair, LCSW

Postpartum Anxiety and Depression | Parenting Support | Trauma | Loss

My name is Desree and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 7 years of experience supporting parents and children from birth through the teenage years. I earned both my Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Child, Youth, and Family Services.

My professional journey began as a Parent Educator, where I provided emotional support to new parents during the first three years of parenting, offered child development education, and conducted assessments for postpartum depression. I later worked in child welfare through the Nurturing Parent Program, supporting families experiencing trauma and helping them reconnect with their children. This work included guiding parents—birth, foster, and adoptive—in unpacking their own childhood experiences and exploring how those experiences influence their parenting.

In both individual and group settings, I provide parent education and emotional support, always approaching my work with empathy and without judgment. I utilize a range of therapeutic approaches tailored to each client’s unique needs, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Group Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.

My purpose as a therapist is to serve as a compassionate and nonjudgmental link between where a client is now and where they aspire to be. I strive to build a strong therapeutic rapport, positioning myself as a supportive member of each client’s team, as someone who helps them work toward improved well-being and personal growth.

Throughout my career, I’ve remained deeply committed to supporting parents in a way that honors the whole person—not just their role as a caregiver. I work to create a space where clients feel safe enough to be seen, heard, and supported as individuals, allowing them the room to grow in both their parenting and personal lives.

Jeni Gentry, LPC, PMH-C

Perinatal mental health challenges | Life Transitions | LGBTQIA+ Parenting Support | Perimenopause | Grief/Loss | Feeding Challenges | Single Parent By Choice

My name is Jeni and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), receiving my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. I believe in using an inclusive approach which is crucial for fostering a safe, respectful, and trusting therapeutic environment. This approach includes being mindful of gender, sexuality, family structures, cultural backgrounds, and individual identities.

I utilize a strengths-based approach that is informed by Person-Centered and Existential theories. Together we will work to identify and clarify personal values in order to provide direction, meaning, and purpose. Knowing what is important to you can help you be the person, parent, and/or partner you want to be, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

In my roles as a former college volleyball coach and Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, I have dedicated myself to helping people set and achieve their goals. I am interested in, but not limited to, working with individuals with pregnancy/postpartum challenges, life transitions, grief, anxiety, perimenopause, or to process feelings that may arise from not meeting breastfeeding expectations.

Erika Heller, LCSW, Supervisor

Infertility | Fertility Challenges | Transitioning and Managing Parenthood | LGBTQIA+ | Grief/Loss

I’m Erika, a bilingual, Spanish-speaking Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois. As a therapist, I provide empathetic and compassionate support to individuals during the perinatal period.

My main focus lies in working with individuals dealing with infertility, undergoing treatment, and then transitioning to parenthood. Having experienced the challenges of infertility, I joyfully welcomed two children through IVF.

As a therapist, my approach involves a holistic method that assists you with your needs and goals. Through teamwork and embracing your resilience, we can face life’s obstacles and empower you to navigate your own experiences.

Katie Craft, LCSW

Perinatal Anxiety & Depression | EMDR | Life Transitions | Perinatal Loss | Perinatal OCD | Trauma and Abuse | Medically Complex Pregnancies | LGBTQIA+ | Disability Rights

My name is Katie and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and received my Master’s from the University of Chicago. My background is in crisis management, women-focused perinatal support in the shelter setting, and research in maternal and infant mental health. I also have experience working with LGBTQ+ individuals. I bring this comprehensive view of medicine and mental health into my therapy practice.

As a therapist, an individual who identifies as disabled, and as someone who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I believe healing comes from within. I work with individuals on their self-identified needs and goals utilizing an inclusive approach. In my work, I create an environment in which each client feels seen and validated as we work together to support them through their individual challenges and crises.

Life can be incredibly challenging and I hope to have the opportunity to support each client as they experience the joy, loss, and fear that comes with this period in their life.

Tools I utilize in the therapeutic space include mindfulness, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and solutions-focused therapy.

Jaclyn Contreras, LSW

Transitioning to Parenthood | New Motherhood | Birth Trauma | Stress Management | Perinatal Mental Health | NICU Experiences

Healing is not a linear journey, it ebbs and flows with the inevitable changes life brings. I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in your personal growth and mental health wellness.

My name is Jaclyn and I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and mindfulness advocate. I have a background in macro-level community social work and the treatment of PTSD, trauma, and community violence. I am passionate about assisting my clients with an open mind and immense recognition of how cultural and social implications impact our life experiences.

I strongly believe in the positive power of community and social support systems in our emotional health. As a therapist, I utilize a collaborative and holistic approach to assist my clients in their unique journey. I work to cultivate a space in which all individuals feel safe to show up as their truest selves in order to work together toward their self-identified needs and goals. Together we will create a treatment plan that will give you sustainable tools to make you feel empowered to live your most authentic life.

As a mother of a NICU baby, I know the heartache and unexpected change that can come with pregnancy and birth. This is a vital moment in your life and I am here to help you navigate it with your needs at the core of our work.

Some techniques that I utilize include Mindfulness, EFT-Tapping, Strengths-Based Therapy, Somatic work, and Motivational Interviewing. In my work, I am inclusive of all gender and sexual identities, family structures, races, faiths, and beliefs.

Allison (Ally) Mahlo, LPC

Transition to Motherhood/New Parent | Managing Anxiety | Grief/Loss | Miscarriage | Infertility | Blended Families | Fatherhood | Foster Care/Adoption | Divorce | LGBTQIA+ | Life Transitions

My name is Allison, but prefer to go by Ally. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, receiving my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western Illinois University. I pride myself on being a warm, nurturing, empathetic, and compassionate therapist, and I’m so glad to be supporting women and their families here at Crescent Moon. I look forward to holding space for my clients to work together toward peace, emotional wellness, and healing.

Prior to working at Crescent Moon, I worked in the fitness and nutrition space at an OBGYN clinic, providing support to women of all ages, including those either pre-pregnancy, postpartum or after child-bearing years. In my most recent position before coming to Crescent Moon, I specialized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the digital mental health space. I have over 15 years experience of working in the wellness and mental health fields, and have special interests in working with women in the child-bearing years, women over 40, co-parenting with an ex-spouse/partner, and families struggling with the transition of becoming new parents.

On a personal note, I myself am a mom of two: as both a parent to an adopted foster child and as a mom of a biological child conceived after infertility and miscarriage. With this experience, I understand the challenges in both of these roles and hope to provide support to women and families who have experienced the same.

I’m so grateful to provide support as a therapist here at Crescent Moon, where I am inclusive of all gender and sexual identities, family structures, races, faiths, and beliefs.

Brooke Grossblatt, LCSW

Postpartum Anxiety & Depression | Grief/Loss | Adoption | Transitioning to Parenthood

Staying positive doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time. It means even on the harder days, you know there are better days coming.

Thank you for taking this time to learn a little bit more about me. My name is Brooke, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois. I received my Master’s from University of Illinois at Chicago in 2014. Over the past ten years, I have had the pleasure of working with young adolescents in high school and college, youth in care, middle aged adults, as well as pregnant and postpartum mothers.

My current line of work, outside of Crescent Moon is working closely with the perinatal population as a Perinatal Family Support Specialist. I provide a wide array of services to women & their families who encounter challenges related to pregnancy, birth, and loss. While I have found a very strong and dedicated passion for this particular field, I have a special interest in working with mothers who are considering a potential adoption plan.

On a personal note, I know choosing to move forward with an adoption plan is NEVER easy. An adoption journey is a lifelong journey with its share of joy and challenges along the way.

As an individual clinician, I focus my line of work on utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness. I am committed to being the best clinician and support liaison I can be for you. All you need is a lending hand, and I look forward to being that lending hand with you on your journey ahead.

Tara Lattanzi, LCSW

Tara joined us on The BirthGuide Podcast to talk about Navigating a NICU Stay. Listen Here.

Perinatal Mental Health | Grief/Loss | Co-parent/Couple Support | Child-Parent Relationship | Fussy Babies | Infant & Child Development  Parenting Neurodivergent Children | Raising Young Children 

My name is Tara and I am a Licensed Clinician Social Worker (LCSW). I feel honored to come alongside individuals and families during the perinatal period, a time that can contain so much rawness, beauty, and everything in between.

In our therapy sessions, I hold space for you to share your challenges as we collaborate together to move toward healing and growth. My focus is empowering people to relate to their own sources of strength, through an integrated approach that can include building connections, spiritual beliefs, and reframing past trauma.

I started my career as a teacher and child welfare worker, then provided behavioral support to children. I later pursued my social work degree and infant mental health certification at Erikson Institute. I have worked with families and individuals in the OB/NICU hospital setting, Fussy Baby Network, and a pediatric clinic. I have been trained in the following: Child Parent Psychotherapy, Fussy Baby Network Facilitating Attuned Interactions,Trust-Based Relational Intervention, DIRFloortime, and Circle of Security interventions.

I have extensive clinical experience with infant-parent dyads, diverse family structures, and individuals. My therapeutic approach is flexible based on your comfort level and goals, and I believe in including all aspects of your identity in our time together.

Jenny White, LCSW, PMH-C, Clinical Manager

Birth Trauma | Adoption and Foster Care | Couples | Parenting Support | Attachment | Family of Origin

Showing up to therapy – wholeheartedly – takes serious courage. I meet my clients’ courage with warmth, energy, and openness.

Hi! I’m Jenny: a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, mom, partner, and Michigander-at-heart.

I have clinical experience and advanced training that equips me to support women and couples in the perinatal period, and members of the adoption constellation in any stage of their journey. I’m trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) which is a therapy that can help clients process upsetting memories, thoughts, and feelings related to a trauma. I am also a Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner; TBRIⓇ is an attachment-based intervention designed to help caregivers build trust and meet the deep needs of children who have experienced relational trauma.

I have found that these “specialities” also translate well to working with clients who don’t identify with these groups, but may be facing stressful life transitions, grief and loss, identity exploration, parent-child attachment difficulties, or general relationship challenges. No matter what is prompting you to engage in therapy, my commitment is to honor all the emotions you bring, and create a comfortable environment where vulnerability, humor, empathy, and playfulness can co-exist.

Melissa Shikany, LCSW, PMH-C

Perinatal Mental Health | Grief/Loss | Transitioning to Parenthood | Stress Management

Taking the first step towards supporting your mental health is so brave. My name is Melissa and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois and a certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician (PMH-C). I have a background in school social work and the treatment of trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and much more in the inpatient and outpatient settings.

In addition to my work at Crescent Moon, I also work at Northwestern Medicine in a nationally-renowned program that specializes in maternal mental health. I provide mental health services and coordinate care with OBGYNs and other mental health providers for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

It can feel scary to address your fears, but it also takes strength to reach out and ask for help- be proud of yourself!

In our sessions, we will work collaboratively to create a treatment plan that works for you to accomplish the goals we set together. I approach each individual client from a holistic perspective. Through our work together, you will learn skills that can be utilized for you to feel like the best version of yourself and to live with confidence.

Some techniques I utilize include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Behavioral Activation (BA), and Mindfulness. My practice is oriented towards you achieving your goals as quickly as possible by utilizing the latest evidence-based protocols and techniques.

Stephanie DeFilippis, LCSW, PMH-C

Stephanie joined us on The BirthGuide Podcast to talk about “Navigating Trauma in Childbirth. Listen here. 

Postpartum Anxiety & Depression | Grief/Loss | Postpartum OCD | Transitioning to Parenthood | Trauma and Abuse