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A therapy collective that helps people heal from developmental, pre and perinatal trauma, and postpartum struggles by incorporating traditional psychotherapy and body-centered techniques. Our approach: healing through body + mind. ** Also offering virtual therapy sessions for residents of Indiana.**
Embody + Mind Collective works with individuals who have had difficult early-life experiences and developmental trauma. We also specialize in working with postpartum mental health, infertility, and traumatic births. Many people come to us with anxiety, depression, stress, and relational difficulties.
At Embody + Mind Collective, we offer many services including art therapy. These services are provided by a registered art therapist here on staff. Art therapy is an intuitive therapy that has been used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, chronic illness, grief, and much much more.
In line with our mission of being a body centered practice, art therapy taps into the wisdom of both the body and the mind. This approach can be layered with other therapies and is often tailored to each of our client’s unique needs in treatment.
What sets art therapy apart is that it provides our clients with the opportunity to gently explore themselves beyond words alone. Sometimes in order to paint the full picture of the human experience, what our clients need is to incorporate a bit of color, shape, and movement into the mosaic of their lives. Creative art therapy has helped many clients find clarity, hope, and peace on their healing journeys.
No matter what you have on your plate, our art therapist can work with you. Embody and Mind Collective believes in providing top notch quality care. This is why our therapist is qualified and consistently receives ongoing training in the field of art therapy.
At Embody + Mind Collective, we offer many different services to guide people through their therapeutic journey. Being body-inclusive, clinicians at Embody + Mind Collective offer somatic psychotherapy. We receive continual training on the most up-to-date research regarding the connection between the mind and body.
Body Psychotherapy has been around for much longer than we likely realize. However, about 30 years ago it was still being considered somewhat “radical” and as such, we at Embody + Mind Psychotherapy understand that these two words (body & psychotherapy) might seem strange when partnered together. And yet, it is through this incredible relationship, between mind and body, that true and lasting healing can happen.
We cannot feel our feelings without sensing something happening in our bodies. We don’t simply think “Oh, I’m excited” and POOF excitement. There is something we are sensing or feeling within our bodies that we then call an emotion. Sure, thoughts are often a big part of our emotional experiences, however to only focus on those during psychotherapy misses the whole picture. And, maybe even more importantly, we are missing a huge potential resource when we are not including our body into our awareness.
What does it mean to “include the body” in psychotherapy? Rather simply put, it means that your clinician at Embody + Mind Collective will take some time to focus on what your body is doing, communicating, and sensing, while you are talking. It might not necessarily even look much differently than other forms of talk therapy; however, the inquiry and curiosity is slightly shifted at moments. Questions like “what are you sensing as you say___?” and “What do you notice in your body as you recall that?” are common within some somatic psychotherapies.
Just like other parts of our worlds, our bodies work to communicate and give us information about our particular experience at any given moment. We just have to learn to slow down and listen. When we can begin to uncouple, or disconnect, the fear from our body we are capable of developing a new relationship with ourselves.
Keeping the above in mind, somatic psychotherapy is a therapy of inquiry, curiosity, and compassion. Practicing somatic psychotherapy requires awareness of and inquisition into the body. It normalizes our own experiences through a non-judgmental standpoint. Somatic psychotherapy invites us to tune into our internal worlds by tracking the gentle (or sometimes not so gentle!) shifts that happen in our physiology. By tracking our senses and learning their relationship with other experiences, what supports them, what challenges them, and what turns them on or off, we can change our relationship with our bodies.
The ultimate goal of Somatic Psychotherapy is to help your nervous system get back into the sense of regulation that it longs for. Since our bodies are longing for both survival and connection, Somatic Psychotherapy helps our dysregulated nervous systems come back into the present moment so that connection becomes possible again. It is from this place that healing and meaningful relationships are possible.
Our clinicians help individuals with pregnancy issues such as Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, OCD, Psychosis, and other issues related to pregnancy.
So often, society feeds us a story that pregnancy and postpartum are the happiest times of our lives. But the truth is that nobody’s experience is perfect. Pregnancy and child rearing is life changing and causes a disruption in your lifestyle, family structure, mental health, and physiology. In fact, an estimated 15-20% of individuals experience mental health concerns during this time.
Our clinicians are here to help you with your pregnancy related concerns.
We understand that the road to building your family is not always picture perfect. Whatever your path entails, we are committed to supporting you and your family. Please reach out to us to get scheduled with one of our counselors today.
We support those who are experiencing
Preparing for one of life’s greatest adventures can feel like a daunting task. But with the right support, you and your family can thrive throughout your journey.
Therapy can help you and your family prepare for your little one in many ways. Our clinicians are passionate and equipped to support you through your upcoming major life transitions. Because we believe that everyone deserves support- it truly takes a village and you do not have to do this alone.
Our therapists are trained to create a safe space for you to find catharsis as you navigate the future. They can also help you build resilience through coping, connect you to community resources, and help you explore the possibilities as parents.
It can be intimidating when confronted with the endless choices. Our clinicians engage with ongoing training in this area in order to best serve you. Whether you are adjusting to your new roles and responsibilities, exploring the dimensionality of your parenthood experiences, or looking for support in the day-to-day, our clinicians are here to help.
Perinatal and reproductive mental health impacts the entire family system. However, reproductive mental health is commonly deferred as a “women’s issue.” Perpetuating this belief has the power to alienate and silence the struggles of other individuals in the family system who are impacted. Partners, children, and grandparents are just a few examples.
In couples, non birthing partners can often find themselves in a caregiving role for their birthing partners. While important, this caretaking can take a toll on anyone’s mental health. Our clinicians understand the complexity of this role. We strive to provide the support and relief that caretakers and supportive partners deserve.
Perinatal and reproductive mental health can also have an impact on other loved ones. Children may find all of the changes in their family system confusing or destabilizing. Counseling can help all parts of the family navigate the challenges posed by these exciting life changes.
If you, your partner, or other loved ones are struggling with issues related to reproductive mental health, our team is here to help. You do not have to carry it alone- you deserve support too.
We provide reproductive mental healthcare services for
Perinatal and reproductive mental health impacts the entire family system. However, reproductive mental health is commonly deferred as a “women’s issue.” Perpetuating this belief has the power to alienate and silence the struggles of other individuals in the family system who are impacted. Partners, children, and grandparents are just a few examples.
Much of the talk and research around reproductive and perinatal mental health fails to include LGBTQ+ concerns. And for the most part, the body of treatment right now is centered around longstanding heteronormative and cisgendered ideals that have been in place for many years.
This lack of representation further perpetuates the stigma and marginalization of LGBTQ+ people who wish to become parents.
Along with other factors like lack of representation, research tells us that LGBTQ+ individuals experience a great deal of minority stress. This stress has been shown in the research to impact the mental health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ parents (Amodeo AL, Esposito C, Bochicchio V, Valerio P, Vitelli R, Bacchini D, Scandurra C. Parenting Desire and Minority Stress in Lesbians and Gay Men: A Mediation Framework. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Oct 22;15(10):2318. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15102318. PMID: 30360398; PMCID: PMC6211138.). Which is why we provide support for LGBTQ+ individuals hoping to grow their families. Our clinicians are equipped to aid clients with issues related to dealing with LGBTQ+ specific conception concerns, navigating heteronormative reproductive healthcare, coping with stigma and minority stress, and much more.
Whether you are looking for resources, guidance, or support, our clinicians are here to help. Our clinicians are committed to providing inclusive reproductive mental health care for you and your family.
We support those who are experiencing
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Founder/clinical director
Specialties:
I specialize in a variety of areas regarding developmental and generational trauma and have particular interest in working with the perinatal population. I utilize a body-centered approach to help you learn how to identify, track, and manage your own body cues and encourage curiosity in this process. Of the areas I specialize in including generational and developmental trauma, I also am certified in perinatal mental health. I am particularly interested in the intersection of healing from our own developmental wounds and those that were passed down to us in order to become more attuned and regulated caregivers.
My therapeutic style centers around somatic experiencing, attachment, collaboration and creating a healthy balance between validation and gentle challenging. Being able to feel more present and in the here and now requires body-awareness, self-compassion and grace. As a poly-vagal informed therapist, I like to empower my clients by providing information regarding their own nervous systems. And while being in the present, in our own bodies, may seem pretty damn scary, I am here to guide you through this process, so that you can experience the world from a more regulated state. I believe that over time, as we get our minds and bodies communicating with one another, we can find inner calmness and curiosity towards our outside worlds.
As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Perinatal Mental Health-Certified, and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, I am uniquely qualified to work with issues related to trauma and mental health during pregnancy and postpartum. I earned my MA in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University and my BA in Psychology from Indiana University. I have completed specialized training in Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Touch, Polyvagal Theory, and Perinatal Mental Health.
In addition to my clinical work, I am a coordinator and assistant for the Somatic Experiencing Institute. I provide individual case consult, as well as personal sessions to students looking to achieve their Somatic Experiencing Practitioner certificate. Additionally, I provide supervision and consultation to new therapists working towards licensure, as well as more seasoned therapists who are looking to include body-centered therapy in their clinical practices.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Staff therapist
Specialties:
I specialize in treating individuals who’ve endured trauma and perinatal mental health struggles. Oftentimes, the two overlap which is where my passion work lives. Specifically, my passion is working with those who have endured pregnancy/infant loss, infertility, and trauma related to the perinatal period.
I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling: Art Therapy at Adler University Chicago and am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Illinois and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHC-A) in Indiana. I have specialized experience in treating trauma and perinatal mental health, specifically pregnancy/ infant loss and infertility. In addition, I am trained in Somatic Experiencing and am a provisionally registered art therapist with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB). Along with my clinical work, I have been cited in Forbes Health on Art Therapy and provide workshops for the public.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Staff Therapist
Specialties:
I am a body-centered therapist that uses my training and my life experiences in therapy. I find play therapy important with children and incorporate the arts as well. The most important piece to me in the therapeutic relationship is connection. You must feel comfortable and safe with me as the therapist, as I also need to connect with you as my client. It is from this space that we are able to work together towards the goals that we have set.
I came to my therapeutic career mid-life. With my Masters in Counseling, I continued my training with Somatic Experiencing and am now a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. I am currently in the last module of training for TEB (Transforming the Experienced Based Brain), which focuses on working with early developmental trauma and utilizes therapeutic touch to teach (or reteach) the body reflexes that perhaps were never learned or forgotten, as an infant, in utero or even as an adult. This approach enriches and incorporates the body’s wisdom into the healing process, fostering profound transformations.
I have always been drawn to working with children. With the TEB training, I have realized and found inspiration to work with infants and children up to the age of 7 years old. I find a lot of joy in working with the beginning of life and rejoice in the significant regulation that can be “onboard” in these early years. And, of course, in order to effectively work with children, I also need to work with their parents and being able to guide both is what I love to do.
Additionally, my therapeutic interest lies in working with the adoption triangle, which consists of birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adoptive child. I have a strong pull towards destigmatizing biological moms who are looking to place their baby up for adoption and in need of emotional support. If this is you, while you are pregnant we can guide you through the emotions you might be feeling and work with you to be able to bond with the fetus, which could both eliminate much of the early developmental trauma that can occur in utero and make the transition to the adoptive parents easier. I also enjoy working with adoptive children who need support with the emotions they might be feeling throughout their upbringing.I do this work so stigmas and stories are set free to live wholly in the family unit and beyond.
It takes a village and I am a member of that village. When we help parents heal we in turn help the next generation to prosper.
My passion is to serve the perinatal population, women, independent, and partnered parents. The miracles of life are challenging whether you have a desire to become a parent, independently or partnered, and especially as a birthing parent. The journey of parenthood is a ride of joys, overcasts, detours and surprises which shape us as people.
I meet my clients at the intersection of counseling and art therapy using trauma-informed, positive, person-centered, expressive arts therapy to hear, validate, and empower. A core value of person-centered therapy is “the belief that every person has worth, dignity, the capacity for self-direction, and an inherent impulse toward growth” (Rogers, p.231, 2016). The perinatal period of our lives is one of the most challenging and dramatic times in which we are often at our most vulnerable for so many reasons. Navigating and maintaining ourselves as people and parents takes energy and compassion for ourselves. I am here to meet you where you are and support you on your journey.
Art and birth runs through the fibers of my being. I have such passion for the human right to birth safely and securely with autonomy and confidence. I want to empower parents to transition through parenthood with the respect they deserve. It takes a village and I am a member of that village. Using the expressive arts helps clients to identify and be in touch with feelings, explore unconscious material, release energy, gain insight, solve problems, and discover the intuitive and spiritual dimensions of the self” (Rogers, p,234, 2016). You do not have to suffer in silence. You deserve the tools and encouragement to meet your goals, in line with your core values.
I am a clinical counselor, art therapist, and relationship therapist, passionate about serving the perinatal population, inspired to work with women and parents. I offer trauma informed, sex-positive care at the intersections of counseling and art therapy. I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy and my Certificate in Sex Therapy from Adler University in Chicago, IL. Through art we are able to express ourselves in ways which words alone cannot afford. Art has never let me down. Through creative expression and verbal articulation, we can process our traumas and experiences so that we may embrace a more authentic life.
Rogers, N. (2016). Person-centered expressive arts therapy. In J.A. Rubin (Ed.), Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique (3rd ed., pp.379-403). Routledge. doi.org/10.4324/981315716015
