-WHO WE ARE-
At Proactive Therapy, each of our therapists was actively selected due to their level of expertise, pedagogical background and clinical philosophy. Our clinicians are deeply passionate and relatable— they show up as their most authentic selves to help you do this important work.
Curiosity, engagement, flexibility, compassion, and professionalism are essential personal characteristics of our clinicians. We aim to create an environment of collaboration, warmth, humor, and acceptance. We know that the strength of the therapeutic relationship is central to the success of our work together. As a result, we place tremendous value on your experience, ongoing feedback, and contribution.
Our team is particularly committed to staying on top of the latest research and clinical techniques, continually working on improving our skills and expertise to ensure our clients receive the best and most effective care.
proactive
/prōˈaktiv/
adjective
taking action and making changes before they need to be made, rather than waiting until problems develop.
The Team
Featured
Featured
Our Treatment Approach
- WHAT WE DO -
In your first session, we will discuss how you are living in the present and where you would ideally like to be in six months from that date. The rest of our work together is about closing that gap.
We help our clients look at their patterns of behavior, clarify the things they do that work for them and those that work against them, support them in implementing more effective strategies, and determining valued life directions.
We empower our clients to fundamentally change the way they live their lives by providing concrete skills and strategies that teach our clients how to help themselves. We firmly believe in an integrative approach to treatment that targets both mind and body to maximize your overall wellness.
Together, we will create an individualized plan that will include many of the following components:
Goal Setting and Motivational Enhancement
Coping and Mindfulness Skills
Empowering treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to address problematic actions and support healthier lifestyle choices
A quality of life plan that centers around your values and includes meaningful interests, activities, relationships, aspirations and commitments.
“If you ask people what they want, so many people will say that they don’t want to feel fear, they don’t want to be sad. It turns out what they really believe is that if they did that, then they would be able to do something. And in that something is what they really want. It isn’t just that they want to get rid of the anxiety, get rid of the sadness. They may want to live a life that’s more open, more participatory, contributing to others more and being more connected."
— Steven Hayes, Founder of ACT
— Steven Hayes, Founder of ACT
Our Evidence-Based Approach
- HOW WE DO IT -
Our team of experts incorporate a variety of scientifically-driven treatment approaches to address your unique concerns.
ACCEPTANCE AND
COMMITMENT THERAPY
(ACT)
The aim of ACT is to create a rich, full and meaningful life, while accepting the pain that inevitably goes with it. ACT helps people learn to accept what is out of their personal control, and commit to action that improves and enriches their life. We do this by teaching psychological skills to effectively address painful thoughts and feelings so that they have less impact and influence. We also help our clients determine what is most important to them and make use of that knowledge to guide, inspire, and motivate change for the better.
MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING
(MI)
Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based method for helping people recognize and change problem behavior. Motivational Interviewing is designed to strengthen an individual’s intrinsic motivation for change by resolving ambivalence within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion. While MI was originally designed to help address alcohol problems and other addictions, and was seen as an alternative to 12 step treatment approaches, it now applied broadly across a variety of medical and health related areas.
MINDFULNESS
TRAINING
Borrowing the wisdom of eastern traditions, Mindfulness teaches us how to respond to unwanted thoughts, memories, physical sensations and feelings, without judgement or an intention to change what is. Mindfulness and acceptance skills can help us respond better to whatever difficulty life hands us, and can enhance our ability to tolerate that which we cannot control.Mindfulness Training involves consciously bringing awareness to our here-and-now experience, with openness, interest and acceptance.
EXPOSURE
RESPONSE
PREVENTION (ERP)
Exposure and Response Prevention refers to the act of exposing ourselves to the unwanted thoughts and feelings we experience in anxiety disorders. By actively facing our fears, we begin to teach our mind that what it once thought was a horrifying situation, might really be tolerable after all; and that with time, our experience of anxiety will decrease on its own.
DIALECTICAL
BEHAVIORAL
THEARPY (DBT)
The goal of DBT is to help people create a meaningful life by balancing acceptance with a therapeutic push towards change. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based intervention which combines cognitive behavioral techniques for emotion regulation with distress tolerance, acceptance and mindfulness practices derived from Buddhism. DBT is an effective treatment for impulsivity, eating disorders, substance abuse, emotional dysregulation and interpersonal conflict. DBT emphasizes the importance of a non-judgmental stance.
BRIEF,
SOLUTION-FOCUSED
THERAPY
This is a condensed form of therapy that targets a single issue in a focused manner. Solution-Focused Therapy is future-focused, goal-directed, and focuses on solutions, rather than on the problems that prompt clients to seek therapy.
THE
GOTTMAN
METHOD
The Gottman Method is an approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the couple relationship and integrates research-based interventions. The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communication, increase intimacy, respect, and affection, remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy in conflicting situations, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.
Our Specialties
Anxiety
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Trauma
Binge Eating
Eating Disorders
Body Image Concerns
Work Stress and Career Changes
Depression and Mood
Stress or Burnout
Relationships
Perinatal/Post-Partum
Shame/high self-criticism
Panic Disorder
Co-dependency
Navigating Life Changes
Perfectionism
ADDITIONAL INFO
Insurance + Rates
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
▾ ▾ ▾
I've tried therapy before. How are you different?
We want you to move forward and we'll help you get "un-stuck." Some types of therapy focus more on the past than on the present or future. No matter how much insight we might gain about ourselves, insight alone does not produce growth. In our work together, we'll be curious about unworkable patterns that are holding you back; and with a great deal of compassion, we'll work on finding healthier ways to meet your needs while helping you live more whole-heartedly.
We use interventions that are empirically validated.
Our level of experience sets us apart. We are highly trained clinicians that have worked in many different treatment settings (inpatient units, residential treatment, partial hospital, and intensive outpatient programs).
We are actively engaged and highly collaborative. We provide concrete tools and skills to help you, ideas for you to work on in between sessions and we collaborate with other providers, if helpful.
We pay attention to data and make sure that you are benefitting from our work together. We regularly assess whether you are making progress towards your goals, and whether we need to make any adjustments. We provide outcome measures as well as informal surveys to all of our clients so you can provide feedback and stay an active participant throughout your work with us.
Do you offer online therapy?
We offer online therapy/telehealth sessions to all clients located in Illinois.
Where are you located?
We offer in person therapy in the Chicago Loop and on the Northshore.
What are your session fees?
We are in network with BCBS PPO, BCBS Blue Choice and most Aetna insurance plans. Our out of network rates are as follows:
Initial intake appointment - $165 to $220 depending on provider
Ongoing Individual Therapy Sessions - $150 to $200 depending on provider
Couples Therapy - $175 to $225 depending on provider
DBT Group Therapy - $55
Payment is due on the date of service. All payments are processed via our secure online portal which makes payment automatic and allows you to check your invoices online.
Do you take insurance?
Yes! We are in-network providers with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and BCBS Blue Choice plans as well as most Aetna insurance plans. We provide courtesy verification of benefits for those who have a BCBS PPO or Aetna plan. If you have a BCBS PPO or Aetna plan, we recommend that you call the number on the back of your insurance card to find out answers to the following questions:
What are my in-network benefits to see an outpatient mental health provider?
How much is my deductible and how much of it has been met? Do I have any co-insurance?
Do I have a co-pay?
We are out-of-network providers for all other insurance plans. This means that if you have another insurance provider such as United Health, Cigna or Medicare, you are responsible for payment, in full, at the time of service. We are happy to provide you with monthly superbills that you can submit to your insurance for direct reimbursement from your insurer. Often they will cover up to 80% of the cost and will reimburse you directly.