Meet our Clinicians

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Melina has worked within the counseling profession for over 17 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Beloit College in Psychology and Spanish and her graduate degree from Roosevelt University in Community Counseling.  Her experience includes providing individual, couples, family, group, and crisis counseling.  Melina is experienced in working with a wide range of clients in multiple settings, including private practice, mental health hospitals, residential treatment centers, state social services, domestic violence shelters, and therapeutic day schools. She specializes in working with individuals experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, relational issues, and other general adjustment issues.  Melina is licensed in the state of Illinois as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.

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Melina believes in the power of the therapeutic relationship. A strong relationship between therapist and client is essential to the progress a client makes. She approaches each session with an open and welcoming environment to ensure her clients feel comfortable to share. Melina focuses on her client’s strengths and adapts her modalities and interventions according to their needs. 

Melina's research on Parenting Styles and Self Actualization is published in The Journal of Personality and Social Behavior.

Eliana is a Licensed Professional Counselor and also holds a Professional Educators License as a School Counselor.  Eliana began working in the counseling profession over 10 years ago.  She obtained her undergraduate degree from DePaul University and both of her graduate degrees from Roosevelt University.  Eliana holds a Masters in Clinical Professional Psychology and a Masters in Education with a focus on School Counseling.  Eliana understands that life is most often overwhelming and unpredictable thus believes counseling will aid in developing a holistic perspective for our emotional well-being.  

Eliana is experienced in working with homelessness, stress, anxiety, grief and loss, self-harm, depression, relationship strains, and academic stressors.  She has practiced in several settings such as schools, private practice, psychiatric hospitals and outpatient facilities. Eliana enjoys working with all walks of life who are vested in their self-improvement.  

Maritza has worked in a counseling setting as a Professional School counselor for 8 years. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a Professional Educator License as a school counselor. She attended DePaul University for her undergraduate and graduate studies where she received both of her degrees.  

  Maritza is experienced in working with small groups and individuals around stress, anxiety, depression, grief & loss, self-esteem and relationship concerns. Maritza believes therapy can benefit anyone, whether it’s finding your inner peace, navigating life challenges, learning to manage difficult thoughts and feelings or simply identifying your version of happiness. She uses a person centered and cognitive behavioral approach, where she will assist you in developing your self-awareness and identifying your existing strengths in order to create growth.  

Griselda has been a social worker for over 20 years. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from Aurora University. She holds a Professional Educator License as a school social worker. Her experience includes working in crisis situations, working with individuals, couples, and family counseling. Griselda has worked with clients in multiple settings including state social services, domestic violence shelters, and schools. She specializes in working with individuals experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. 

Griselda believes in that the path to mental health wellness isn’t linear, but by embarking on a mental health journey, one can appreciate positives by putting challenges into perspective and by focusing on the client’s strengths. She believes in engaging in a collaborative process that is client-centered and empowering. 

Sandra is a Licensed Social Worker,  graduate of Loyola University's Bilingual MSW program. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Peru. Sandra is passionate about working with individuals  who are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, as well as those who are working through trauma, building self-esteem and general adjustment issues. Sandra has worked in  multiple settings like psychiatric hospitals, behavioral health outpatient facilities, and state social services supporting the community and individuals in different areas of their life. Sandra has done extensive work with refuges, domestic violence survivors, schools, and non-profit organizations.

Sandra believes that a therapeutic alliance, is a partnership between a client and therapist that allows them to achieve goals through agreed-upon tasks, and to create these safe spaces through validation and empathy. Counseling creates a safe space for clients to share their stories.

Sandra sees the importance of the client-therapist relationship as the foundation of the change-making journey. She approaches each session with a welcoming environment, focusing on her clients’ strengths, validation and is goal focused, helping her clients explore the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Gwendolyn is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a master’s degree from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She is currently enrolled at PennWest University’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Art Therapy with an anticipated graduation date of May 2023. Gwendolyn has over 10 years of experience working with survivors of sexual violence. She also has experience supervising a team of therapists and interns. Her areas of interest include trauma, working with survivors of sexual violence, working with survivors of human trafficking, attachment concerns, anxiety, depression, complex trauma, dissociation, immigration, life transitions, perinatal mental health, and infant mental health. She is also certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). 

Gwendolyn values the importance of establishing a secure therapeutic relationship with all her clients. She aims to create a space where all parts of you feel welcomed. She believes in engaging individuals in a collaborative process that is client-centered, relational, and strength-based. Gwendolyn believes walking alongside your healing journey is an honor and a privilege.

Sonia Jaime received her Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University, New York. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Domestic Violence Response Specialist. She also holds a Professional Educator License as a school social worker. Much of her clinical focus is on working with women and their families to promote healthy lifestyles and decrease high-risk behaviors. She also has extensive training and clinical experience in crisis intervention services, and direct outpatient individual, family and group therapy.

In addition, Mrs. Jaime is bilingual and bicultural; and she has significant experience working with the Latino community. Sonia Jaime was raised in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs. She enjoys traveling with her family and giving back to the community through her volunteer efforts. She is passionate about empowering individuals to handle everyday life situations, make healthy life-choices and strengthen their coping skills.