Our Team
Providing a safe, caring, and supportive therapy environment to facilitate self-growth, empowerment, and understanding.
Dr. Michelle Navarro, M.A., Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Center Director
“Growth as an individual, self-understanding, finding motivation and seeking passion in one’s life; a balance to find self-acceptance while loving and caring for those around you, this is my hope for all I see. I want everyone who comes to the center to feel this is a safe, warm, and an accepting environment to explore their needs, work through their struggles, and know there is someone there by their side to assist them.”
For over 30 years, Dr. Michelle has provided care and assistance to children, teens, adults, and families struggling with a multitude of emotional difficulties from depression, anxiety, bipolar, attention, and processing. Her belief is that each person is has their own individual identity and thus needs a treatment plan customized to fit each individual’s growth.
Dr. Michelle provides parents of all ages with guidance and planning for their children; whether that be, behavioral outbursts, self-esteem issues, social skills, executive functioning, gender exploration, learning disabilities and giftedness, and divorce. For young children, Dr. Michelle utilizes play therapy to help develop real life coping skills. She feels working to develop rapport with teens and adults is a key component to developing an effective communication process that is invaluable to the therapeutic success of treatment.
Parenting is one of the toughest and most stressful jobs. Dr. Michelle understands the guilt and pressure to be a “good parent” and the stress this places on the parent to find balance in their own well-being. Helping a parent find a path of their own while enhancing and nurturing their children’s lives is the key concept behind Dr. Michelle’s center and her goal for all she sees. She brings a distinct and unique perspective coming from a neuropsychological, social/emotional, and psycho-educational background.
Dr. Michelle is the author of journal articles, research for intellectual and achievement testing, speaker, parent, and therapist. She provides comprehensive diagnostic testing, assessment, and support for children, adolescents, and adults. The evaluations provide not only diagnostic information, but specific recommendations for school and home interventions and ongoing support as needed. Further, many individuals need assistance and information with regards to navigating and developing a 504 Plan or I.E.P., and applying for extended time or other accommodations on college board ACT/SAT, GRE, LSAT, and other standardized exams. Evaluations are done for attention disorders, Autism spectrum, executive functioning, processing difficulties, emotional disorders, learning disabilities, giftedness and/or twice exceptional children.
Dr. Michelle is an in-network provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and will provide assistance filing with other insurance providers.
Dr. Eviee Lakomy, M.A., Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Director of Testing and Diagnostics
Dr. Lakomy is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience conducting neuropsychological assessments and general psychological testing, including testing for ADHD, Autism, learning disabilities, and giftedness testing. Dr. Lakomy has also worked with children, teens, adults and families in a variety of treatment settings conducting therapy using a wide range of therapeutic techniques including mindfulness, social skills training, and CBT. She is passionate about creating a supportive and welcoming environment that allows clients to learn about themselves, identify their strengths, gain insight and live a happier, healthier life.
Brooke Carson, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Individual and Family Therapist
“I have a long history of helping people make changes that lead to significant improvement in self-regard and the ability to function and thrive. One of my favorite aspects of being a therapist is the genuine, experience-based optimism that my practice history allows me to bring to meeting with clients.”
For many years, Brooke has been a primary member of a treatment team in an intensive outpatient treatment program for depression and anxiety in a teaching hospital. This has given her the benefit of collaboration with a large variety of top professionals for learning and sharing therapy techniques. She is currently the therapist in charge of implementing an outpatient treatment program for Millennials.
In addition to working with the young adults, she works with the parents, doing family therapy that is often such a powerful part of the process. Brooke enjoys working with clients of all ages with a variety of presenting issues including self-esteem and life struggles such as relationship conflicts, grief, loss and transitions such as divorce. She also enjoys helping people with depression, various anxiety disorders (including panic disorder, phobias and PTSD), bipolar disorder and ADHD.
A central concept of her practice philosophy is helping each client with their relationship with themselves, especially in terms of their responses to their own emotions and their beliefs about themselves. This work forms a foundation for new coping skills for navigating struggles, as well as stepping into new experiences for developing life satisfaction, connection to others and a sense of mastery.
Brooke is now accepting Medicare and Medicare supplemental insurance
Lauren Hallerud, M.A.,LPC, NCC
Licensed Professional Counselor | National Certified Counselor | Individual and Group Therapist | CBT and DBT Specialist
“By bringing my most authentic and honest self to the table, I hope to create an empathic and safe environment to foster the best working therapeutic relationship.”
Lauren brings clinical experience from intensive outpatient care programs for depression and anxiety to assist clients seeking long-term individual care while managing life transitions and stressors. She works with children, adolescents, and adults to aid in recognizing, understanding, and modifying reactions to life events or personal stressors that lead to anxiety, depression, and other mood-related ailments.
Using an integrative therapeutic approach with cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused methods, she assists in improving communication styles to form healthier relationships with others, building supportive networks, managing mood and behavioral reactions to day to day stressors, managing school/occupational/academic stress, improving motivation and time management, increasing the creation and maintenance of boundaries, improving general stress management, increasing self-esteem, managing grief/loss, and achieving a healthy balance and symptom management.
Lauren believes that therapy is the process of walking next to another on the journey of discovering and increasing self-awareness, individual growth, and the ability to adapt to change. Lauren aids others in increasing their awareness of their unique patterns of thoughts and behaviors, and the purpose behind them.
By guiding others in identifying distorted or unhealthy thinking patterns, Lauren’s aim is to assist in modifying those thought processes and behaviors to form healthier patterns that improve day to day functioning. She strives to empower others to further understand their past and current decisions and increase autonomy in order to create continuity between their actions, values, beliefs, and goals. Lauren aims to identify and utilize one’s individual strengths to develop realistic and achievable expectations.
Caitlin Anderlik, LSW
Licensed Social Worker
ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider
Caitlin is dedicated Licensed Social Worker with extensive experience working with children and adolescents, including in school settings, where she has provided support to children and teenagers with Anxiety, Depression, Learning Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and ADHD. She is passionate about providing empathetic support to youth as they navigate life’s challenges.
In her role, she creates a safe and nurturing space where clients can explore their emotions, build coping skills, and develop resilience. With a deep understanding of the complexities of mental health issues in young people, she is committed to tailoring her interventions to meet the unique needs of each individual she serves.
Her therapeutic approach is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), helping clients identify and challenge negative thought patterns while developing healthier coping mechanisms. She also has experience teaching executive functioning skills, emotional regulation skills, and social skills, equipping her clients with valuable tools for success.
Whether through individual counseling, or collaboration with families, she remains devoted in her mission to empower her clients to thrive.
Dr. Jo Wolthusen, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Individual and Family Therapist | Clinical Supervisor | Marketing Director
I understand how important it is for the client to feel comfortable and safe with their therapist – it’s essential in making therapy a successful experience. That is why I strive to provide each client with a safe, therapeutic environment. I assist clients in setting goals in the interest of achieving insight and increased self-awareness with an ultimate goal is self-empowerment and realized potential.
Dr. Wolthusen is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of clinical experience within a variety of treatment settings including inpatient and outpatient psychiatric hospitals programs and private practice with adolescents, adults and families. Her leadership roles include positions at a county-wide facility for alcohol and substance abuse groups, and an intensive outpatient program for adolescents. She’s also volunteered for an emergency care shelter for adolescent girls.
Dr. Wolthusen believes that therapy is a collaborative endeavor that takes place within a supportive, empathic environment. Through the process of the client achieving insight and increased self-awareness, the ultimate goal of therapy is self-empowerment. Dr. Wolthusen’s approach to therapy is holistic and integrative, primarily utilizing cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused techniques. She is experienced with a broad range of treatment areas and clinical populations including adolescents, adults, and families.
Jennifer Navarro, MSW, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Individual and Group Therapist | Executive Function Coach and Aging Population Specialist
I have a passion for working with older adults and children. I want to bring my experience as a teacher and social worker together to provide the best possible care.
Jennifer began her career as an elementary school teacher where she taught children with a variety of needs including children with learning disabilities, special needs and gifted intellectual abilities. She tutors young children and helps train children of all ages to work and develop their executive functioning skills. After several years as a stay-at-home mother of two children, Jennifer completed her MSW in 2012.
Jennifer has focused on the older adult population by working with older adults and their families to navigate through the complex matters of planning for care, chronic medical conditions including dementia related diseases and end of life decisions. Jennifer believes that the informal caregivers for older adults need to learn to manage their own self-care in order to be most helpful to their aging parents. By engaging caregivers in support groups, family meetings and individual counseling, Jennifer can assist the entire family unit with enhancing the later years of life.
Sachiko Burke, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
ADHD/Executive Functioning Coach Certified
As a social worker and therapist, Sachiko brings over 12 years of professional experience from her previous experiences as a school social worker, social emotional learning coach and psychotherapist. She works with children, teens and adults with a wide range of behavioral and emotional issues including substance abuse, executive functioning skills, depression, anxiety, and grief. When a client sees Sachiko for behavioral therapy and emotional intervention, including play therapy, she provides validation, collaborative problem-solving, empathy, and reflective listening.
Sachiko approaches her work from a holistic perspective (with a particular focus on the impact of attachment relationships) while integrating other evidence-based interventions including: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions). The skills and techniques used in therapy help to meet clients where they are at emotionally while promoting growth and independence.
Her therapy sessions are designed to strengthen your confidence during difficult life transitions, clarify your values and collaborate in the healing process. In each meeting, she hopes to incorporate a safe space where clients can be authentic, embrace challenges with a sense of humor, and nurture the belief that the answers are found within you. Therapy is tailored to your unique circumstances as she will work alongside her clients in achieving their specific goals.
Izabella Brzoza, LSW
Licensed Social Worker
ADHD/Executive Functioning Coach Certified
Izabella started her professional career and development as a therapist at a therapeutic day school where she taught children and teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and learning disabilities. Within her career she supported them by educating, teaching and mentoring the students with different ways to cope with their daily challenges, stressors and how to navigate different social situations, environments and interactions. She has a background in teaching social communication and emotional regulation techniques.
Izabella works with children, teenagers, and young adults in recognizing, acknowledging, and understanding the daily stressors of everyday life and supports them in managing these stressors and navigating the emotions within them. Likewise, Izabella assists her clients with healthy ways to communicate their needs or forming healthy communication styles. Izabella has a strong focus on Cognitive-behavioral therapy and utilizes techniques such as mindfulness, cognitive reframing, relaxation, and problem-solving.
Samantha Scharringhausen
Social Media Director
Pippin, Therapy Dog
Pippin, our therapy dog in training and certified Emotional Support Animal is a two-year-old Golden Aussie mix. As a half Golden Retriever (making him very friendly and love everyone) and half Australian Shepherd (bringing out his intellect and expertise at performing all kinds of tricks) he is affectionate, observant, silly, and often acts half-human.
For the past two years at the Long Grove Center, Pippin has loved attending our young adult group every Saturday afternoon, loves seeing all his friends every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, wearing an impressive assortment of bow ties and outfits, wiggling his way out to greet everyone in the waiting area, and leading them back into his office, enjoys naps near your feet, takes all the pets and belly rubs you will offer, and even sits next to you if you invite him up.
To work with Pippin and dog mom/therapist, Lauren Hallerud, please email Lauren directly at [email protected] or contact our practice. Pippin would love to meet you and assist you in brightening your day and offering some laughs, his belly for some pets, additional emotional support, his endless love, and natural anti-depressant vibes.
Get In Touch
We offer daytime, afternoon, and evening hours.
Now accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Medicare, and Medicare supplemental insurance.
Our office will assist with checking benefits and billing out of network providers.
Call
(847)-821-1450
Address
4180 Route 83 Suite 10 and 11, Long Grove, IL 60047
Hours
Mon – Sat: 9am – 9pm
Sunday: closed