Meet Our Therapy Team

Isabel is passionate about supporting children and families through the process of self-discovery and healing. She believes that growth and healing are possible for everyone by learning how to care for ourselves, express our truths, and live values-driven lives. Isabel invests in creating a collaborative therapeutic environment that is safe, open, and exploratory. She works with children, teens, young adults, and families to deepen their emotional insight and awareness, and has a particular passion for supporting teens and young adults as they navigate identity, relationships, and life transitions. She integrates mindful, creative, play-based approaches to help her clients build resilience and confidence. She has worked with clients coming from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences and cares deeply about establishing an affirming and inclusive therapeutic relationship, so clients and their families can show up wholly and authentically. She is especially committed to creating a supportive space for members of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, people with disabilities, survivors of sexual violence, and those working to break generational cycles of trauma.

Erin’s passion for people is evident in the therapeutic bonds she forms with her clients. She believes that individuals of all ages are ever-changing, and growth is limitless even in the moments when it may not feel like it. It is through her empathetic and fun spirit that she connects with her clients and is able to form a safe and open environment encouraging exploration and growth. Erin uses a variety of therapeutic approaches to create a treatment plan unique to each client that will harness their individual strengths to work toward positive growth and a positive sense of self. When working with children, Erin understands a child’s social and emotional needs and the impact environmental and relational influences have on their development. As a result, she works to provide a therapeutic process that is inclusive of the child’s family, builds on their strengths, and addresses the child’s needs on a multitude of levels, with a strong interest in supporting parents and caregivers as they navigate the joys and challenges of raising children.

Marlem is dedicated to creating a warm, supportive environment where children feel seen, heard, and valued. Using a client-centered approach, she works closely with both children and their families to ensure the therapy process aligns with the child’s needs and goals. Marlem is skilled in building relationships with children, allowing them to express themselves freely through conversation, play, and creative outlets. Her goal is to help children develop self-awareness, emotional resilience, and confidence to navigate life’s challenges. As a bilingual English/Spanish therapist, Marlem is able to support a wider range of families, and she incorporates attachment-based and dyadic approaches into her work, informed by her Level 1 Theraplay training.

Grace is dedicated to creating a warm, safe, and supportive space where children feel heard, understood, and accepted. She values using open and honest communication when collaborating with clients and caregivers to build trust, foster growth, and support emotional well-being. Grace knows every child is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing and growth. She uses a wide range of therapeutic techniques to meet the needs of each individual client and family, and particularly enjoys supporting adolescents and older children as they navigate the evolving challenges that come with each stage of development.

Kathleen, a compassionate and insightful therapist, specializes in working with children, adolescents, parents, and families. Her expertise lies in cultivating and strengthening relationships, aiding individuals in rebuilding trust and reconnecting. As such, Kathleen is dedicated to nurturing familial bonds, making sure to focus on ways to repair fractured connections. Passionate about teaching mindfulness practices, Kathleen champions mental wellness for both children and families. Her exceptional listening skills and unwavering support enable her to swiftly identify strengths, instilling hope for growth, and encouraging clients to take advantage of tools that will enrich their self-discovery. Her approach combines warmth, optimism, and a goal to foster healing and progress, with particular comfort in working with younger children, including those ages 10 and under.

We love having Rita’s warm, supportive presence around IFC. Even our most shy and anxious clients feel immediately at ease when they meet Rita for the first time. Rita is able to connect with some of the most ‘hard to reach’ clients by validating their struggles and taking the time to understand the unique way they view the world. She is often quick to identify her client’s strengths (even when they can’t find them for themselves) and is able to help them utilize these strengths to reach their fullest potential. Rita views therapy as a collaborative effort to create positive change and strengthen family systems and relationships.

Ritamaria also offers workshops and seminars on a variety of topics. To have Ritamaria speak with your group or school, please contact us at 773-270-0469 or [email protected].

Alex takes a strengths-based, collaborative approach to therapy and values creating a safe, engaging environment where clients feel comfortable expressing themselves and exploring challenges. He is particularly interested in supporting children and families through early intervention and helping young clients develop skills that promote long-term well-being.

Outside of his clinical work, Alex enjoys cooking, staying active, following Chicago sports, and spending time with friends.

In Maxine’s sessions with clients, she knows the value of storytelling. Maxine learns their clients’ stories, perspectives, and truths, and uses them to create connection and understanding in their work. Furthermore, she is also passionate about hearing about the experiences of the caregivers they work with, building bridges between clients and their families through attunement, curiosity, empathy, and shared moments of joy. She encourages her clients to embrace their creativity and expressiveness regarding feelings, understanding just how uniquely this can be displayed in the therapy room. However, Maxine believes that treatment transcends the work that she does in the office, and she takes advantage of this fact by ensuring that clients and families know that they are vital parts of the team that is always working on developing stronger relationships and moving towards growth, with a meaningful focus on early childhood and supporting children ages 0–5 during key developmental years.

As the Founder and Executive Director of IFC, Julianne is passionate about providing families in Chicago with a quality pediatric therapist who understands their child’s unique needs. She believes that each family goes through seasons of life where extra support is needed. She considers it a privilege to step into others’ struggles and challenges in order to offer a listening ear and a helping hand. She is approachable and easily establishes rapport with children and their families.

Julianne also offers workshops and seminars on parenting and pediatric mental health. To have Julianne speak with your group or school, please contact us at 773-270-0469 or [email protected].

Rooted in both professional training and lived experience, AJ brings authenticity, empathy, and a deep respect for each client’s unique journey into their work as a therapist. They strive to create a warm, supportive space where children, teens, young adults, and families feel seen, heard, and empowered. Their own experiences have shaped their belief in the power of connection, resilience, and the importance of feeling truly understood. They integrate creativity, play, and evidence-based practices to meet clients where they are, using curiosity and compassion to guide our work.They also collaborate closely with parents and caregivers, recognizing how essential they are in supporting a child’s emotional growth. Whether navigating challenges or celebrating small victories, They aim to create a space where healing, growth, and authentic self-discovery can thrive.

Clients who work with Lauren will undoubtedly feel the positive effects of her devotion to and advocacy for them. One of her most impactful qualities as a therapist is her dedication to learning. Lauren knows that there is always something new to learn about every client, and she aims to discover new research and methodologies uniquely suited for each child, teen, parent, and family. She is eager to embark on this process with caregivers, supporting them as they learn even more ways to make strong connections with their children. Families find that working with Lauren transcends traditional approaches – her inquisitive and creative personality allows her to build thoughtful, playful, and genuine relationships. Lauren also dedicates herself to strengthening community relationships. Because even though she is ready to work with clients who arrive at sessions carrying trauma, anxiety, depression, behavior challenges, and more, she also understands that her role as a therapist does not stop in her office. She also brings experience in supporting clients with OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), along with a broader focus on family therapy, anxiety, ADHD, and grief.