In a society that highly values productivity, perfectionism, and doing things right, it is easy to believe that we would not be as successful, functional, or achieving if we were not hard on ourselves. Common Self-Critical Thoughts Have you ever had thoughts that sound something like this? This type of thinking can give us the…
As a psychotherapist, I strive to approach sessions with empathy, direct but gentle feedback, honesty, and a little bit of humor when appropriate. Whether this is your first time in therapy, a return to therapy after a long time, or just a change in approach that you are looking for, I understand that beginning the process with a new therapist may bring some nerves and anticipation. I hope to ease any worries that may be present about the process in the initial intake session, while gaining an understanding of your hopes for therapy and assisting you in finding strategies to help you best navigate whatever difficulties you may be facing.
My therapeutic style is conversational, exploratory, and leaves my clients with some topics or skills to think about or work on in between sessions. Life can be so hectic, it is vital to me that my clients feel their therapy is a valuable use of their time, offering them realistic coping skills.
I believe that ongoing professional growth, learning, and development are components of offering effective therapy. In addition to my role as a psychotherapist, my role as a clinical supervisor at Wildflower allows me to have the opportunity to share knowledge I have gained through my years of experience and training opportunities to support other clinicians in providing the best possible care to their clients. Through both personal and professional experiences with therapy, I have honed the ability to understand the transformation and healing that can come from this process (even if it feels a bit daunting to get started).
I enjoy working with a variety of populations, including adults, young adults, and college students. I have experience supporting adults through individual, couples, and family therapy. My areas of specialty and interest include supporting individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, navigating distressing life events, relationships, communication, life transitions (such as pregnancy, parenting, changing jobs) grief, self-esteem, identity, relationship with self and body, and work- or school-life balance.
I hold interest and experience in working with couples as well. Whether you find yourself feeling stuck in perpetual conflicts or you are looking to understand one another more deeply to maintain connection through the busyness of life, therapy can be a useful space to obtain communication strategies and build connecting experiences with your partner.
Additionally, college can be a time of many transitions, a time to learn more about yourself and your interests. I enjoy being able to support college students in finding tools to meet their academic, social, and individual goals. The phase of life as college comes to an end can be just as scary, exciting, confusing, or overwhelming as the beginning of college was. Therapy can be a space where you can determine what comes next with support along the way. Whatever part of life you may find yourself in at this time, my aim is to help my clients create lasting change to live life in a way that feels fulfilling and valuable.
I draw on a variety of evidence based therapeutic approaches to best meet my clients’ individual needs. I have extensive training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT), The Gottman Method, and trauma-informed care. Additionally, I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to treat ongoing distress, single event trauma, and complex trauma. It’s common for me to offer aspects of various treatment approaches to learn what best resonates with each client.
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and my Master’s degree at Loyola University Chicago in social work. My experience prior to joining Wildflower includes counseling in a variety of settings including the residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient levels of care with adults and adolescents. I also have counseling experience within daycares and schools, where I provided support to parents and children learning to cope more effectively with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. In these settings, I have worked with individuals, families, couples, and groups.
LCSW License Number: 149019050
Type 1 NPI Number: 1861934606
Accepts: BCBS PPO and BlueChoice plans, UnitedHealthcare/Optum PPO, Lyra, self-pay and out of network clients
Pronouns
she/her/hersSelected training and affiliation
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Basic Training through EMDRIA Maternal Mental Health Certificate Training for Mental Health and Clinical Professionals through Postpartum Support International and 2020 Mom Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician (PMH-C) Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Strategies for Resolving the Impact of Post-Traumatic Stress through The Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute Completion of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 40 hour Domestic Violence Advocate Completion of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault: 40 hour Sexual Assault Advocate Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) trainings Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) trainings Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) trainings Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) trainings Becoming an Antiracist Mental Health Clinician Cultivating a Trans-Affirming Clinical Practice Highly-Sensitive Person (HSP) Knowledgeable TherapistKey beliefs
You cannot expect yourself to know something that you do not know. We are all doing the best we can with what we know now and we can continue to learn. Accepting help from others can allow us to be even more independent than we expected.More about me
I love finding things that make me laugh: TV, movies, comedy shows, friends. I have really enjoyed my experience in an introductory improv class, where I learned that there are no mistakes in improv, a different kind of mindfulness, and how important it is to be attuned to your partner’s words and actions. I have a goldendoodle named Winston. I trained him to be a certified therapy dog and have appreciated seeing him bring joy to not only myself, but also others. I have a minor in history and have always been fascinated by people’s motives for doing what they do and by lessons that can be gained from their actions. I enjoy a good historical museum!
“You’re SO Sensitive!” There Could Be a Reason
Have you been told by others that you’re always so sensitive? Have you ever felt it is difficult to uphold the fast paced and multi-tasking expectations our society and culture places on us without being overwhelmed? Have you noticed you think quite deeply about things and may enjoy deep conversations? Do you tend to take…
The Transition from College into the Next Chapter of Life
“The majority of college students (more than 60 percent) meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem—a nearly 50 percent increase since 2013” (Flannery, 2023). Transitioning from college into your career or your next step in life can feel exciting but also incredibly scary, with many unknowns. It can leave recent college graduates…
Navigating Dating Apps and Modern Dating Part 2: Attachment Styles & Ways They Impact Dating Satisfaction
In Part 1 of this series, I discussed some common experiences related to frustrations with modern dating, and specifically, dating apps. I shared some tips to navigating modern dating including how to: Get clear about your intentions Determine your needs Practice mindfulness In this article, I will be discussing potential roadblocks that might contribute to lack of…
3 Tips for Navigating Dating Apps & Modern Dating
Modern dating is difficult. While people have more options than ever through dating apps and online platforms, the experience of trying to date can leave one feeling like dating is no longer fun, exciting, or hopeful. It may have come to feel more stressful and frustrating than anything. A research study focused on the apps…
Therapist Spotlight: Amanda Matousek, MSW, LCSW
Amanda is a psychotherapist at Wildflower. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her Master’s degree at Loyola University Chicago in Social Work. Amanda has extensive training in evidence-based modalities used in treatment of trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, relational conflict, and other challenges. She works with individuals, couples, and families.…
