Relationship & Couples Counseling in Downers Grove, IL

Relationships under the weight of stress, addiction, grief, or illness

Relationships can become strained under the weight of stress, addiction, grief, or mental health challenges. I work with couples and families to improve communication, rebuild trust, and strengthen emotional connection. In my couples sessions, I help people develop the necessary skills needed to maintain sustaining love.

What makes this practice different is the ability to address the issues underneath the conflict. When one partner is drinking, when a diagnosis has changed every role in the house, or when grief has made one of you unreachable, couples work that ignores those realities rarely holds. As an LCSW and CADC with oncology social work training, I can treat the relationship and the pressures on it together.

What our work may focus on

Every couple is different, and sessions are structured around your specific goals.

• Conflict resolution and breaking the argument loop
• Communicating needs without escalating
• Rebuilding trust after infidelity, secrecy, or relapse
• Supporting a loved one through addiction or illness without losing yourself
• Parenting stress and aligning as a team
• Emotional disconnection and rekindling intimacy
• Navigating major life transitions together

Family therapy

I also offer family sessions for parents and adult children, siblings, and households navigating a loved one’s addiction, serious illness, or loss. Family work focuses on communication, boundaries, and shared understanding so that everyone is pulling in the same direction.