Gabriela Diaz
Panelist/Presenter
Erasing The Distance
Gabriela Diaz is a Chicago based actor, teaching artist and mental health advocate. Originally from Houston, TX, Gabriela received her BFA at Webster University's Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts. She has collaborated with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, as a performer and teaching artist, bringing shows to schools across Missouri and Illinois. She has also had the joy of working with The Art Institute, Steppenwolf Theatre, Firebrand Theatre, Jackalope Theatre and others.
Gabriela worked as an intake coordinator for a creative arts therapy clinic, InTouch & Motion, where she was exposed to the power of the arts in the therapeutic process. She has found a creative home in Erasing The Distance (ETD), where she gets to combine her passion for the arts and mental health. Gabriela has been working with ETD since 2018 as a teaching artist facilitating programs throughout the Chicagoland area in order to disarm stigma through the power of storytelling. As a person living with anxiety, Gabriela finds immense joy in sharing her own story to create space and spark dialogue about the human experience.
https://www.erasingthedistance.org/
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Panelist/Presenter
Erasing The Distance
Orson Morrison, PsyD
Panelist
DePaul University/LifeSpan
Dr. Orson Morrison (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, consultant, educator and the co-owner of LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services, a group psychological services practice. He is also the Associate Director of the DePaul University Counseling & Psychological Services. Dr. Morrison has worked in a variety of clinical settings including college counseling centers, community mental health centers, inpatient and outpatient medical settings, private practice, and in academic-clinical research units. Dr. Morrison has also taught graduate-level coursework in Psychology and offers trainings to the community on a variety of mental health topics.
Dr. Morrison’s professional interests and areas of expertise include psychotherapy with children, adolescents, adults and families, racial and intergenerational trauma, psychological assessment, and contemplative practices. Dr. Morrison’s approach to clinical leadership and practice is under-pinned by a commitment to social justice, multiculturalism, inclusivity, and anti-racism. He has spent his career working towards improving access to quality mental health services for all.
https://www.OakParkTherapists.com
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Panelist
DePaul University/LifeSpan
Paula Young, PhD
Panelist
Rogers Behavioral Health
Dr. Paula Young is a licensed clinical psychologist and Senior Clinical Director at Rogers Behavioral Health where she oversees the training of staff and delivery of care for patients in the outpatient PHP and IOP programs. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in psychology from Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences and has received advanced training from experts in the field of Cognitive Behavior therapy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Young has been involved in NIH-funded treatment studies using Cognitive Behavioral therapy to treat depression and anxiety and has presented to numerous clinical and academic audiences across the country. She has taught the CBT courses for both Clinical Psychology and Counseling students at Northwestern University for over 15 years and has maintained a practice at The Family Institute for over 20 years. She is a diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and a Fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy.
https://rogersbh.org/
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Panelist
Rogers Behavioral Health
Mark Reinecke, PhD
Moderator
Northwestern University
Dr. Reinecke is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and past Chief of the Division of Psychology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He served for 14 years as the Director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. He is a Distinguished Fellow and former president of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and a Diplomat of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Dr. Reinecke is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. His research and clinical interests center on understanding and treating depression, suicide, and anxiety among children and adolescents. He has lectured internationally and has served as a visiting professor at institutions in Europe and Asia. Widely published, he has authored or edited 11 books including Little Ways to Keep Calm and Carry On (Twenty Lessons for Managing Worry, Anxiety, and Fear).
https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=13337
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Moderator
Northwestern University
Marilyn & Larry Cohen
Founders
Naomi Ruh Cohen Institute
Marilyn and Larry Cohen founded the Naomi Ruth Cohen Family Foundation in 2000 in honor of their daughter Naomi Ruth Cohen who died by suicide at age 33 having struggled with bipolar disorder. Their mission is to reduce the stigma often associated with mental illness and suicide. In 2008 they partnered with Dr. Michael Horowitz and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology to form the Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute for Mental Health Education at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
About Marilyn & Larry Cohen
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Founders
Naomi Ruh Cohen Institute
Tracy Levine, MSW, LCSW
Executive Director
Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute
Tracy Levine is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who joined NRCI in June, 2021 with over 30 years of experience in behavioral health and direct services.
Her passion for service and dedication to improving the lives of others is proven through years of leading programs focused on building resilience, strengthening family relationships, and supporting children, families, and emerging adults. Her previous experience includes serving in senior leadership roles at Chicago agencies providing child and family services, clinical services, and substance use disorders treatment. Additionally, Tracy serves as an Assistant Professor in TCSPP’s Master of Counseling Psychology Program and is a certified instructor for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) suicide prevention gatekeeper trainings.
https://naomicoheninstitute.org/
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Executive Director
Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute
Adriane "Addie" Van Zwoll, MJ, LCSW
Presenter
NSBHA
Adriane (Addie) Van Zwoll is currently a Senior Program Manager with the National School-Based Health Alliance. Ms. Van Zwoll was previously a manager of behavioral health services at a School-Based Health Center in the Chicagoland area where she oversaw mental health services and provided individual therapy services to students. Ms. Van Zwoll worked with a number of students with various needs and created innovative programming including alternative to suspension programs and opened a calm room. Prior to working in school-based health care, she worked in Foster Care and Juvenile Justice.
She is a graduate of Western Michigan University (Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts-Criminal Justice), the University of Michigan (Master of Social Work), Loyola University Chicago (Master of Jurisprudence in Children’s Law & Policy), has a certificate in School Discipline Reform also from Loyola University Chicago, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago.
About Adriane "Addie" Van Zwoll, MJ, LCSW
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Presenter
NSBHA
Ana Belmonte, PsyD
Presenter
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Dr. Ana Belmonte is the Division Chair of Forensic Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Belmonte earned her Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois and Wisconsin. Dr. Belmonte's clinical and research interests include evaluation and assessment with forensic populations, competency/fitness to stand trial restoration, issues related to family law and families in conflict, such as divorce, parenting capacity, and child custody, and policy and legal advocacy. She has extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of forensic populations, working with both adult and juvenile populations in criminal and civil courts. Dr. Belmonte completed her pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the Kane County Diagnostic Center where she completed general psychological evaluations, sex offender evaluations, risk assessments, fitness evaluations, and pre-employment screenings on candidates applying for positions within the Kane County Sheriff's Department. Dr. Belmonte was previously the Director of Assessment and Research at The Chicago School Forensic Center/Interwoven Community Counseling Center. Dr. Belmonte also was the Associate Director of the Outpatient Fitness Restoration Program at The Chicago School Forensic Center, which is the largest program of its kind in the state of Illinois funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Dr. Belmonte continues to conduct evaluations and research within the Outpatient Fitness Restoration Program. In addition to her academic and clinical work, Dr. Belmonte currently serves as the Chair of the Social Media Committee of the American Psychology - Law Society (Division 41 of APA) and Chair of the TCSPP Alumni Council.
https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/faculty-finder/byname/ana_belmonte/
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Presenter
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Rabbi Andrea London
Presenter
Beth Emet
Rabbi Andrea London is a nationally recognized leader who has served Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, IL since 2000. Rabbi London is a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s (IJS) rabbinic cohort in which
she learned and practiced different Jewish spiritual practices. She has also been certified by IJS as a meditation teacher. She has an essay about gratitude published in a collection entitled, The Mussar Torah Commentary.
In 2014 she was named by The Forward newspaper as one of America’s most inspiring rabbis for her work on racial equity, and in 2020, she received the Religious Community Service Award from the Evanston/ Northshore Branch of the NAACP. In 2022, she received the Justice and Peace Award from J Street for her efforts on Israeli-Palestinian peace. Rabbi London holds a degree in applied mathematics from Brown University. Before coming to Beth Emet, she served as assistant and associate rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis from
1996 to 2000. She is married to Danny London and has two children, Yonah and Liora.
https://bethemet.org/
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Presenter
Beth Emet
Andrea O'Morrow, BA
Presenter
NAMI Metro Suburban
Andrea O’Morrow is a professional educator and mental health advocate. She received bachelor’s degrees in education and linguistics from Purdue University and joined NAMI Metro Suburban as the Community Education Coordinator in 2021 where she works with schools and other community organizations to provide mental health education programs.
With eight years of experience as a junior high and high school teacher, Andrea recognizes the heightened need for mental health services and support, particularly among students. She is passionate about delivering mental health education that is approachable and relevant, using her own journey of recovery as well as her experience in teaching and curriculum design to facilitate NAMI programming for community members of all ages.
https://namimetsub.org/
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Presenter
NAMI Metro Suburban
Audrey Thompson, MSW, LMSW
Presenter
City of Evanston
Audrey Thompson is currently in her thirtieth year of social services, having started as a peer educator for the Mississippi Children’s Home Services in 1991. During her eighteen years at the Mississippi Children’s Home Services in Jackson, Mississippi, Thompson became the Director of Peer Education Services and in her last four years of employment, was the Central Region Director for Community Based Services. She was responsible for domestic, international and special needs adoption, the family preservation program, a twenty-bed shelter for infants and youth and an around the clock program whose main goal was to provide psychiatric treatment for children and youth while surrounded by their loved ones at home.
Thompson began her work in the field of aging in 2010, when she relocated to the City of Evanston and was designated by the State of Illinois as the Regional Ombudsman for the City of Evanston. As Regional Ombudsman, she was responsible for investigating complaints in the 14 long-term care communities in Evanston, community education, training facility staff as well as recruiting, training and retaining all Volunteer Ombudsmen. In 2020, Thompson was appointed the Community Services Manager for the City, responsible for coordinating Senior Services and the Youth and Young Adult Divisions.
In April 0f 2022, Thompson was appointed to her current position of Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Evanston. She truly believes the words of Arthur Ashe, “true heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost”. She has her Bachelor degree from Tougaloo College, her MSW from Jackson State University, and has been an adjunct professor in the Social Work department at Northeastern IL University since 2016.
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Presenter
City of Evanston
Barbara Sarasin, MSW, CMC
Presenter
CJE
Barb Sarasin, Care manager at CJE SeniorLife has directly assisted individuals with issues related to Hoarding and has presented on Hoarding to professionals, woman’s groups, Edgewater Senior Center, Wilmette, Evanston, Edgewater and Skokie libraries, the Wilmette and Niles Fire Depts, Transition to Wellness Cje series to community, Northern Illinois Environmental Association conference, Niles and New Trier Township hoarding task forces, a hoarding task force that met at Alderman Harry Osterman’s office, Aging Connections in LaGrange, Illinois Continuity of Care Chicago Chapter, City of Evanston presentation with Evanston Fire Dept. to landlords who have property in the City, and the discharge planners (nurses and social workers) of 6 local hospitals and CJE Senior Life housing staff and service coordinators. Barb was instrumental in developing three Hoarding task forces and has continued to participate for two of them for years. The task force developed a guide on Hoarding that was distributed to professionals.
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Presenter
CJE
William "Billy" Kaplan, LCSW
Presenter
TreeHouse Health
Billy Kaplan is the President and Clinical Director at TreeHouse Health (formerly known as House Calls Counseling) in the Chicagoland area. He specializes in working with adolescents and families, especially those that formed through adoption. He has advanced training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Brainspotting. With over thirty years of experience, Billy is a seasoned trainer who has presented extensively locally, nationally, and internationally on attachment disorders, therapeutic parenting, adolescent development, child welfare, and a host of other topics.
While he is seriously dedicated to helping improve the lives of the people he works with, he also believes that psychotherapy doesn’t have to be serious all the time. He encourages and facilitates fun, joyful experiences while we’re working together.
https://www.TreeHouseHealth.net
About William "Billy" Kaplan, LCSW
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Presenter
TreeHouse Health
Craig Scalise
Presenter
Paws for Patrick
Craig Scalise wears many hats at Paws for Patrick and there is no way to say which bears heavier weight or importance. Craig serves as Advisor to the Board of Directors, which has proven to be of critical importance, as well as a Wish Grantor. In his Advisory role, he helped articulate what he coined our “Stable Base”, a framework he developed while advising the UCLA Men’s Basketball program. It is what keeps us focused on our mission in every single aspect of the work we do. In his role as Wish Grantor Craig has already matched his first client and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) together; the impact on both Craig and his client has been monumental.
Craig is an Economist by day, although he began his career as a dog trainer through a business he started in the 7th grade. Craig, his wife, and two daughters live in Glencoe with their cat, Pepper, and a rescue dog, Misty. Craig likes to watch sports on TV with Pepper and Misty because of the support they offer, win or lose (which was especially meaningful during the most recent NCAA March Madness Tournament while cheering on his alma mater, UCLA). Craig is grateful to be working with Paws for Patrick so he can share this emotional support power that’s unique to animals with those who need it most.
https://www.pawsforpatrick.org/
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Presenter
Paws for Patrick
Daniel Maigler, LCSW
Presenter
Paws for Patrick
Dan Maigler volunteers on the Paws for Patrick Board of Directors as our Mental Health Advisor. “I decided to serve on the P4P board because Patrick taught me so much about what an animal can do for a person’s mental health. Cici was his rock. She kept him going through his hardest times, and her unconditional love supported him in a way that no therapy or medication could compete with. I want to be part of bringing that love into as many lives as possible. I see the mission of Paws for Patrick as a win for people and for animals, and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Dan has been working with young people with mental health issues since 1999 in a variety of settings including group homes, mental health hospitals, as a therapist in private practice and primarily schools. Dan spent 5 years as a guidance counselor and has been a school social worker for 15 years. Dan is also passionate about his family, lacrosse, and encouraging men to be more active in standing up against intimate partner violence and sexual assault. Dan is a self-described podcast addict and provides recommendations regardless of solicitation.
https://www.pawsforpatrick.org/
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Presenter
Paws for Patrick
Ellen Blum Barish
Presenter
Ellen Blum Barish
Ellen Blum Barish is the author of the memoir, Seven Springs (Shanti Arts, 2021), the essay collection, Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing, 2007) and a contributor to two anthologies published by Chicago Story Press. You can find her essays in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Tablet, Lilith, Brevity, Full Grown People, Literary Mama and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She has has taught writing at Northwestern University where she earned a master’s in journalism, Chicago School for Professional Psychology, The CG Jung Center, Columbia College Chicago, North Park University, Dominican University and Elmhurst College. Barish teaches writing workshops online and works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir.
https://www.ellenblumbarish.com/
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Presenter
Ellen Blum Barish
Eric J. Proescher, PsyD, MPH
Presenter
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Eric J. Proescher, PsyD, MPH, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Professor with over 25 years of experience. He completed his training at Loyola University in Maryland, the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
Dr. Proescher is a senior clinical psychologist at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center (JBVAMC) and Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He serves as a Whole Health Champion for the Mental Health Service Line at the JBVAMC. He is a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist via the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis and a member since 1998. He has been involved in multiple research studies and has over 29 publications in the areas of trauma, resilience, hypnosis, and coping with burn out.
Dr. Proescher has expertise and significant experience using hypnosis, trauma focused therapy (e.g., EMDR, PE, CPT), and mindfulness meditative approaches.
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Presenter
Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Eric W Homer, MSW, LSW
Presenter
N/A
Eric Homer LSW/MSW is an educator, administrator, and counselor whose work has included 30 years of serving people with life-challenging conditions, primarily HIV/AIDS. During the late 1980’s, Eric was one of the first counselor/case management coordinators at Chicago’s Howard Brown Health Center. Over the next 30 years, he helped people with HIV/AIDS who were coping with depression, anxiety, difficult health concerns, poverty, and inadequate housing. Eric has worked primarily with women with HIV and their children. Much of his work has included conducting social service administration at several HIV/AIDS agencies. He received his Master’s of Social Work from Loyola University of Chicago and his Bachelor’s of Social Sciences from Trinity International University.
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Presenter
N/A
Erin Tegge, AM, LSW
Presenter
Peer Services
As the leader of PEER’s Prevention Program, Erin Tegge manages and collaborates with the prevention team, who work closely with the Evanston, New Trier Township and Glenview/Northbrook communities. She oversees implementation of best practices in prevention education, data collection and analysis of local trends in youth mental health and substance use. An expert in youth prevention, Erin regularly provides consultation and delivers presentations for youth, families, school staff, and community stakeholders.
Erin joined PEER in 2014 and has over 15 years of experience in in the field of substance use prevention and social work and has worked with youth, families, and adults in a variety of capacities including community intervention and treatment. She earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s in Social Service Administration (Social Work) from the University of Chicago.
https://peerservices.org/
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Presenter
Peer Services
Galina Lipkin, LCPC, MA, NCC
Presenter
Plena Mind Center
Galina Lipkin LCPC is an ERP and ACT oriented counselor with a passion for working with children, adolescents, and their families affected by OCD and anxiety disorders. SPACE trained to help parents support their child in anxiety and OCD treatment.
https://www.plenamind.com/
About Galina Lipkin, LCPC, MA, NCC
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Presenter
Plena Mind Center
Greta Nielson, MA. LCPC, NCC
Presenter
Illuminate Therapy & Wellness
Greta is Co-Owner and Psychotherapist at Illuminate Therapy & Wellness and has over 25 years’ experience providing individual, family and group counseling services to children, teens and adults. Greta has published articles for the Huffington Post and the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling of IL, for which she serves as the current President. She also sits on the Professional Advisory Board of Mental Health America of the Northern Suburbs (MHANS). She is considered an expert in the treatment of childhood psychological and developmental disorders and adolescent mental health related challenges.
https://illuminatingyou.com/
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Presenter
Illuminate Therapy & Wellness
Jenny Arrington
Presenter
Rebel Human
Co-Founder of Rebel Human, Jenny Arrington trained under Harvard neuroscientist, Dr. Srini Pillay, is certified under both the Kundalini Research Institute and the Yoga Alliance (E-RYT®, YACEP®), and serves as Wellness Advisor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
After a decades-long struggle with clinical depression and eating disorders she found a combination of somatic therapy, asana, meditation, and neurocoaching that finally gave her the ability to process past trauma and heal. It was through these challenges and the healing that Jenny found her calling as a teacher.
Jenny integrates ancient tools with the modern science of neurocoaching to help her students pierce the veneer of performative wellness. Her unique approach to teaching is informed by her varied experiences, whether it be swimming with sharks, moving up the ranks in Shark Tank, leading a team of student archaeologists in Pompeii, moderating her YPO young adult forum group, scuba diving at 200ft depths, pitching her product at the MIT Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, teaching at her monthly fundraiser, chairing a non-profit board, meditating for seven hours, hanging upside down in an aerial silk 25 ft in the air, or running a marathon. Her goal is to build her students’ competency in resilience, equanimity, and transcendence so they can break free from the status quo of their lives and find authentic, lasting joy.
https://www.therebelhuman.com/
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Presenter
Rebel Human
Jenny Merdinger
Presenter
Budding Spring Healing
Jenny Merdinger is a lifelong student of energy healing, motivated by a profound desire to understand the nature of the world, modern human existence, and personal health. It was her own crisis of health that opened the door to healing changes that her doctors and therapists had been sure were unlikely to ever happen, erasing a long list of chronic and persistent emotional and physical conditions from her life.
For the past thirteen years, Jenny has exclusively studied the Wu Ming Qigong system brought more than thirty years ago to the United States by Grand Master Nan Lu, OMD. She began as a student in the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation in 2008 and has been a direct student of Master Lu since 2016. With his guidance, permission and certification, Jenny offers several different Qigong programs for men and women, and is among only a few dozen people authorized to offer 1:1 Tao of Medical Qigong treatment sessions.
Jenny offers 3- and 6-month courses in her Real Women, Real Healing coaching program for women in “energy recovery” who are interested in sustaining breast, reproductive and metabolic health at all phases of life, and addressing the root causes of chronic and seasonal pain, exhaustion and illness.
https://buddingspringhealing.com/
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Presenter
Budding Spring Healing
Joe Zuzich, LCSW
Presenter
NAMI Metro Suburban
Joe Zuzich is NAMI Metro Suburban’s Community Education Director and earned his master’s degree in social work from Dominican University in 2011. Joe was born and raised in Chicago and has a love for his hometown. He has worked in the social service industry for over 10 years and is passionate about working with youth in the mental health field.
Joe has worked as a school social worker in Chicago Public Schools as well as a case worker for homeless youth. He also oversaw a long-term group home for youth in care of the state for nearly 9 years in Oak Park, IL where he provided care to youth under 12 to help them transition successfully to a foster home.
Joe is ardent about social justice and this shows through his past decade of service. He is a knowledgeable mental health presenter and has much experience presenting and training other individuals in the field. Joe hopes to continue to grow in his professional career with NAMI Metro Suburban to help create a healthier community.
In his free time, Joe enjoys camping, listening and playing music with friends.
https://namimetsub.org/
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Presenter
NAMI Metro Suburban
Larry Stoler, MSSA, PhD
Presenter
Budding Spring Healing
A lifelong student of healers and healing, Dr. Stoler is a leader in the integration of Eastern and Western healing practices. A past president of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, he has worked to help energy-based healing approaches gain credibility with the public and among mainstream professionals. As a Qigong student of Nan Lu, OMD, he is a certified Dragon’s Way® instructor and a LifeForce: Tao of Medical Qigong practitioner. His integrative practice, Budding Spring Healing, combines psychotherapy, medical Qigong, and traditional Chinese medicine—based group wellness programs for health-seekers in the Chicago area and globally.
https://buddingspringhealing.com/
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Budding Spring Healing
Maira Egan, MACAT, ATR-P
Presenter
Open Studio Project
Maira Egan is Open Studio Project’s staff Art Therapist. Maira joined the OSP community as an Art Therapy Intern and is a recent graduate of Adler University’s Master of Arts in Counseling: Art Therapy program. Maira has been engaging in the OSP process since she was an undergrad at the School of the Art Institute, where she earned her BFA. She is a talented ceramicist and painter, who brings tremendous skill and empathy to her work with a wide range of populations: from elementary school students to unhoused adults, from teens in youth detention to adults with visual impairment. Maira regularly delivers OSP’s social emotional learning curriculum to Chicago Public Schools students, and manages both group and individual art therapy clients.
https://www.openstudioproject.org/
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Presenter
Open Studio Project
Mike Bushman
Presenter
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Mike Bushman is a writer, speaker and trainer focused on mental health and suicide prevention. Mike serves as a board member with the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a volunteer with other mental health organizations and as a Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
Pain to Purpose: Teaching Teens to Lead, Foster and Engage the JKB Way is Mike’s second book focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention. It is also his first fully non-fiction offering. His previous work in the mental health space is a unique combination of memoir and novella exploring teen depression. Suicide Escape intersperses Mike’s personal struggles with suicide ideation as a teen with the guidance he would offer to a fictional character representing the all-too-real struggles of many young adults.
Mike’s other books explore the future of the United States and the world if changes are not made to the nation’s political system. Melting Point 2040 and Secession 2041 explore conditions leading up to the next civil war, while Doing Unto Others tests the incorporation of Golden Rule principles as a method of restoring faith in leaders and government.
Mike created an evidence-based, vetted workplace mental health training program built on research, personal mental health experiences and years of managing individuals with various mental health challenges. He facilitated research groups on disclosure considerations for suicide attempt survivors for the National Consortium on Stigma and Empowerment. In addition to Youth Mental Health First Aid, Mike regularly conducts More Than Sad, Talk Saves Lives and other training programs on behalf of AFSP and has extensively shared his personal story of recovery and hope.
Prior to his writing and mental health work, Mike’s experience included serving as press secretary and then Washington director for former southern Illinois Congressman Terry Bruce. He worked for twenty years in corporate roles that included vice president for communications, investor relations, global brand and sustainable development at Nalco, a leading worldwide sustainability services company.
Mike earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA, with honors, from the University of Chicago. He has been married for more than 30 years, has two adult children and enjoys hiking, among other outdoor activities.
https://afsp.org/chapter/illinois
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Presenter
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Monica Morris, LPC
Presenter
PEER Services
Monica Morris, LPC, is an artist, art therapist, and curator based in the Chicagoland area. She received an MA in Art Therapy and Counseling (2020) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a BFA in Sculpture (2015) from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Monica is currently a Staff Therapist at PEER Services, an outpatient substance use treatment center in Evanston, IL, with prior work experience at safety net hospitals and social service agencies. Her therapeutic approach incorporates harm reduction, person-centered, and relational frameworks, and she is passionate about eliminating barriers to the arts and mental health care. In 2022, she received a Special Projects Grant from the Evanston Arts Council to expand art therapy programming for teen and adult clients at PEER Services. Monica is also an active participant in the Evanston Community Resources Coalition, where she collaborates with other local organizations to address shared issues facing the community.
https://peerservices.org/
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Presenter
PEER Services
Patti Vick, MFA
Presenter
Open Studio Project
Patti Vick earned a BA in Anthropology from The Colorado College and an MFA in Visual Communication from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After several years of working as a graphic designer, she rediscovered the joys of expressive art making through Open Studio Project in Evanston. Trained in meditation and mindfulness practices as well as expressive arts, Patti facilitates weekly Open Studio Art & Wellness classes for adults, regularly leads Art & Renewal workshops for professionals in caring roles, and trains facilitators in the Open Studio Process. Patti is passionate about sharing the benefits of the OSP process for self-care, meditation, and guidance.
https://www.openstudioproject.org/
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Presenter
Open Studio Project
Rob Lentz, MFA
Presenter
Open Studio Project
Rob Lentz is the Program Director at Open Studio Project. He is an artist, administrator, and curator, with an extensive background in community art studios, exhibits, and non-profit management. Rob is a founder and former Executive Director of Project Onward, a Chicago-based art studio and gallery for artists with disabilities, and previously served as Director of Visual Arts for Gallery 37, the City of Chicago art program for teens. For over 20 years, Rob has managed safe and supportive studio environments, leading teams of teaching artists, administrators, art therapists and students. He has curated exhibitions, written, and lectured extensively about the disability arts movement. Rob serves on the Board of Directors of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art.
https://www.openstudioproject.org/
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Open Studio Project
Roxana Villatoro, MSW
Presenter
Ascension Saint Francis Hospital
Roxana Villatoro is a bilingual, bicultural Behavioral Health Counselor at Ascension St. Francis Hospital with a passionate focus on supporting individuals, couples, adolescents, and families in overcoming generational trauma through the use of skill development tools to promote growth, goal achievement, and overall life enrichment. Born in the Northside of Chicago to Spanish-speaking parents, Roxana’s personal experiences as a Latina deepens her understanding and commitment to dissolving barriers and stigma surrounding mental health services within marginalized communities. She has acquired a six year vast experience in working with underserved populations, serving as an Emergency Room Crisis Worker, and working for non-for-profit organizations with roles as a Case Manager serving people experiencing chronic homelessness. Roxana is dedicated to assisting others in re-discovering their values and finding meaning in their life experiences.
https://healthcare.ascension.org/locations/illinois/ilchi/evanston-ascension-saint-francis
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Ascension Saint Francis Hospital
Sarah Tolan-Mee, RSMT
Presenter
Yellowbrick
Sarah Tolan-Mee is a somatic therapist with a background in the performing arts. She has a BA from Brown University, an MFA from The Juilliard School, and is certified in Somatic Parts Therapy. Her role at Yellowbrick is to facilitate emerging adults’ capacity for interoception and self-regulation. Using mindfulness, movement, and sensorimotor techniques, Sarah enlists
the mind-body relationship into the process of healing. Outside work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her young daughter, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and a good book.
https://yellowbrickprogram.com/
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Yellowbrick
Susan Swanson, LCSW
Presenter
CJE Senior Life
Susan Swanson is a licensed clinical social worker with CJE Senior Life. She received her master’s degree in social work from The School of Social Service Administration (SSA) at The University of Chicago and a post-graduate degree from The Center for Family Consultation. Susan began her professional career with CJE in 1988. Susan has a wide range of experience with older adults which includes providing mental health services to care management to
education. She has presented at various conferences on topics related to aging and mental health.
https://www.cje.net/
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Presenter
CJE Senior Life
Sylvia Corcoran, LCSW, MCEd
Presenter
Inclusive Insight Psychotherapy & Counseling
A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience in providing therapy to families, couples and individuals of all ages and ethnicities, performing psychosocial assessments, design and evaluation of intervention strategies. Served as a referral source, interfaced with collateral contacts; school personnel, other family members. Gained experience as a social work intern in a shelter for women without a domicile and in the outpatient department of psychiatry in one of the top 100 teaching hospitals. Provided spiritual nurture to patients as an on-call chaplain in a top teaching hospital.
https://www.chicagoiipc.com/
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Inclusive Insight Psychotherapy & Counseling
Tom Golebiewski, Ph.D., LCSW
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Dr. Thomas Golebiewski is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Having worked in schools for over 45 years, he spent 26 years as Department Chair of Social Work at New Trier High School. He has been an adjunct Professor at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, and is currently consulting to schools through Northwestern University, School of Education and Social Policy and is teaching at Loyola University in the School of Social Work. He is in private practice in Psychotherapy, Counseling and Consultation in Wilmette, Il., currently a Consultant at Wolcott School, an independent school in Chicago. He is a frequent presenter for the Illinois Principal’s Association on Mental Health Issues in Schools.He is a member of the Lake County Family Violence Coordinating Council and a Lake County Court Approved Domestic Violence Evaluator and Treatment Provider. He is n the Illinois Domestic Violence Fatility Review Commission. He volunteers at the Red Cross as a Disaster Mental Health Responder, is an Associate of the AKRice Institute and a member of CCSGO. He is a Certified Teacher through the Cultivating Emotional Balance and Mindful Meditation Teacher Certification Programs. Dr. Golebiewski received his BA and MSW from Loyola University in Chicago and PhD in Clinical Social Work from The Institute for Clinical Social Work, Chicago, Il.
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