Heather MacLaren, LCPC, BC-DMT, ICDVP

The base of my work starts with our relationship: I believe that healing happens in good relationships – ones with presence, honesty, trust, and care. I also believe in the wisdom that our bodies hold. In my therapy practice, I have found that befriending our physical experience and using it as part of therapy helps to unlock deeper healing and growth than just talking about our issues. While incorporating the body into therapy can feel weird at first, we'll do it in a way that's playful, open, and at your own pace. I am trained in and incorporate various approaches to therapy that include traditional 'talk therapy' from a relational and feminist perspective, dance/movement therapy, and sensorimotor psychotherapy (level 1 completed May 2024, level 2 in progress). I also incorporate DBT skills and concepts as well as art-making, music and poetry. I also have over a decade of experience working with survivors of domestic violence and their children, and am a Certified Domestic Violence Professional in Illinois. Together we will embrace your strengths, tend to the painful parts of your life that need care, and help you find more ease.