Populations: Teens, Adults
Asking for help can be incredibly difficult.
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You may know that something is not working but feel uncertain about where to begin, how to explain what you are experiencing, or whether therapy will feel comfortable. You may be dealing with anxiety, changing relationships, a major transition, or experiences that continue to affect the way you feel and respond.
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My goal is to offer a space where you can pursue support at a pace that feels manageable. I work primarily with adolescents and young adults, taking time to understand each person’s experiences, concerns, and goals.
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Together, we can explore what is affecting you, develop a clearer understanding of the patterns involved, and identify ways to manage current challenges while preparing for the changes ahead.
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I provide individual therapy through Calm Mind Counseling Center in Forest Park, Willowbrook, and online throughout Illinois.
Meet Kurtis
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s degree in Community Counseling from Loyola University Chicago.
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Supporting the mental health of the community around me has been an important goal throughout my professional development. I especially enjoy working with adolescents and young adults as they navigate the emotional, relational, and practical changes that come with growing independence.
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This stage of life can involve shifting relationships, increased responsibilities, decisions about school or work, questions about identity, and uncertainty about the future. Even positive changes may bring stress, anxiety, or a feeling of being unprepared.
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Therapy can provide a place to slow down, understand what you are experiencing, and develop skills you can continue using as you encounter new responsibilities and transitions.
Who I Work With
I work primarily with adolescents and young adults seeking support for concerns that may include:
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Anxiety
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Life transitions
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Peer and relationship concerns
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Trauma and post-traumatic stress
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Depression
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ADHD-related concerns
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Self-esteem
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Coping skills
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LGBTQIA+ experiences
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Stress and emotional overwhelm
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Identity development
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Changes involving school, work, or independence
hese concerns often overlap. Anxiety may make social situations, school, work, or decision-making more difficult. Changes in peer relationships may affect confidence or emotional well-being. A major transition may bring uncertainty about identity, direction, or the expectations placed on you.
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Our work begins with understanding how these experiences affect you as an individual rather than assuming that one explanation or approach fits everyone.
What Therapy With Me Is Like
I believe therapy should move at a pace that respects the person seeking support.
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You do not need to arrive with everything clearly defined or know exactly what you want to say. We can take time to understand what brought you to therapy, what feels most important, and what type of support may be useful.
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My intention is to offer a comfortable environment where you feel listened to and understood. We will work collaboratively while recognizing that your experiences, personality, strengths, and goals are unique.
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Our sessions may include:
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Exploring current challenges
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Identifying patterns in thoughts, emotions, or behavior
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Reflecting on relationships and past experiences
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Learning how anxiety or trauma can affect the mind and body
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Developing coping and communication strategies
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Clarifying personal goals
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Building confidence in handling future challenges
The direction of therapy will be shaped around what you need rather than a rigid formula.
Person-Centered Therapy
A person-centered approach keeps your experiences, goals, and choices at the center of the therapeutic process.
My role is not to decide what your life should look like. It is to listen carefully, help you reflect on what you are experiencing, and support you as you identify changes that matter to you.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help us examine connections among thoughts, emotions, and actions.
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This may include identifying patterns that contribute to anxiety or distress and developing practical ways to respond differently when those patterns appear.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative techniques can help you explore the stories and beliefs that influence how you understand yourself.
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You may have come to define yourself through a difficult experience, relationship, mistake, or expectation. Therapy can provide an opportunity to examine those narratives and consider perspectives that better reflect the full complexity of who you are.
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The approaches we use will depend on your needs, goals, and preferred way of working.
Understanding What You Are Experiencing
Psychoeducation is an important part of my approach.
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Emotions and reactions can feel less confusing when we understand more about why they occur. Learning how the brain responds to anxiety, stress, trauma, and change may help you recognize that your reactions are not random or signs of personal failure.
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Depending on what brings you to therapy, we may discuss:
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How anxiety affects thoughts and physical responses
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How avoidance can reinforce fear
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How trauma can influence the nervous system
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How thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact
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How coping patterns develop
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How relationships and environments affect emotional well-being
Psychoeducation does not replace the personal work of therapy. It can provide a framework that makes your experiences easier to understand and gives greater context to the strategies we develop together.
Support Through Life Transitions
Life transitions are one of my primary areas of focus.
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Adolescents and young adults may be navigating changes involving:
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High school or college
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Employment and career direction
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Greater independence
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Family expectations
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Friendships and peer groups
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Dating and relationships
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Identity and personal values
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Moving or changing living arrangements
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New responsibilities
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Uncertainty about the future
Transitions may create excitement and opportunity while also bringing anxiety, grief, pressure, or self-doubt.
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My goal is to help clients develop ways to manage themselves during current transitions so that they feel better prepared for the larger changes and responsibilities they may face later.
Anxiety and Peer Relationships
Anxiety and peer relationships are also central areas of my clinical work.
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Anxiety may affect social interactions, school, work, decision-making, sleep, confidence, or the ability to participate fully in daily life. You may spend significant time anticipating what could go wrong, replaying interactions, or avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable.
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Peer relationships can become especially important during adolescence and young adulthood. Conflict, isolation, changing friendships, social expectations, and concerns about belonging may have a significant effect on emotional well-being.
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Therapy may help you better understand what contributes to these experiences, recognize patterns, and develop healthier ways to communicate, cope, and respond.
Trauma-Informed Therapy and EMDR
Trauma may affect emotions, relationships, confidence, physical responses, and the way someone understands themselves or the world around them.
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I believe that learning how the brain and body respond to trauma can help make those reactions easier to understand. Therapy may involve exploring how earlier experiences continue to influence current concerns while developing coping resources suited to your needs.
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I am currently completing training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Credentials and Professional Background
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Licensed Professional Counselor
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Illinois professional counselor license 178.021719
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Master of Education in Community Counseling
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Loyola University Chicago, 2023
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EMDR training in progress
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Experience working with adolescents and young adults
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Clinical approaches including person-centered therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, narrative therapy, psychoeducation, feminist therapy, and play-based techniques
Outside the Therapy Room
Outside of my professional life, I enjoy spending time with family and friends and having quiet evenings with my partner.
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I also enjoy learning new skills and hobbies, reading fantasy fiction, playing board games with friends, and returning to a regular weightlifting routine.
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A fun fact about me is that I previously trained intensely as a competitive powerlifter.
Therapy in Forest Park, Willowbrook, and Online
I provide individual therapy for adults through Calm Mind Counseling Center.
Forest Park Office
7621 Roosevelt Road
Forest Park, IL 60130
Willowbrook Office ​
6713 Kingery Highway (Suite 13)
Willowbrook, IL 60527
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Online Therapy
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Telehealth appointments are available for eligible clients located in Illinois.
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Please contact Calm Mind Counseling Center to ask about current availability and whether in-person or online therapy may be appropriate for your needs.
Begin Therapy With Kurtis
You may be managing anxiety, navigating changes in your relationships, preparing for a major transition, or trying to understand experiences that continue to affect you.
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You do not need to know exactly where therapy will lead before reaching out.
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We can take time to understand what you are experiencing, identify the support you need, and develop ways to approach present and future challenges with greater awareness and confidence.
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To ask about working with me, contact Calm Mind Counseling Center.
