Carla Leone, Ph.D.
Dr. Leone is the founder and director of North Suburban Family Psychologists. She received her Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago in 1989, and has over 25 years experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families in private practice and community mental health agencies. She is on the faculty of the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago. She is on the governing council and advisory board of an international psychoanalytic organization and co-chairs its Couples Therapy Interest Group. She has published several papers in peer-reviewed journals, including a paper on adolescent experience, a paper and a book chapter on family therapy and two papers on couples therapy, and has lectured and presented extensively on these topics.
Contact Dr. Leone at 847-568-9642, ext. 1 or cleonephd@gmail.com.
Contact Dr. Leone at 847-568-9642, ext. 1 or cleonephd@gmail.com.
Anna Kessler Cordeiro, Ph.D.
Dr. Kessler Cordeiro received her Ph.D. from the California School of Professional Psychology in 1997 and has over 20 years experience working with adolescents, adults, couples and families in several different settings. She is currently a supervising psychologist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago where she supervises psychology interns and consults to medical clinics. She has special expertise in women’s issues, including pre- and post partum adjustment, depression, anxiety, health-related issues and relationship issues. Dr. Cordeiro is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Contact Dr. Cordeiro at 847-568-9642, ext. 2 or annacordeirophd@gmail.com.
Contact Dr. Cordeiro at 847-568-9642, ext. 2 or annacordeirophd@gmail.com.
MaryAlice Lavin, LCSW
MaryAlice received her Masters in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago in 2007. She has over twenty years experience working with children and adolescents with social/emotional, learning and developmental challenges and their families in a variety of settings, as a special education teacher, consultant and now psychotherapist. She has also worked with adults and couples coping with an array of issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions and interpersonal relationships. A veteran herself, MaryAlice is interested in working with active duty service men and women, veterans and their family members struggling with the profound effects of war and with difficulties integrating back into civilian life.
Contact Ms. Lavin at 847-568-9642, ext. 7 or mlavinlcsw@gmail.com.
Contact Ms. Lavin at 847-568-9642, ext. 7 or mlavinlcsw@gmail.com.
Joseph Alger, LCSW
Mr. Alger received his Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago in 2008 and has worked as a school social worker and athletics coach in several area high schools since then. He specializes in working with adolescents and their families and is experienced in the treatment of anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders, self-esteem and relationship issues, and behavior disorders. He has weekday evening hours at our Evanston and Buffalo Grove offices.
Contact Mr. Alger at 847-568-9642, ext. 10 or jalger.lcsw@gmail.com.
Contact Mr. Alger at 847-568-9642, ext. 10 or jalger.lcsw@gmail.com.
Debra Wolff, Psy.D.
Dr. Debra Wolff is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her doctoral degree from Argosy University and has worked in private practice for over a decade. She has particular experience and expertise in the treatment of anxiety disorders (including OCD, PTSD, social phobia, and generalized anxiety), depression, life stressors, grief and loss, and relationship issues in children, adolescents, adults and families. She has been trained in the latest cognitive-behavioral approaches as well as family systems and psychoanalytic models. This flexibility allows her to work with a wide variety of individuals at whatever depth they require.
Contact Dr. Wolff at 847-568-9642 ext. 4, or dwolff.psyd@gmail.com.
Contact Dr. Wolff at 847-568-9642 ext. 4, or dwolff.psyd@gmail.com.
Julia Cibul Fording, LCSW
Julia received her MSW in 2003 from New York University. After taking time off to raise her family, she has spent the last several years working with college students, adults, and couples in clinical settings, working both individually and with group treatment. Julia completed a fellowship in Advanced Clinical Psychotherapy from Cathedral Counseling Center in 2016. She also completed a Post Graduate Clinical Training program at Live Oak Chicago in Trauma-Informed Practice and Affirmative Practice with the LGBTQ community in 2014. Professional interests include: Adolescents, life transitions, parenting, grief and loss, LGBTQ, depression and anxiety, and couples work.
Contact Ms. Fording at 847-568-9642 ext. 6, or jcfording33@gmail.com.
Contact Ms. Fording at 847-568-9642 ext. 6, or jcfording33@gmail.com.
Whitney Smith, Psy.D.
Dr. Smith received her Psy.D. from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, CA. She has several years of training and experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families in community mental health, school, college and hospital settings. Dr. Smith has interest and experience in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. She is dedicated to helping individuals identify and overcome the barriers impacting their personal, relational, professional and emotional growth.
Contact Dr. Smith at 847-568-9642, ext. 11 or whitney.smith.psyd@gmail.com.
Contact Dr. Smith at 847-568-9642, ext. 11 or whitney.smith.psyd@gmail.com.
Maureen Shayman, LCSW, M.S.Ed.
Maureen Shayman has her Masters in Social Work and has worked with children and adolescents in several school districts in the Northwest suburbs for over 25 years. She has extensive knowledge of school systems and has worked with children with a variety of social and emotional issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, autism, attention difficulties, and socialization. She has facilitated groups for children and parents and has specialized training in helping children build social competencies and regulate their emotions.
Contact Ms. Shayman at 847-568-9642, ext. 8 or maureen.shayman@gmail.com.
Contact Ms. Shayman at 847-568-9642, ext. 8 or maureen.shayman@gmail.com.
Rachel Albers, MA, NCC, LPC
Rachel received her M.A. in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University (Chicago, IL) in 2020. She has a background in trauma-informed counseling practices and spent the last year working at Advocate IL Masonic’s Behavioral Health Services. Rachel has experience working with groups, families, individuals of all ages, from young children to older adults. Her professional interests and expertise include working with people of all ages who are struggling with issues related to trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief/loss, parenting difficulties, other life stressors, and LGBTQIA+ issues. Rachel is passionate about helping clients understand their inherent worth and form a holistic sense of self through the therapeutic relationship.
Contact Ms. Albers at 847-568-9642, ext. 9 or ralbers.lpc@gmail.com.
Contact Ms. Albers at 847-568-9642, ext. 9 or ralbers.lpc@gmail.com.
Laura Pappa, Ph.D.
Dr. Pappa received her Ph.D. from the University of Akron with specialized training in counseling psychology. She has several years of training and experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She has worked in an array of facilities including hospitals, community mental health centers and college counseling centers. Dr. Pappa’s interests and expertise are in family and child therapy, teens with self-esteem, anxiety and relationship concerns, women’s health, including peripartum anxiety and depression, sexuality, and trauma. She speaks English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Contact Dr. Pappa at 847-568-9642, ext. 3 or mlaurapappa@gmail.com.
Contact Dr. Pappa at 847-568-9642, ext. 3 or mlaurapappa@gmail.com.