You CAN BE So Much Happier

The great news is that we can do our sessions in the comfort of your home or office.

Most of my sessions occur over Skype or Facebook Messenger, because I work with clients all over the country. This way we can see each other as we talk. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to use them, I can help you get started.

If you’d prefer a phone call, we can do that as well. Alternatively, if you live in the Chicago area and would like to do in-person sessions, you can come to my office in Schaumburg, IL.

I work with my clients Monday-Thursday from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm and Monday evenings from 6:00 pm –9:00 pm, Central Time.

These hours work for most of my clients; but if they don’t work for you and you’re interested in working with me, please call and I’ll try to work you in at another time.

Sessions last 55 minutes, and I generally meet with clients on a weekly basis.

Call me at (630) 216-9911 to set up your first session. Because I may be working with another client when you call, please leave a message with your name, phone number, and a couple of options for a good time to call you back.

Though I understand that unexpected situations happen to all of us, I encourage my clients to honor their commitment to meet and work together as planned. I’m happy to waive the fee for the first cancellation. After the first time, the following will apply:

1) cancelling 6 days or more before your appointment – No Charge;
2) cancelling 2-5 days before your appointment – $25;
3) cancelling the day before or day of your appointment – $50.

I work with individuals and couples.

I also enjoy doing Mom Coaching. This involves working with Moms on their own Happiness AND helping them teach their families the ideas and skills they’ve learned. So we’re creating not just a Happier Mom, but a Happier family and kids who can use these skills throughout their lives.

You can obtain more information on my Services page.

The first session we’ll start with getting to know each other a bit and answering any questions you may have. Then we’ll discuss what is happening in your life, what changes you want to make, and what goals you want to achieve to make you a Happier person.

After that, we’ll start sessions with what you’ve learned from doing your homework. We’ll do a quick check-in on your week and see how you’ve incorporated what we talked about during the previous week.

Then we dig into the areas of life that are causing you problems and what new activities or goals you want to begin or continue pursuing. We may also do some emotional healing for past painful experiences that are stopping you from moving forward with these goals.

Basically, we go where your feelings and interests take us.

Finally, we discuss what you’ll do the coming week to continue creating the Happy Life you want.

Generally, I suggest something to do or think about between sessions. The truth is that we’re working to help you be Happier, and we can’t make that happen in only one hour a week.

I have no set homework assignments. I just come up with new ideas for each client, depending on what we discuss that day.

It could be trying a new behavior, having a conversation with someone about a new career or interest, making a list of your dreams, or practicing a Releasing Technique for negative memories or emotions.

Here’s a good one. I might assign you the task of noticing all the things you say to yourself when you become angry, disappointed, or are thinking about trying something new. It could be many things, but your input and agreement are part of the process.

I remember working with my own Coach years ago and telling her I was so busy I only wanted homework associated with “Being” and not “Doing.” What I meant was I wanted to learn and try new things but no big time-intensive stuff. It was very successful for me.

This will depend completely on your needs. Does your life feel blah and unfulfilling, or are you feeling miserable and want to release a lot of pain from your past and make big changes? Obviously the second scenario will take more time. I’ve had clients who have waited many years to address their unhappiness that have worked with me for a year.

Some clients, who have more limited financial resources, only work with me for a few months. So we focus only on their biggest concerns, and I coach and teach them all I can to give them tools to continue on their own.

I’ve also had clients who work with me for awhile, take a break, and then come back for more sessions to continue making their Happiness goals a reality.

So I’ll work with you however best suits your needs.

In 1998, I obtained a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology.

During my studies, I felt uncomfortable diagnosing people with an illness, when they often were simply experiencing hard times and just wanted help. Fortunately, I discovered the relatively new field called Life Coaching. After looking into the basic premise of this technique, I was hooked.

The basic premise of Life Coaching is that people are like acorns. An acorn, given the right soil, water, and sun will grow and thrive, and become the beautiful oak tree it was always meant to be.

And people are the same. They have within them their own innate beauty and greatness; and with the right encouragement and opportunity, they can create the wonderful life they dream of having.

So, while obtaining an MA in Psychology, I simultaneously did a year of Life Coach Training with The Coach Training Institute and continued to their Advanced Training.

Because I love this stuff, I continued with many different teachers and programs over the next 13 years.

Then in 2016. I began studying techniques to releasing past and present negative emotions. These take the Coaching process to a much more effective level, because this will allow you to release the emotional blocks that can often make change difficult.

In 2018, I trained as a Life Transformed Coach, which for me feels like having a Ph.D. in helping people release their past and make their greatest wishes in their life a reality.

I’ve been asked this question many times over the last 20 years. This is how I explain it. Imagine a graph with a line going across the middle and that line is labeled “Being OK.”

For the people who fall below that line, life is hard, painful, and has serious problems. These can include addictions, trauma, depression, severe anxiety, constant anger, paralyzing hopelessness, harming themselves or others, and grief from loss or a painful past. These are the types of situations that may call for therapy.

For those people above the line, their life will certainly have some problems; but they are handling them most of the time. Life is OK, and they’re getting by.

But what about people who want their lives to be much better than OK? These are people who want a more fulfilling life and Happier Life. People who can no longer let OK be good enough for them.

These are the people who won’t settle and decide to do something to make their dream of a Happier life a reality. They choose to live way above the line!

Only if that is in line with your beliefs.

Gosh, I hope so. I love to laugh and make jokes. Don’t worry, this will never happen during an intense emotional conversation. But after we talk and start resolving it, I’m alright with seeing the lighter, funnier side. It’s part of what makes me Happier.

Because being coached is new to you.

Because you don’t know what’s going to happen.

Because your brain keeps coming up with a list of “Yeah, buts.”

Yes, it will be new, and you won’t know what’s going to happen – that can be exciting.

And “Yeah, but” has never led anyone to a new experience or adventure that’s amazing.

So let your brain to be quiet for a bit and listen to the part of you that’s saying, “I wanna try it!”

It changes every few years, but right now it’s reddish purple.

It used to be.

When I’m with him, I get that question a lot because I’m 5’2” and he’s 6’7”. In addition, for you to know me a bit better, we met taking Second City Improv classes. It’s great when spouses make each other laugh.