Find a Therapist in Pingree Grove, Illinois.

Psychotherapy is an in-depth review of where your life has been and where your life is going. Understanding how your history affects your emotions and current relationships gives you the chance to change long-standing patterns. The goal is to handle difficult emotions, while still making good decisions for yourself. While we all want to feel better, sometimes we have to do better to feel better. We take the time to define your desired outcomes because we will find a natural source of energy and motivation. We identify the behavioral and thinking patterns that will lead to your desired outcomes. Steps are identified toward behavior change that otherwise has been elusive.

Psychotherapy is a wonderful therapeutic approach for people who are experiencing some struggles with life, are ready to change, set goals, and heal. Encompassing talk therapy and a safe, supportive environment, you can begin to explore and challenge yourself, behaviors and thoughts and move toward recapturing your well being, motivation and insight.

I believe that success in therapy relies upon a foundation of mutual trust and a sense of safety, and that the therapeutic alliance is one of the most important factors in helping clients improve and reach their goals. ​ I identify as a values-based therapist who uses empirically supported treatment options in a safe and confidential environment.

I am trained in a variety of traditional and non-traditional treatment methods that I integrate in a holistic approach to psychotherapy. While grounded in scientifically proven methods such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, I also integrate with treatment methods such as Positive Psychology which emphasizes the development of strengths over targeting weaknesses, and hypnotherapy approaches that incorporate subconscious and body-based processes.

Not every counselor has the ability, patience or interest in doing psychotherapy which I see as different from counseling as men are from women. I'm an experienced psychotherapist who has helped man clients deal with the internal and family of origin issues which lead to repetitive negative patterns of thinking, feeling and behavior. I'm not only a good listener, but engage the client in a process to feel more related with their internal lives so they can make healthier life choices. My clients have reported feeling more content and capable as a result of our work together.

Psychotherapy is an effective way to gain insights, find hope, and get support. My approach is to demystify the psychotherapy experience. I am down to earth and like to provide support while also teaching you new skills and ideas to use in your life. It's not just talk therapy with me. In addition to processing stressors in your life I will also provide you with new real world tools to use.

Psychotherapy helps you to tap into your inner-most feelings and subconscious thoughts that control social/emotional behavior. Psychotherapy techniques will help you to identify and cope with challenges that keep you from realizing the life you idealize. Therapeutic techniques may include, but are not limited to, the client expressing any thoughts and feelings without censorship (free association) or analyzing dreams for meaning. In doing so, the client will gain self-awareness necessary to promote healthy personality and behavior changes.

It is not always easy or comfortable to share how you are feeling, what you are struggling with, or thing that are bothering you with others even people you are very close to because it is very vulnerable. I am here to help you with that process of opening up and talking about issues that are negatively impacting your life. Therapy can help you acknowledge the issues and become more aware of how you want to manage, resolve, and work through them. This path can help you work towards your meaningful life while address the issues that may be standing in your way.

Patients often describe their experience working with me as a journey characterized by compassion, understanding, and genuine connection. My approach is rooted in creating a safe and welcoming space where you feel heard and valued. Patients have shared that our sessions feel like open conversations, free from judgment, where thoughts and emotions are explored with a sense of genuine curiosity. Many have expressed a profound sense of relief in being able to share their struggles openly, knowing that they are met with empathy and respect.

My approach to psychotherapy starts with a careful assessment of the problem and your attempts to solve them. We will look at your whole life, your health, your relationships with loved ones, your relationship with God. Sometimes, we are living life out of balance or we are going through difficult transitions and we just need some coaching on how to get ourselves unstuck. Other times solutions seem much more difficult to find. I can help with both but I am especially committed to finding creative solutions for those times when that problem just doesn't seem to go away no matter how hard you try.

In psychotherapy, I strive to uncover and help the client learn to deal more effectively with the underlying causes of their difficulties in life. When logistical changes in their lives can be made to better their life situations, I bring out and foster the adoption of such. Ofter, however, deeper considerations are necessary and, in this regard, I try to help the client to relate to deeper issues that are root causes of the difficulties he or she experiences in life. Resolution of deeper issues generally leads to greater long term life satisfaction.

With every client, I strive to create an accepting, empathic, and warm environment while building a strong rapport. Building a strong rapport and therapeutic alliance is a top priority of mine while accurately and empathically supporting the client and creating a treatment plan. Under my care and support, you will feel heard, understood, and advocated for.

"Psychotherapy is the informed and intentional application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles for the purpose of assisting people to modify their behaviors, cognitions, emotions, and/or other personal characteristics in directions that the participants deem desirable" (Norcross, 1990, p. 218-220 ) We use Freudian-based theories, object relations, attachment theories and self-psychology to assist our clients in identifying and understanding the underlying issues that may color their current relationships.

Counseling is both a relational experience and learning process that can foster much personal and professional growth and healing. My approach is to provide a healthy, encouraging relationship that is both collaborative, instructive, and one that empowers you to become your best self and grow into the life and work that is most meaningful for you. I will model and teach you various skills, provides resources, and support you towards the solutions that fit you best.

We all think negatively at times; however, we are empowered because we can change the way we think in order to feel better and cope in the best way possible. In order to pursue optimal psychological health, one way to start is to begin to monitor our thinking regularly. The next step is to examine or question our thoughts and ask ourselves things like: Are our thoughts rational or reasonable? Are they helpful in changing the situation or making us feel better? Are they in proportion to what has happened? Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a particularly effective form of psychotherapy that can help you learn how to feel better especially if CBT is part of a comprehensive treatment plan

In psychotherapy, you will start to more deeply understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors with a guide--your psychologist. What I often hear from the clients I meet is, "Wow, I never looked at my mother like that!" or "I guess it makes sense that I would react that way to my son, just like my father did with me." I help you turn yourself inside out & your world upside down so that you can see & experience your life differently, now.

We offer thoughtful and engaging sessions to help treat your mental health concerns. We do so by building trust and providing evidence to support healthy, functional change, but we also do so by challenging your negative thought patterns. We ask if there is another way to think about the situation and provide skills and techniques for you to practice in session and on your own. Psychotherapy is a work in process.

Psychotherapy is the process where you seek out truths and understanding and throw away what isn't working. Then you build something that is better. I think the goal of therapy is to develop self awareness and this, in turn, will help create happiness. I don't have all of the answers, but I have a good idea of what questions to ask. That will help guide us to understanding and to develop a resolution to the problems you are seeking help for. For more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Kari Hunter has provided psychotherapy for individuals, couples and families for over 25 years. She offers many types of psychotherapy for problems such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, child and adolescent problems, and relationship struggles. Psychotherapy today incorporates our knowledge about brain science and behavioral change. Evidence from research has led to development of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness strategies, and many types of Marital and Family Therapy.

Being properly diagnosis is the first order of business. Feeling comfortable with your therapist is also very important. Having clear and concise goals for psychotherapy helps both the client and therapist stay on course and ensure a successful outcome in a time frame that allows for efficient change that is long lasting. Also working in conjunction with medical personal can help better use the therapy process.