Hi, I’m John and I’m a therapist, coach and mediator. I started my career working in the field of government and policy in Washington D.C. and later worked in higher education and the corporate sector. In these jobs I realized that many of us lacked basic interpersonal communication skills for engaging in healthy and satisfying relationships. That awareness, coupled with my curiosity about how people change and grow, led me to a career change so I returned to graduate school to become a Psychotherapist.

For the first five years of my clinical career I worked at a trauma focused group practice in Chicago before starting my own practice, the Chicago Center for Relational Health(CCRH), where I currently see individuals, couples and families. At CCRH I do more traditional therapy and counseling with folks who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, compulsive behaviors and other mental health concerns. I also work with couples and families who are experiencing a variety of relational distress. I am trained in evidence based modalities such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman model.

Because of my particular interest in working with couples I completed a multi-year training program with Dr. Stan Tatkin who created the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT). I am currently the only Level 2 PACT clinician in Chicago. You can read more about PACT on here.

While utilizing a more traditional psychotherapy approach I started to see that some clients didn’t quite meet the criteria for traditional “therapy” and instead benefited from work that was more directive and time limited which many call “coaching”. To learn more about the Coaching work I offer click here.

I am also a trained Mediator who helps couples navigate divorce and conscious uncoupling. Mediation can also be utilized to resolve disputes between any two parties in a legally biding way without the trauma and hassle of traditional litigation. To learn more about Mediation click here.

I love this work and it’s my passion so I am continually incorporating the latest research and literature to ensure we are using science and evidence to help you change and grow. My advice and insight have been featured in the Washington Post, the Psychotherapy Networker Magazine and on NPR and WBEZ. If it sounds like I could be a good fit or you want to know more go ahead and send me an email here.