Abe and Ida Cooper Center

Ruth has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker. She has worked at JCFS Chicago since 1989, overseeing policy administration for the Counseling and Refugee Resettlement programs, while mentoring social work students and clinicians. Her philosophy is to empower with guidance and support, resulting in a safe, trustworthy environment for clients. She strongly believes in the power of relationships and the ability to make change. She also believes there are ways to help people dealing with life transitions to sustain fulfilling lives.

Kathy is a licensed clinical social worker. She has experience providing therapy to children, adults, couples and families. Kathy has expertise in the area of early childhood, parenting, mood and anxiety disorders, life transitions, trauma and loss. She utilizes psychodynamic and family systems approaches and has been trained in Child Parent Psychotherapy. She strives to create an environment where clients feel safe to deal with difficult life issues and learn how to make positive changes. Kathy co-authored the book “Connections: A Relationship-Based Phase Model,” a hands-on resource manual for early childhood educators for promoting social and emotional health in young children.

Linnet is the Clinical Supervisor of Virginia Frank Child Development Center and Coordinator of the Connections Early Childhood Training Institute, as well as an art therapist who provides psychotherapy for families, adults, couples and children with a focus on parent guidance, relationship and promotion of personal creativity. She specializes in play therapy to treat childhood anxiety, parental anxiety and depression, attachment and relationship problems, and issues related to the experience of trauma and loss. She facilitates groups for children and provides mental health consultation to preschool programs. Linnet co-authored the book “Connections: A Relationship-Based Phase Model” which is a hands-on resource manual for early childhood educators promoting social and emotional health in young children.

Josh uses a therapeutic-developmental framework to treat preschool-aged children. Josh also provides therapy to adults, school-aged children and their families.  He helps people make sense of their experiences, strengthen self-appreciation, and clarify and work toward their goals.  He approaches therapy as a deeply meaningful, personal experience.

Dena is trained in marriage and family therapy and has experience providing therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families. She utilizes a client-centered, strength-based, relational approach focusing on providing a safe, therapeutic environment for her clients to help them feel understood and achieve their goals. Dena always considers how the influences of culture and environment affect an individual, couple, or family system. Prior to Virginia Frank Child Development Center, Dena’s work was focused in community settings with children and youth impacted by trauma and abuse, providing in-home and school-based therapeutic services. Dena works with a variety of clinical issues including depression, anxiety, grief and loss, family conflict and attachment difficulties, trauma-informed counseling, body-image/low self-esteem, and life transitions. She frequently utilizes modalities from play-based therapy, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy to support the client in treatment.

Whitney provides family, individual and group therapy. Whitney has clinical experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities as well as providing service at an outpatient community mental health center. Prior to joining Virginia Frank Child Development Center, Whitney served as the Assistant Director of a children’s summer camp and a social worker at a residential facility for adults with mental illness. Whitney is passionate about supporting youth with social, emotional and behavioral concerns and working with caregivers to strengthen the family unit. 

Mollie has been with the agency for many years, has served as an Educational Therapist in the Virginia Frank Therapeutic Nursery, and has facilitated child-parent groups such as the Get-Together, the Single Parent Dinner Divorce Group, and Getting Ready for Nursery School. Currently she specializes in providing Mental Health Consultation to early childhood programs, leads trainings for early childhood educators and presents on developmental topics at state and local conferences. Her strong area of interest is supporting the social and emotional well-being of children and their families. She currently co-leads a Socialization Group for children ages 3-6.

Laura provides individual, family and couples therapy. In addition, she consults to Head Start sites as well as many other early childhood centers throughout Chicago and the suburbs. Laura has direct experience working with children as an educational therapist, and as a school social worker in early childhood through high school settings. Laura uses a developmental framework that considers the present stage of development of the client as well as prior family issues that may influence current concerns.

Sarah is an educational therapist at Virginia Frank Child Development Center in the Therapeutic Nursery School. She provides psychotherapy that focuses on fostering a safe environment from which a therapeutic relationship can grow and clients’ self-understanding can deepen. Sarah has experience providing treatment to individuals, groups, and families and has helped children and parents in a variety of life situations and emotional concerns, such as school difficulties, parenting challenges, depression, anxiety, trauma, developmental delays, and attachment and separation issues. Sarah also has experience working in a DIRFloortime treatment model that integrates different disciplines and tailors treatment to each individual based on their unique challenges and strengths.

Anna is a licensed professional counselor that provides therapy for families, couples, and adults at Virginia Frank Child Development Center. Prior to becoming a counselor, Anna was an early childhood teacher, during which she worked with her students and families on social, emotional and developmental growth through regular classroom contact and home visits. Anna’s clinical experience includes conducting group therapy for children, parents, and adults, providing mental health consultation to preschool programs, and supporting those experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and attachment/separation challenges.  When working with clients, Anna utilizes play based therapy as well as developmental and attachment informed psychotherapy.

Kate is a licensed clinical social worker with over twenty years of experience, and holds an Illinois Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Credential. In addition to providing psychotherapy to families, children and adults, Kate has provided mental health consultation to early childhood programs. She specializes in treatment of trauma and child-parent relationship challenges in early childhood. Kate uses a relational, family systems approach and is trained in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competency (ARC). She focuses on partnering with parents to support them as they navigate life challenges and build joyful relationships with their children.

Asia is passionate about helping and supporting children and families to overcome their life challenges in a way consistent with their values and beliefs. Her goal is to empower individuals and families by strengthening their relationships and their sense of belonging. She believes every individual and every family is unique and needs to be understood within their environment and context. In therapeutic work with children and families, Asia strives to be developmentally informed and utilizes a psychodynamic and family system approach. Prior to becoming a clinician, she worked for many years with children and their families in home and therapeutic school settings.

Heath is an educational therapist at Virginia Frank Child Development Center in the Therapeutic Nursery School, and provides psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and adults across the lifespan. He has experience providing psychodynamic psychotherapy, while family systems and existential theories also inform his clinical work.

Heath’s approach to the therapy relationship is collaborative and attuned to the unique needs of each individual. He strives to cultivate a creative environment in which clients can safely explore and express themselves, and is committed to helping them develop new ways of being and relating in the world, and greater self-understanding.

Prior to joining Virginia Frank Child Development Center, Heath completed his doctoral-level clinical psychology internship at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center/School of Medicine, and has previously provided clinical services in a number of settings, including: university counseling, private practice, substance abuse programs, inpatient psychiatric units, trauma consult/liaison services, community mental health, and residential facilities. Heath also has experience conducting psychological assessments for individuals experiencing symptoms consistent with ADHD, difficulties related to mood and personality functioning, as well as other psychological concerns for the purposes of a more comprehensive understanding of overall functioning.