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Laura L. Mathis, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP)Dr. Mathis specializes in couple's therapy (premarital and problem-solving), anxiety disorders (stress, nervousness, trauma, and panic attacks), depression, and careers. |
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Overview
Dr. Mathis earned both her masters and doctorate from The Adler School of Psychology here in Chicago. Her bachelor's degree is in English literature; she worked 10 years in advertising prior to pursuing her career in psychology. She chose Adlerian psychology due to the beliefs it espouses regarding the relationship between client and therapist (that of two equals), its holistic view of a person, and its optimistic portrayal of both the client and of the therapeutic process. In addition to her studies at Adler, Dr. Mathis has special training in assessing childhood disorders, parenting, working with trauma and crisis, anger management, stress management, and understanding underserved populations. She has conducted seminars on boundaries, conducting confrontations, the development of personality, depression, differential diagnosis of ADHD, and dealing with peer pressure (8th grade audience).Laura L. Mathis sees patients at the following location(s):
Chicago, Illinois
Private Practice77 W Washington St., Suite #1911
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Phone: 312-218-7409
E-mail this therapist
Web: http://www.drlauramathis.com/
Personal Statement
First of all, I applaud you for taking the first step in the process of finding someone to help you sort out some things. Making the decision to see a therapist can be a difficult one. Finding the right therapist can also be difficult. I encourage you to not give up if the first person you try isn’t a good fit. Therapists are not a one-size fits all. If you would like some more information regarding therapy in general or my practice, please feel free to email me general questions. I am also happy to do a no-charge, 15-minute face-to-face if you would like to meet. This is not a therapy session, just a Q&A time to help you in your decision process.While each person’s situation is unique, and therefore the approach to each person would be unique, here is some general information about how I might work with you. I practice from an Adlerian model. This means at some point in the process, I would like to explore your past with you to see how your previous life experiences may have played a role in your current situation.
This being said, I do work with people who prefer not to explore the past and we work on techniques and skills that can help them without delving into family history. You are in charge of your own therapy and I welcome your feedback.
One of the things we will likely do in therapy is to explore what Adlerians call "interfering ideas." Through a variety of techniques and assessments, we would work together as a team to discover thought patterns or ideas that may be interfering with your success in love, friendship, career, or spiritual endeavors. In my experience, interfering ideas are often at the root of anxiety, depression, marital discord, etc. Once these ideas are identified, a plan for addressing these interfering ideas is developed, put into action, assessed regularly, and modified as needed. Of course, depending on the problem you bring in, other specific techniques will be included in your therapy program (i.e. stress management, anger management, grief therapy, etc.).
In the interest of total disclosure, I am a person of faith. For some people this is important and it can be included as part of their therapeutic process. However, my practice consists of people from a variety of faith backgrounds and of no religious beliefs at all. I can assure you that without your expressed stated desire for spiritual beliefs to play a part in your therapy, they will not. In all cases, therapy must be a judgment-free and safe place to be. Please feel free to ask me questions about this or anything in my profile.