Child & Teen Therapy
Children and teenagers are not small adults, and therapy that works for them does not look like therapy for adults.
Younger children generally do not talk about feelings on request. The work happens through play, drawing and structured activity, which is not a softer version of therapy — it is the developmentally appropriate version, and it is how the material actually comes out.
Teenagers are different again. They will usually talk, but only once they are convinced the room is theirs and not an extension of their parents. Getting that right in the first few sessions determines most of what follows.
We see clients at our Northbrook office on Academy Drive and our Libertyville office on Hollister Drive, and by telehealth anywhere in Illinois.
What families bring to us
- Anxiety, school refusal, and the Sunday-night stomachaches that precede both
- Big behaviour at home that the school says it never sees — or the reverse
- Mood changes, withdrawal, irritability, or a teenager who has gone quiet
- Divorce, separation, a move, a new school, or a blended family finding its feet
- Grief, including a child grieving in bursts in a way that worries the adults
- Social difficulty, friendship trouble, bullying, or self-esteem that has dropped
How we work with young people
Younger children: play-based and developmentally-informed therapy, with parent guidance running alongside. What changes at home between sessions matters more than the hour in the room, so parents are part of the plan rather than an audience for it.
Teenagers: individual work with CBT and DBT skills, with the confidentiality boundary explained to everyone at the start so nobody is surprised by it later. Parents stay informed about safety and about progress, not about transcripts.
Where a school is involved, we can provide documentation and recommendations with your consent — and where the question is "is this ADHD, a learning difference, or anxiety?", testing answers it properly before anyone commits to a treatment plan.
Clinicians who work in this area
Matched from each clinician's own stated specialisms. Our Intake Team will pair you with the right person for your situation rather than the next available slot.
- Marina Shakhman, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist · Clinical Director
- Debra P. Wolff, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Marisa Kunz, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Christine Petersen, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Angela Eads, Ph.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Benjamin Michaels, Psy.D.Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Andrew Hamlyn, LCPCLicensed Clinical Professional Counselor
- Ellen Rodman, M.S., LCPCLicensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Insurance, including Medicare
Grand Oaks Behavioral Health is in-network with most major plans — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Aetna, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Evernorth (Cigna), UnitedHealthcare, BCBS Community Medicaid, Oscar — and with Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which a good number of behavioral health practices in the area do not accept. We also take BCBS Community Medicaid. Our Intake Team verifies your specific benefits and tells you your cost before your first appointment.
Where we see clients
604 Academy Drive, Northbrook, IL 60062 and 1800 Hollister Drive, Suite 201, Libertyville, IL 60048, plus telehealth anywhere in Illinois. We regularly see clients from Northbrook, Glenview, Deerfield, Highland Park, Northfield, Wilmette and across Lake County and the North Shore.
Common questions
Several of our clinicians work with young children using play-based approaches, and some work begins with parent guidance alone where the child is very young. Call (847) 549-1189 and our Intake Team will match your child’s age and concern to the right clinician rather than the next available one.
Not routinely, and that is deliberate — a teenager who believes sessions are reported home will not use them. Your clinician will explain the confidentiality boundary to you and to your teen at the start, including the limits of it: safety concerns are always shared. You will be kept informed about progress and about plans.
It usually means a comprehensive psychological evaluation: a developmental and clinical history, standardised measures completed by you and your child’s teachers, and direct testing of attention, learning and executive function. You receive a written report suitable for a 504 plan or IEP discussion, with specific recommended accommodations.
Yes, at Northbrook and at Libertyville, and by telehealth across Illinois — though for younger children in-person work is usually more productive. Which clinicians see children varies by office, so our Intake Team will tell you the options at both when you call.
Related
Not sure which of these fits? That is what the first call is for. Phone (847) 549-1189 and our Intake Team will talk it through with you before anything is booked.
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