Flourishing Families provides:
Counseling SErvices
Flourishing Families delights in providing counseling services to the community so that families may flourish. We desire to see wholeness for the entire family, which often comes from a combination of focusing on the whole family unit and on specific relationships or individuals within the family. We utilize evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, creative interventions to help families embrace healing, develop resiliency, and cultivate rest.
Community Services
Flourishing Families seeks opportunities to partner with the community to provide encouragement, strengthening, and support to couples and families. We want to develop partnerships in the community so that services can complement each other.
Professional Services
Flourishing Families delights in providing quality training, supervision, and resources for mental health professionals. We come alongside clinicians so they can flourish. We believe that when clinicians are equipped, empowered, and nurtured, they are able to thrive and provide quality mental health services that help the families they serve heal and flourish.
Flourishing Families Staff
Helen Read, Office Manager,
Meet Helen
After many years as a high school teacher, Helen Read joined Flourishing Families in a part time administrative role. She supports the internal workings of Flourishing Families to help keep things running smoothly.
Raised in Texas, she came to Wheaton to attend college, where she stayed upon graduation. After raising a family, she received a MA in teaching and enjoyed the daily experience of working with teen aged students. Currently, she spends her time working in her studio as an artist, and she teaches artistic skills online. Having time to be with both local and distant family is a joy. She also enjoys gardening and spending time in the beauty of nature.
Rachel Gowland, MA, LPC
Meet Rachel
I believe that everyone needs empathy and we need each other. Every person needs to know that their story matters and that they matter. Our relationships with ourselves, others, and the world around us can build up or break down these messages throughout all of life, starting as children and eventually as adults. I see the counseling setting as an opportunity to bring our inner lives up to the surface so that we can do some work and healing together. My heart is for children, teens, adults, and their families to know that their stories and feelings matter and that they are not alone. My hope is that individuals and families can grow and feel empowered to love themselves and others in ways that leave a profound and lasting impact for years to come.
Rachel graduated from Northwestern University with her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in child and adolescent therapy. She is a Licesned Professional Counselor and will work toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist.
Who I serve
I help children, teens, and their parents, along with individual adults. Each stage of life holds unique challenges and opportunities, and I consider it a great honor to walk alongside people in whatever season of life they find themselves in.
Areas I address
Transition, anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, conflict, career issues, and relationships.
Methods used
I enjoy utilizing a person-centered and psychodynamic therapeutic approach, which is all about unconditional positive regard, empathy, and understanding the root of what causes our problems. I also use methods from play therapy and art therapy. I am passionate about helping people (littles and adults!) grow in their ability to process their emotions in ways that help and not harm.
In my spare time
When I have free time, you can find me exploring a new part of Chicago, doing a calligraphy project, or going on a random adventure with a friend! I also love being active and really enjoy cycling classes and lifting. I love all different kinds of food and will always gladly accept restaurant recommendations. A highlight of my life was attending the very sparkly Taylor Swift concert in Chicago during her Eras tour. If I could reach out from this computer screen or phone to give you a friendship bracelet I would!
Qualifications
Counseling Student at Northwestern’s Family Institute Jan 2022–Present
Professional Affiliations
Member of American Mental Health Counseling Association, 2023–Present
Email: rgowland@flourishingfams.com
Anna Thomas, MA, LMFT,
Meet Anna
I believe it is important to belong to yourself and others; and in relationship, we have the ability to come alive in deep work and nurtured strengths. I seek to create a relational experience what is difficult and what can be healing to meet the fundamental complexities of what brings you and yours in. It is my hope for abundance to become rooted in your life by the depths of what you experience in therapy, so you may find freedom to grow towards.
Anna Thomas, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Flourishing Families. She graduated from Wheaton College Graduate School of Marriage and Family Therapy. She has received training in Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Sand Tray Play Therapy, Relationship Enhancement Therapy, and is certified as a Prepare-Enrich facilitator. Anna is currently working towards her certification as a Registered Play Therapist. Anna also presented her research on parentification within family systems at the Illinois affiliation for Marriage and Family Therapists in 2019. She has worked with cross-cultural families in various countries and transitions over the past ten years.
Who I serve
I enjoy working with families of all ages, families in transitions, children between 3-11 years old, and caregivers who find themselves raising them. It's been a privilege to learn what is normal and unique when life in your family is at a standstill. I love to work with children who find it difficult to express themselves when they feel down or really nervous, identified as gifted, or live with intensity. Another way I'm glad to serve our community is to addressing conflict couples and families have at the beginning of their journey or in a long-term struggle affecting their relationship.
Areas I address
I address concerns of parent-child relationships, blended families, divorce, clients of first or second generation immigrant families, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic backgrounds, experiences of major and recurrent transitions, loss, adjustment of new relationships, and the unknown. I enjoy joining the functional and philosophical parts of discovering ourselves with my clients of any age, and engage in play to address concerns of anxiety, depression, divorce, fear, relational conflict, shame, or trauma.
Methods used
I see each person through a systemic (relational) lens, adhering to attachment and humanistic approaches, while using play therapy. Whether Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Sandtray, Symbolic Experiential Family Therapy, or a Psychodynamic approach within the therapeutic relationship, it's important to make sure that whatever we use will be a good fit in the process and concerns you have.
In my spare time
I'm always on the lookout for a great airline ticket and destination to explore. I enjoy experiencing new and good food in unfamiliar neighborhoods. I'm usually found with my loved ones and I love to sneak in acts of kindness when no one is expecting it. I love the feeling of emotions of other languages!
License and Certifications
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, IL, October 2023
Certified as a Prepare-Enrich facilitator
Professional Affiliations
Member of the Association for Play Therapy, 2018, 2020–present
Email: Athomas@flourishingfams.com
Sharon Bryant, MA, LMFT, EMDR, CCPT-S, FT-S, RPT-S
Meet Sharon
I believe each person’s story is sacred and that lasting change happens within the context of relationship. I seek to create a person-centered environment where people feel comfortable to heal or grow at their pace in the way that fits their specific needs. It is my hope to empower families to embrace healing in order to live life to the fullest. Specifically, with children, adolescents, and families, I focus on age-appropriate activities designed to holistically help people overcome difficulties, develop resiliency, and cultivate strengths for lasting change.
Sharon Bryant, LMFT, RPT, CCPT-S, (pronouns: she/her/hers) is the founder of Flourishing Families. She is certified in Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Relationship Enhancement Programming, and Prepare-Enrich, and is an EMDRIA Approved EMDR Trained Clinician. Sharon is a Child-Centered Play Therapy Skills Consultant (CCPT-S). She has presented twice at the National Institute for Relationship Enhancement (NIRE) national conference in Washington D.C., and has taught as an adjunct professor at ECWA Theological Seminary, Kagoro, Nigeria and Wheaton Graduate School, Wheaton, IL. She has provided trainings in Play Therapy in a variety of settings. Sharon has co-authored a life-skills curriculum called Back on Track and has contributed to a marriage-enrichment program (“Couple Talk”), as well as a parenting book titled A Life Shared: Meaningful Conversations with Our Kids.
Who I serve:
I enjoy providing counseling services to a variety of people including children and their families, adolescents and their families, individual adults and their families, friendships, teams, and couples (pre-marital, and co-parenting). I enjoy working with Blended families, families that have formed through adoption, same-sex parenting families, and families navigating cross-cultural settings (via Telehealth or in person). I also enjoy working with children who have experienced a recent trauma to help prevent PTSD and children who are experiencing Auditory Sensory Processing disorder. I like working with graduate students who are studying counseling (and their families) as they seek to integrate the knowledge they are gaining. I love leading enrichment groups for couples, parents and children.
Areas I address:
I address a variety of issues including grief, transitions, stress, culture shock, resiliency, trauma, family conflict, parenting, divorce, step-family adjustment, pre-marital, team building, depression, anxiety, separation anxiety, phobias, PTSD, ADHD, ADD, and ODD.
Methods used:
Focusing on Attachment, Systems, Humanistic and Play Therapies, I utilize an assortment of experiential therapies in my work. Methods I use most often are Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Relationship Enhancement Couples Therapy, Relationship Enhancement Family Therapy, and EMDR. I also enjoy use of Sandtray, Skills Teaching, Play-Based CBT, Bibliotherapy, Art therapies, TBRI, Family Play Therapy & Theraplay-informed Family Therapy.
In my spare time:
I love spending time with my hubby playing games at a coffee shop or kayaking, and spending time at home with my four children playing “Chase” and “Find you.” I also seize moments to be in nature and to cross-stitch while watching a Red Sox baseball game.
Licenses and Certifications:
~Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, IL, March 2015
~Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, KY, Oct. 2014
~Registered Play Therapist, National Certification, Sept. 2016
~Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (CCPT), NIRE, May 2014
~Certified Filial Therapist, NIRE, Nov. 2014
~Certified Relationship Enhancement Program Leadership, NIRE, May 2014
~Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, Sept. 2011
~Child-Centered Play Therapist Skills Consultant, Sept. 2019
~Certified Cerny Smith CSA Stress Assessment Provider, Sept. 2019
~Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Feb. 2020
~Certified Telehealth Provider, March 2020
~EMDR Certified Therapist, Aug. 2021
~Certified ILS, Safe and Sound Protocol
~Certified CCPT Educator, NIRE, Jan. 2023
~Certified Filial Educator, NIRE, Jan. 2023
Professional Affiliations:
~Member of Association for Play Therapy, 2016–present
~National Institute of Relationship Enhancement (NIRE) Board Member, 2013–present
-Member of AAMFT
Email: sbryant@flourishingfams.com
FAQ
Do you work with insurance?
Yes, we are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO top tier plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Choice, and Cigna. If you have insurance through another plan (like BCBS Blue Edge, or BCBS HMO, Aetna, United Heath Care etc..), we are happy to provide you with a superbill so you can obtain reimbursement from your out-of-network benefits.
Payment
Flourishing Families accepts Chase QuickPay, check, or credit card. We also accept Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Payment methods are secure and HIPAA compliant.
What does the therapeutic Process look like?
The therapeutic process varies depending on the particular needs of the family or individual. We may work with an individual child or adolescent, while also doing weekly or monthly parent meetings. We may work with the whole family together. Or we may work with an individual adult. Often, there are several factors contributing to one’s difficulties. Therefore, we believe it is helpful to work together to create a plan that fits the unique needs of the situation.
Do You offer Telehealth?
Here at Flourishing Families we do offer Telehealth services to those who are unable to come for counseling in person. In person counseling is ideal, yet there are a variety of circumstances in which it can also be appropriate to provide counseling over Telehealth.
Do parents need to be present when their children or adolescents are being seen individually?
Yes. When the client is a minor, it is the policy of Flourishing Families that the parents (caregivers) remain in the waiting area for the duration of the session. Sometimes kids and teens need their caregiver to join in session so it is important that the caregiver is always close by in the waiting room.
Do you provide accomModations for those who are immunocompromised?
Yes! The pandemic taught us many ways we can create a safer place for people who have immunocompromised conditions. We can do things like wear masks, or do extra cleaning of play therapy materials before your sessions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your clinician if you are needing these kinds of accommodations.
Parking
Free parking is available in the parking lot beside the building.
How do I get started?
Step one: Let’s set up a time for a FREE phone consultation.
~ Send us an email (click here) with the days and times that are best for you to talk on the phone. Do not provide information about your situation via email, as we cannot ensure confidentiality over email. We will email you back within a couple of days suggesting a time for us to connect.
~During that initial FREE phone conversation, we can learn more about your situation, discuss scheduling and financial logistics, and answer any questions you may have, to determine if we are likely a good fit for each other.
Step two: Fill out the paperwork.
~If we decide we are a good fit, you will receive an email with some initial paperwork. Please fill out this paperwork before your first appointment so that I can tailor the first appointment to your needs.
Step three: Come to the first session.
~The first session provides a time for us to get to know one another. It looks a little different depending on your family dynamic:
~Children and families: The first session is often with the whole family. We play games and do other activities that help me see family strengths and foster our getting to know each other. Activities are tailored to the age of the child. It is important to me that children do not see their therapist as a “principal” figure or connect therapy with “being in trouble.” Therefore, we do not discuss any of their specific difficulties in this first session. The atmosphere is light and the activities are fun. The second session is often with just the parents, and this is the time for the therapist to learn more details about the specific difficulties. From here, we develop a plan together to meet your child’s needs!
~Adolescents and families: The first session is often with the whole family. We play games that help me see family strengths and foster our getting to know each other. Games are tailored to the age of the adolescent. It is important to us that adolescents do not connect therapy with “being in trouble.” Therefore, we do not discuss any of their specific difficulties in this first session. The atmosphere is light and the games are fun. The second session is often with just the adolescent, and here we develop goals together. The third session is often with just the parents. At this point, we develop a plan together to meet your adolescent’s needs!
~Individual Adults: The first session is a time where you can learn more about me and can begin to share about your situation and what you are hoping to gain from counseling. Together we will fashion a plan to meet your needs!