Meet the Counselors—St. Charles
View by Location: St. Charles Sandwich Yorkville
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David J. Norton, Ph. D., LMFT
Dr. Norton has been in practice since 1980 and is the founder and Executive Director of Centennial Counseling Center. He is also Adjunct Faculty at the Wheaton College Graduate School of Psychology. David received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in Child and Family Studies and has previous training at Taylor University, Houghton College, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
Previously, Dr. Norton served as Chair of the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing and Disciplinary Board (1993-2001) and as President of the Illinois Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (1992-1994). He has received awards from national and state associations for his leadership in marriage and family therapy. He also is the former President of the Foundation for Educational Excellence for the West Chicago School District #33.
Dr. Norton for a time was a frequent court-appointed evaluator in custody disputes. Prior to becoming a therapist, David worked for several years as a youth pastor and for one year with juvenile delinquents in an advocacy and prevention program.
David has a wide range of clinical experience with special focus on work
with couples, family and adolescent difficulties, work-related problems,
and depression. In addition he supervises and consults with a number of
therapists in the practice of marriage and family therapy. He has spoken
to over a hundred different school, community, church, and professional
groups on a wide range of relational, mental health, and family life issues.
David works out of the St. Charles office.
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Michelle Bidwell, Psy.D.
Michelle Bidwell completed her graduate training at Nova Southeastern University in south Florida, where she completed both her Doctor of Psychology degree and her M.S. degree in Clinical Psychology. She completed her undergraduate training at the University of Central Florida.
Michelle has provided clinical services in a variety of settings, including outpatient counseling, residential, and day treatment facilities. Her clinical experience includes therapy with all age ranges. She has particularly extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and their families with a variety of behavioral and emotional difficulties (depression, trauma, Attention—Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, pervasive developmental disorders such as Autism and Aspergers, conduct problems, anxiety, self-harm behaviors and anger issues). She is also interested in working with individuals who struggle with eating disorders. Michelle has led group therapy for adults and children in the areas of anger management, social skills, and process groups.
Michelle also enjoys conducting psychological testing to help clients and clinicians develop a better understanding of issues that are at hand. Michelle will be working out of the St. Charles office.
Trude Holli, M.S., LMFT
Trude Holli left a busy and successful media and journalism career to passionately pursue her dream of helping couples and families improve their quality of life. In 1999, she received her master's degree from Northern Illinois University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and also a trained Clinical Hypnotherapist.
Since then she has worked in hospitals and outpatient settings and has developed expertise in helping people with depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety, and relational problems related to co-dependency, infidelity, and lack of intimacy. Furthermore she has extensive experience helping clients recover from the effects of sexual and physical trauma, sudden career changes, death, and divorce. Trude also helps clients rebuild self-confidence, manage grief, develop the ability to regulate emotions, and overcome revengeful anger. Furthermore she is an experienced facilitator of therapy groups.
When Trude was a young adult with children, she emigrated from Norway. Her
own experiences have sensitized her to the particular dilemmas people encounter
when assimilating into a new culture, language, and life style. Her experiences
also help her be a resource for women who navigate through role overload and for
young parents who need parenting role models. Her clinical experience has cemented
her belief in people's resiliency when provided the appropriate tools and opportunity
to practice using them. Her work involves active approaches to dealing with life's
challenges. Trude works out of the St. Charles Office.
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Kristen Kauke, M.S.W., LCSW
Kristen Kauke is a licensed clinical social worker and a member of the National Association of Social Workers. Kristen graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign—Urbana and received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago.
For 6 years, Kristen worked as a school social worker and is well versed in school and adolescent concerns such as PDD/autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, bullying, and other social—emotional barriers that impede students' potential. She also demonstrates strength in designing and implementing behavior intervention plans.
Kristen has facilitated university level campus—wide workshops and discussion groups on topics related to academics, relationships and self-understanding. She has also aided the Body Image and Eating Disorder Treatment Team that planned programs for university health care services.
Kristen also has experience working with prenatal and early infant loss, issues of abuse in teenage girls, and conflict mediation.
Areas of special interest include adapting to the diagnosis of severe food allergies
and their impact on family and community functioning, anxiety, body image, grief and
holistic wellness. She also enjoys her work with couples and families around issues of
intimacy, conflict, and communication. She welcomes the opportunity to speak on any of
these topics. Kristen will be working out of the St. Charles Office.
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John Lengle, M.S.W., LSW, LMFT, ACSW, CEAP, M.Div.
John Lengle received his undergraduate degree from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and his MSW degree from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Indiana, and did graduate training at Northern Illinois University in marital and family therapy. John is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Social Worker. He is also an Approved Supervisor and Clinical Member with The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Prior to joining Centennial Counseling Center, John worked at TriCity Family Services (TCFS) in Geneva, Illinois for more than thirty years. While at TCFS, he held positions as a marriage and family therapist, coordinator of clinical services, and manager of Occupational Services. In the latter position, he directed a program which provided employee assistance programs for a number of work organizations in mid Kane County.
John has a wide range of clinical experience in working with couples, families
and individuals. He works with couples across the marital life cycle and has a
particular interest in working with those who are facing issues related to chronic
or terminal illness. He has also done a significant amount of work with adolescents
and their parents, as well as with adult children who are residing with their parents.
Other areas of special interest include career concerns, depression, drug and
alcohol issues, and retirement concerns.
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Brian Lux, M.A., LCPC
Brian Lux is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College. He is a current member of the American Counseling Association and the Association for Treatment of Sexual Abusers.
Brian has extensive experience with a wide range of issues including mood disorders (anxiety and depression), trauma histories, obsessive-compulsive disorders, ADHD, and anger management issues. He especially enjoys working with couples and families on the relational difficulties that arise in today's complex world. Brian is sensitive to the spiritual journeys of his clients and seeks to help people utilize their religious/ spiritual beliefs in the healing process.
Prior to joining the Centennial staff, Brian spent several years working with high—risk
adolescents in a residential facility as both an individual and family therapist, and in
that role had extensive experience working with school systems, probation officers, and
the Department of Children and Family Services. Prior to doing his graduate studies, Brian
worked for Young Life as an area director in Wisconsin and served as the summer program
director at Covenant Harbor Camp in Lake Geneva, WI. He also speaks at youth camps and
youth events on a wide range of issues.
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Christie Mason, Ph.D., LCSW
Christie Mason has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign, a Master's in Social Work from Aurora University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. She's been a therapist for more than 10 years and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Dr. Mason has extensive experience in working with children, adolescents and families especially in the areas of play therapy, foster care, sexual abuse/trauma, attachment problems, aggressive behavior, and crisis stabilization. Christie also enjoys working with adults and couples and is passionate about helping people connect in nourishing relationships with one another. She has worked as a therapist for child and adolescent sexual abuse survivors and as a coordinator of youth services at a not—for—profit agency, where she provided and supervised office—based, school—based, and community—based counseling.
In addition to her work as a clinician, Christie has also taught undergraduate
and graduate level courses in social work at Loyola University Chicago and Aurora
University. She edited a journal of student scholarship while at Loyola, and she
recently completed research on therapies to help late—placed foster or adopted
children and their parents. Christie has presented at professional trainings
and community events on topics including the impact of domestic violence on children,
attachment in foster children, play therapy, avoiding control struggles with children,
and working with child survivors of trauma and abuse. She works out of the St. Charles office.
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Dorothy O'Halloran, M.S., LCPC
Dorothy O'Halloran is a licensed clinical professional counselor and has been a practicing clinician since 1998. Dorothy received her graduate degree in Child and Family Studies, specializing in marital and family relationships, at Northern Illinois University. Dorothy is a member of the American Counseling Association and an affiliate member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. And Dorothy is trained as a life coach through the Coaches Training Institute. Dorothy also has been an adjunct faculty field instructor at Benedictine University, Wheaton College and the Chicago and Illinois Schools of Professional Psychology.
Dorothy's clinical experience and training includes working with individuals, couples, adolescents and families. She also has extensive experience facilitating groups for women. Dorothy works with people dealing with life struggles around relational issues, depression, grief and loss, life changes, stress management, self—esteem, sexual abuse histories, domestic violence and anger management. Dorothy enjoys assisting people in learning to communicate in ways that promote understanding and intimacy. Dorothy works out of the St. Charles office.
Mark L. Ramirez, M.A., LCPC
Mark Ramirez has been a practicing clinician since 1988 with experience in a variety of community and private mental health settings. He has worked the last 12 years in higher education as the director of student counseling services at DePaul University and North Central College. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member of Wheaton Colleges Masters in Clinical Psychology Program for over 10 years.
Mark obtained his masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College Graduate School. He also is a Clinical Member of The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists.
In addition to specializing in the developmental issues of adolescents and
young adults, Mark has experience in working with issues of depression and
anxiety, substance abuse, anger management, multicultural and family of origin
issues and identity issues in men. Mark enjoys helping young couples and those
facing remarriage in premarital counseling. He feels that our culture offers
extensive help in planning a wedding but very little guidance on becoming a
well-adjusted couple. He offers two premarital tests (Prepare/Enrich and
Taylor Johnson) and then meets with the couple for 6-8 sessions to discuss
such issues as money, in-laws, sexuality, children, and communication.
Additionally, he has a passion for assisting others in reconciling spiritual
issues that have been obstructed by histories of abuse, neglect, grief and
trauma. Mark works out of the St. Charles office.
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Gloria Sanchez, M.S.W., LCSW
Gloria Sanchez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a diverse professional background. Prior to entering the field of psychology, Gloria worked for a number of years as a financial analyst at Lucent Technologies where she provided education and consultation services to various departments. The enjoyment she found assisting others led Gloria to pursue graduate training in social work. She obtained a Masters of Social Work from Aurora University, with specialized training to provide counseling and therapeutic interventions in the school system.
For the last several years Gloria has worked as a school social worker, providing individual and group counseling to children who struggle with various emotional and behavioral difficulties. She has previously managed the special education department at a junior high school and continues to be closely involved in the coordination of counseling services for children who experience significant problems at school. Gloria works to bring teachers and parents together for the best interest of the child. In addition to her clinical work in the school system, Gloria has provided individual, marital and family therapy services in private practice.
Gloria is bilingual (Spanish—speaking) and bicultural. Her diverse experience has
led her to counsel children, women and families who are experiencing depression, anxiety,
grief, and difficulties associated with a previous loss. She has a special interest in
working with women who have survived trauma or abuse. Gloria works out of the St. Charles office.
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Pat Somers, M.A., LCPC
Pat Somers is a Licensed Clinical
Professional Counselor, and she primarily
works with families and individuals on issues related to the effects of
childhood trauma—abuse, loss of original family, foster care, adoption,
disrupted attachments, divorce, illness. She has received training specific
to the treatment of reactive attachment disorder. Pat has experience working
in the child welfare and juvenile court system. Pat works out of the St.
Charles office and also does in-home therapy.
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Krysta Winters, Psy.D., LMFT
Dr. Krysta Winters received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College after completing her Masters Degree in clinical psychology. Prior to attending Wheaton College, she received her undergraduate degree from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a member of the American Psychological Association.
Krysta specializes in individual and family therapy, dealing with issues related to eating disorders, complicated grief and loss, trauma, depression, anxiety, relationships, and stress management. She enjoys working with age groups throughout the lifespan, ranging from children and adolescents to adults of various ages. She is also skilled in performing a wide range of psychological assessments.
Krysta has extensive experience exploring how different people manage
change and growth in their lives, turning times of adversity in areas of
strength. Her professional explorations of how culture and gender play a
role in people’s daily lives have led her to examine issues related to
rural, international, and ethnic populations, including intergenerational
patterns of living. Krysta has given many community presentations and
welcomes the opportunity to speak on multiple topics such as eating disorders,
stress management, and adult development.
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