Lori Smithe completed a Master of Social Work program at Loyola University Chicago with a specialization in School Social Work. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 20 years of experience. She provided academic guidance counseling to teens and young adults in the High School setting for two years before moving into the position of School Social Worker and Director of Social Services in that same setting for another two years. Currently, she splits her time between her private practice and a local PK-8 school as their School Social Worker. She enjoys working with children, teens, young adults and adults. Lori specializes in treating anxiety, stress, depression and grief.

Throughout her career, Lori has developed expertise in supporting children and their families. She uses a cognitive-behavioral approach to help clients identify and explore the ways in which their thoughts and emotions affect their actions. She also uses a collaborative and strengths-based approach as clients identify effective tools for coping. She has additional training and practice in the areas of Social Thinking, Executive Functioning and Mindfulness.

In her assessment and treatment of individuals with mental heatlh concerns, Lori believes in collaborating with parents, teachers, schools and other health care professionals in an effort to understand the whole person and leverage their various outlets for support. Clients will develop a deeper understanding of the way in which their brain works as well as strategies for improving their mood and emotion. This will give them greater access to problem-solving and development of key life skills, such as self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, relationships and responsible decision-making, outlined by CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning).

Lori Smithe can be reached at 847-687-2653 or via email at lsmithelcsw@gmail.com.