Health and Wellness Staff

Mary earned her Ph.D. (2001) in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University and her M.S. (1995) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed her doctoral internship at the Illinois State University Student Counseling Services and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan Counseling and Psychological Services. Prior to her graduate work, Mary received a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she majored in Psychology and Anthropology. Her clinical experiences include primarily university and college counseling center work where she has had the opportunity to fulfill a variety roles such as counselor, supervisor/trainer, mentor, advocate, consultant, and administrator. Mary approaches her clinical work with a focus on understanding a client’s social, cultural, and biological factors to allow for a supportive, validating, and empowering space for clients to examine who they are and who they want to become. In her supervisory relationships, Mary places a high value on the supervisory relationship in order to provide an authentic space for growth and development through establishing trust and safety in the journey of becoming a positive change agent in our ever changing world.

Ed earned his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (2012) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.  He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Butler University and his postdoctoral fellowship at Northeastern Illinois University.  Prior to his graduate studies, Ed received a BA from Illinois Wesleyan University.  Ed has trained and worked in a variety of different clinical settings in his career, including a private practice, a community mental health center, and several college counseling centers.  He also spent several years working on a psychiatric hospital unit for children, adolescents, and young adults.  In these settings, he worked with a diverse range of people with an equally diverse range of reasons for seeking counseling.  Ed approaches counseling primarily from a humanistic, person-centered perspective, but also integrates components of existential and psychodynamic theories into his work with clients.  As a part of this approach, Ed is sensitive to each person’s unique blend of multiple social identities, including race, ethnic background, gender, sexual identity, ability, SES, and religious background, and how these various identities contribute to an individual’s overall sense of self.  Ed’s areas of interest and specialty are depression, loss and mourning, identity development, trauma, crisis, and interpersonal relationships.  In addition to his clinical work, Ed is also highly committed to supervision and training of future members of the helping fields.  His approach to training is developmental and informed by his humanistic perspective.  Accordingly, Ed believes that the training relationship is paramount and must be characterized by trust and collaboration, which allows trainees to feel both supported and challenged to pursue the goals they set for themselves.

Kasey earned her M.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2013) in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. She completed her doctoral internship at the Colorado State University Health Network and her postdoctoral fellowship at Roosevelt University’s Counseling Center. Prior to her graduate work, Kasey received a B.A. from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, where she majored in Psychology and received minors in Spanish and Mathematics.  Beyond her work in multiple college counseling centers, Kasey also has previous clinical experience in private practice and outpatient mental health clinic settings. She enjoys engaging in the wide variety of responsibilities and relationships that come with working in the college setting, including providing counseling services, supervision/training, outreach, and consultation to the campus community. In addition to enjoying working with individuals, Kasey has a passion for both group and couples counseling. Some of her other clinical interests include life transition and adjustment, relational struggles, identity development, self-esteem, gender concerns, autism spectrum disorders, stress management, and alcohol and other drug use concerns. Her approach to counseling stems from client-centered and interpersonal process theories. She believes that clients can begin to make the changes they want in their lives through building a supportive relationship with a therapist who is genuine, authentic, and empathic. When a therapist creates a space in which clients feel safe enough to sit with uncomfortable emotions, clients are able to begin to be more authentic and congruent themselves. Kasey takes a developmental approach to supervision and training, which is influenced by her client-centered and interpersonal style. She believes that the foundation of the supervisory relationship creates the opportunity for growth and further development as a psychologist in training. Most importantly, she strives to be her authentic self and create a space in which trainees can be their authentic selves, developing their own voices and identifying who they are and want to be as a psychologist.

Ashley earned her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (2016) from Roosevelt University. She completed her doctoral internship at Towson University’s Counseling Center in Towson, MD and her postdoctoral fellowship at Eating Recovery Center, Insight, in Chicago, IL. Prior to her graduate studies, Ashley received a B.A. in Psychology and Educational Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and an M.A. in Psychology from American University in Washington, D.C. Ashley has trained and worked in a variety of settings, including college counseling, community mental health, private practice, and partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient settings. Through these varied experiences working with diverse populations and presenting concerns, Ashley areas of interest, passion, and specialization include working with issues concerning life transitions and adjustment, identity exploration and development, emerging adulthood, academic and career concerns, relationships, body image and eating, stress management and mindfulness, and self-confidence/self-esteem/self-compassion. Ashley approaches counseling from a psychodynamic and relational perspective, and believes that relationships are formative and also healing, and strives to create a safe, supportive, caring, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where clients feel seen, heard, and understood. In addition, Ashley also utilizes skills-based interventions to help expand and enhance clients’ coping, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation abilities. Through these approaches Ashley aims to empower each client to gain a deeper understanding and awareness of themselves, their emotions, thoughts, wants, and needs, and their values, so that they can find their own unique voice and live more authentically and congruently. In addition to her clinical work, Ashley is passionate about training, teaching, and supervision, and she utilizes an individualized, developmental, and relational approach to this area of her work. Ashley has taught as an adjunct instructor at Roosevelt University and also as a Master Trainer with The Body Project, an evidence-based, cognitive dissonance body-acceptance program. In her free time, Ashley likes to spend time with friends and host gatherings, arrange flowers and charcuterie boards, travel, read, explore different restaurants, and take mindful walks.

Kira Cruickshank, M.A. (she/her) is a doctoral graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her one year internship at Lake Forest College marks her final training year to obtain her doctoral degree. Kira earned her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2022 and received her B.A. in Psychology from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Kira has provided individual therapy for individuals across the lifespan within inpatient, community mental health, and private practice settings. Her clinical interests include trauma, life transitions, mood disorders, minority stress, grief and loss, self-esteem and identity development, sexuality and/or sexual health.  Kira takes a primarily relational approach to therapy, but integrates Cognitive and Dialectical behavioral therapy interventions and mind-body connection work to provide clients with coping tools they can use at any time. Kira believes it is crucial to take her client’s lead, seeks to understand their personal experiences, and is devoted to demonstrating cultural sensitivity and humility. Aware of the power dynamic that is present in therapeutic space (and other spaces clients navigate daily), Kira is committed to empowering clients in their process.

Erica Pinney, M.Ed., is a Doctoral Candidate in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program at Loyola University Chicago with an anticipated graduation in the Summer of 2024. Prior to the Ph.D., Erica completed a Masters of Education in Community Counseling from Loyola University Chicago in 2019 and undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies from Arizona State University. Erica’s clinical experiences include providing individual, couples, and group therapy in a college counseling center, community mental health centers, and group practice, as well as conducting outpatient neuropsychological testing. Prior to graduate training, Erica worked in various non-profit agencies serving domestic violence survivors and folks with development disability.  Through these experiences, Erica has worked with a wide range of folks with varying intersecting identities with specific emphasis on working with immigrant and refugee populations, and BIPOC folks or those from historically marginalized communities such as LGBTQ+ individuals. Erica approaches therapy through a largely person-centered and feminist approach while integrating aspects of DBT, ACT, and relational perspectives. This means that Erica focuses on each individual while also understanding that unique contexts, identities, and oppressions often impact a student’s current mental health and well-being.  Erica believes that the therapeutic relationship, built through genuine acceptance and non-judgement is crucial for client’s to feel heard, respected, and able to make their own choices. Erica’s areas of interest and specialty are trauma (including relationship/family trauma, immigration trauma, and racial trauma), anxiety, identity development and exploration, adjustment, and academic and career concerns. Outside of Erica’s work/student life, she likes to read, attempt to create art and craft projects (largely failing) and spend time with family and friends.   

Michael La, M.A. (he/him) is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at Roosevelt University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2019 and his master's degree in clinical psychology from Roosevelt University in 2022. Michael has worked on a crisis hotline as a call handler and as a behavioral technician for people with Autism. During his psychology training, Michael has worked with emerging adults and college populations, children and adolescents, adults with developmental disabilities, and diverse Chicago communities. His clinical interests include emerging adulthood, identity development, stress and anxiety, mood disorders, and cultural intersectionality regarding ethnicity, LGBTQ identity, socioeconomic status, ability status, gender, and nation of origin. Michael approaches therapy as a collaborative process between the client and counselor, with the client being an expert on their own experiences. He approaches therapy as a therapeutic alliance to address thoughts, behaviors, situations, and systemic issues. He aims to raise awareness in clients, so they have the tools to identify maladaptive thoughts and situations, reduce the stress and dysfunction these create, and cope with stress in the meantime. He understands the importance of integrating culturally sensitive care into therapy. Michael works to foster a space that is supportive, non-judgmental, and validating to help clients feel comfortable and safe in achieving their goals.

Rebecca Skinner, M.A. (she/her), is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP). She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan in 2020 and her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from TCSPP in 2022. Rebecca has clinical experiences working with adolescents and adults in private practice and community mental health settings. She has experience working with clients with various ethnicities, racial backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Most recently, she has supported individuals diagnosed with cancer and their caretakers in both individual and group settings. Her clinical interests include trauma, grief and loss, relational struggles, and stress management. Rebecca approaches therapy through a humanistic lens. Her work is collaborative and grounded in a deep respect for you and your experiences—never forcing you to fit the “mold” of a particular approach or a pre-set agenda for therapy.

Christa is a full practice authority APRN for family practice. Received BSN degree from University of Alabama in Huntsville, then MSN degree for FNP from Loyola University Chicago. She also obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine in China prior to came into America. Her clinical experience includes 10 + years of nurse practitioner worked in acute care, Immediate Care and Primary care settings. She has been a nurse for almost 20 years, used to work at NM Lake Forest Hospital as RN for many years before became a nurse practitioner. Christa enjoys patient care, health promotion , disease prevention and patient education. Experienced in diagnosing and managing wide range of acute / chronic illnesses, and minor injuries. She is devoted to inspire students in making wise health and lifestyle choices.

Christa lives in the suburbs with family. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, crafting and authentic Chinese food cooking.

Services offered in the Health Center include:  physical examinations; illness evaluation and management; minor injury evaluation and management; sexual health (birth control, STI education/testing/treatment); prescription management; wellness and nutrition counseling; some on-site testing as well as other blood draws and laboratory services.  Services that are not performed on-site will be referred and billed to a student’s individual health insurance plan (such as x-rays, laboratory testing, and physician specialist appointments). 

Josie Stams received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Spanish from St. Olaf College. She went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Elmhurst College. Prior to working at Lake Forest College, she worked both as a pediatric and an adult intensive care unit nurse.