Where is your office located?
Forward Emotion is located at 1440 Maple Avenue, 2B, Lisle, IL 60532 within the Riverside Office Court. The office is between Route 53 (Lincoln Avenue) and Yackley Avenue, right next to the Dupage River and Lisle Savings Bank and across the street from Four Lakes. It is a pretty brick building on the North side of Maple Avenue. If you are driving west on Maple, you can turn right into the parking lot as soon as you pass the river.
If you are driving east on Maple, you will need to turn left onto Patton Drive, right onto Eisenhower Lane, and right into the rear entrance of the building parking lot. The entrance is located along Maple Avenue.
Once you walk in, you will see a little sitting area. Please have a seat and your provider will come out to get you shortly.
What hours is Forward Emotion open?
The office schedule varies day by day. We have appointment times available on most weekday afternoons and evenings. Occasionally, there may be Saturday and Sunday hours available, too. Once we find a time that works best, that will be ‘your’ spot.
Is there a long waiting time?
We HATE waiting to see a doctor! Why do they set a time when they know they really won’t see you then? We try our best to be on time because we don’t want you waiting around. If we are running behind, it is usually only by a few minutes.
Should I wear waterproof mascara?
Yes (if you wear mascara) ((sorry to say it, but you might cry, and we’d hate to have you walking out like a wet raccoon)). We recommend Maybelline’s Falsies Drama Express.
How long are the sessions?
Sessions usually last between 50-60 minutes. It is possible to have shorter sessions although you would be surprised how fast time flies once we get started! We would only recommend shorter sessions in an emergency or on a short-term basis.
What are your fees and how do you accept payment?
- Laura and Angela’s fee for a 50-60 minute session is $175.
- Sabrina’s fee for Holistic Life Coaching is $150 and Integrated Healing Arts is $100 per hour. Package pricing is available. Sabrina is unable to accept insurance plans at this time.
- We accept most major credit cards, checks and cash. Please note, change is not always available.
Does Forward Emotion accept insurance?
- Yes, BCBS PPO plans are accepted for counseling services. We will call your plan to get your benefits so you know what to expect before our first appointment.
- If you have other insurance, most likely they provide some coverage for out-of-network counseling services. You will be provided a superbill so that you can be reimbursed by your insurance company, depending on your benefits.
How do I set up an appointment?
- The first thing we need to do is make sure we are a good fit for each other. You have most likely gone to a doctor or other provider and didn’t go back because you didn’t like his/her style. We don’t want that to happen with us. We also want to make sure that we have the skills to help you.
- We will set up a time to talk on the phone for about 15-20 minutes in order to get more information and you can ask any questions you might have. If our Administrative Assistant, Gina and you feel like one of us is a good fit, we will then set up your first appointment.
What is the best way to get in touch with my provider at Forward Emotion?
Email or phone call is the easiest and fastest way to contact your provider or the front desk. We will respond to you as soon as possible and usually during typical business hours.
Does Forward Emotion have a cancellation policy?
Yes, we do. We ask for a 24-hour notice if you need to cancel an appointment. The full fee is charged for no shows and late cancellations. It’s no fun to have to charge you for this but our time is important and we want you to make therapy a priority.
What kinds of people do you work with?
We work best with women, ages 18-65 who are struggling with anxiety, depression and/or trauma. They also might be dealing with life changes and transitions such as divorce, aging parents, growing children, relationship issues and low self-esteem. The people we work with might also be searching to find their ‘true self’ and striving for self-improvement and actualization.
Do I have to lie on the couch? Will my provider ‘shrink’ me? What happens in the sessions?
- You are welcome to lie on the couch, but it is not required. Feel free to make yourself comfortable. Take off your shoes. Go ahead; you can even put them on the table. We don’t mind.
- No one is getting ‘shrinked.’ (Or would it be shrunk?)
- The first several sessions are about getting your history and background, so we will be asking a lot of questions. This is also a time for us to get to know each other and for you to begin to feel more comfortable sharing. We will talk about your goals and come up with a plan.
- Mostly, we will be talking. We might add some art into the session if you are working with Laura (click here for more about what art therapy is) or other expressive therapies depending on your provider. This is a way for you to express yourself in a new way. Some people might be doing EMDR (see here for more information about what EMDR is), while some people will be working with art therapy or Internal Family Systems. We also offer Reiki and Holistic Life Coach & Integrated Healing Arts.
- Sometimes we will give you homework. We might ask you to start journaling. We might recommend a book, too.
What modalities does Forward Emotion use?
- Traditional talk therapy, CBT, DBT, IFS, Art Therapy and EMDR therapy
- Life coaching, Reiki, dance/movement therapy
How long will it take me to get my sh*t together?
It really varies. Most people see a provider at Forward Emotion for about a year. If you have more issues or deeper issues, the time would be longer. Our sessions might be once a week or every other week. We could get even more work done if we saw each other twice a week.
Here are what some clients have to say about working with our providers…
“I have been a long time client of therapy but I can assure you, my sessions with Laura accelerated my healing on many levels. The art therapy delved deeply into my emotions in ways that I found surprisingly profound because sometimes, emotions need to be expressed without words. It was actually freeing to not have to worry how to express myself because the art revealed what needed to be revealed in a safe, intuitive manner. Laura’s gentle interpretation melded with my own interpretation to guide me in my own conclusions, leaving me a sense of confidence in my ability to solve daily challenges. Also, I highly recommend the EMDR therapy for anyone who has unresolved childhood trauma. This process of healing was even more effective than the art therapy for releasing stubborn issues that talk therapy could not disband. Combining both art and EMDR is an option too. Fortunately, I became healthy enough to not need regular sessions but now I miss my time with Laura!”
“Initially, I was resistant and hesitant. It was not something I looked forward to going to. However, after the couple sessions I attended, I began to feel relief. It was nice to have somewhere to go where my feelings were allowed to be shared and encouraged to be spoken about and dealt with rather than pushing them back internally. I found the sessions to be a safe place, somewhere I don’t feel judged.”
“Laura’s incredible ability to find each client through their artistic expression is an art in itself. It is because of the meaning that she finds in each creation that you will leave each session not with ‘some picture I drew,’ but with something to proudly display on your fridge and the same insight to proudly apply to your life.”
“I think working through things with you has helped me immensely. So thank you for that. I have made really big improvements in our sessions together, and I now feel I have the tools to manage my mental health on my own. I think the EMDR worked because thinking about the events we worked through is a lot less distressing. I have been feeling much better (and now I have the means to continue to feel better and encourage healthy thought patterns). If I come across anyone in the area looking for a therapist, I will definitely recommend you.”
“I never imagined I would feel the way I do when I leave Laura’s counseling sessions. Her focus on creative expression through art therapy gives me a new way of looking at things important to me, as well as things I need to work through.”