Dr. Wax is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the founder of Lincoln Park Psychology, Inc. Having 10+ years of experience as the Clinical Director, Director of Training, Head of Clinical, and Owner/Operator of renowned therapeutic day schools, Dr. Wax is skilled in working with school aged children, adolescents, parents, families, as well as adults. She specializes in those struggling with mood disorders, impulse control, self-esteem/identity challenges, relationships issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and features of personality disorders. More specifically, she is known for helping those who may be at higher risk of using inappropriate or maladaptive coping strategies to deal with stressors, as well as helping adolescents and young adults to navigate life challenges.

 

Dr. Wax believes strongly that a strength-based approach is essential to fostering a sense of self, a sense of empowerment, and a sense of identity within an individual, and within the family and school system. This is especially true for adolescents who seem to feel lost and overwhelmed by their world. 

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Dr. Wax founded Lincoln Park Psychology in order to fulfill her passion for helping others to make meaningful change. In addition, Dr. Wax has found immense joy in supervising large cohorts of clinical trainees since 2010. Having spent much of her career dedicated to clinical training, she and her team developed an APA-Accredited internship training program and she once held the position of President of the Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training (ACEPT). 

Dr. Azimuddin enjoys working with adults and teens managing various symptom presentations including but not limited to: depression, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, grief, family dynamics, and phase of life issues. Her approach to therapy is to humanize all experiences that we go through and to have a strong connection with her clients built on authenticity, warmth, acceptance, and safety. Dr. Azimuddin is especially skilled at helping clients maintain a sense of self while balancing various cultural expectations between families, settings, and relationships.

 

Dr. Azimuddin strongly values the impact that cultural/diversity factors have on what we tell ourselves and how we relate to the world and others. Clients are the experts of their experiences and Dr. Azimuddin uses their expertise to find doorways out of the “stuckness” we find ourselves in. Her clinical experiences in a wide range of settings (residential treatment for substance use disorders, college counseling, behavioral health hospital, and community mental health) have afforded her the opportunity to learn how to promote growth in a diverse range of clients.

 

Dr. Azimuddin prides herself in her empathic yet realistic mentality, and she is described by her clients as genuine, understanding, and humorous. Her ability to connect and make change through virtual telehealth/teletherapy is unmatched, and she also conducts therapy in Urdu. 

Cori Braun enjoys working with children, adolescents, adults, and families who may be experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, grief and loss, feelings of isolation and disconnection, coping with life changes, among many more. Cori is skilled at bringing play, creativity, mindfulness, and breath work into therapy to help foster a sense of empowerment, presence, and freedom in others. She also believes in taking an empathetic, strength based approach to her work that centers clients as the experts of their own experience.

 

Her approach to therapy prioritizes validating and humanizing all experiences and the various, unique reactions we all have to them. She believes that all behavior has meaning and aims to help others find a sense of self-compassion, understanding, and awareness in order to foster growth and a deeper sense of satisfaction in life and relationships. 

 

Cori believes in meeting the needs of her clients at a level that will be most effective. She sees therapy as a collaborative process, meant to integrate and honor the client’s values, background, identity, and diversity factors to promote individualized growth and empowerment. 

Dr. Ciupeiu has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Ciupeiu works with a variety of presentations including anxiety, depression, PTSD, CPTSD, developmental disorders, and chronic mental illness. She is known for creating a warm, inviting environment, as well as facilitating change through identifying maladaptive patterns in a client's life. Dr. Ciupeiu can conduct therapy in German and Romanian, and she is part of the LPP Assessment Team, conducting neuropsychological, academic, and emotional/personality testing in our office.

 

Dr. Ciupeiu completed a fellowship at, and is a current member at the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis, and is grounded in psychodynamic therapy, with an emphasis on attachment based interventions and Family Systems. Dr. Ciupeiu also sees couples, with an emphasis on emotional focused therapy. Furthermore, she integrates different therapies (when needed), taking into consideration the complexity of multicultural perspectives that shape our lives, to meet the unique needs of each individual.

 

Dr. Ciupeiu has developed strong interests in multicultural and gender issues. She believes that fear, resistance, helplessness, low self-worth, or self-defeating relationship patterns get in the way of living through our true self.  Dr. Ciupeiu’s expertise is in helping individuals overcome the thoughts and feelings that are holding them back, and to remove internal barriers. 

Dr. Mills works with children, adolescents, families, and adults, specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, behavioral acting out, life transition struggles, family conflict, self-esteem, social concerns, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and trauma related issues.  His vast experiences working in therapeutic day school settings has afforded Dr. Mills the opportunity to work with a diverse array of clients, as well as ignited his passion for working with those who are misunderstood and labeled in a negative way for their struggles. 

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Dr. Mills is known for his creativity, genuine nature, and empathic response to his clients. His positive energy, humor, and calm demeanor provide clients with a feeling of safety, facilitating great change and growth.  He integrates expressive and creative methods into treatment when traditional "talk therapy" is not suited to an individual, and also focuses on strengths and how to use these to promote a more healthy way of thinking.  

 

Dr. Mills has developed various group therapies including integrating games and fantasy such as Dungeons and Dragons to build on his group members' life skills, social skills, and coping skills.  Dr. Mills also has extensive knowledge of IEPs and 504 planning in the public school system, and is familiar with the struggles of navigating special education. 

Kristin is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Art Therapist who primarily works with children, adolescents, and young adults. She has experience working with those who are overcoming trauma, those experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional dysregulation, behavioral outbursts, self-esteem struggles, attentional difficulties, as well as those encountering difficult life stressors and transitions.

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Kristin believes that therapy is a collaborative process where her clients’ unique strengths and perspective is at the center of the work. She places the client’s autonomy, self-awareness, and personal growth at the forefront of every session. With a deep respect for the uniqueness of each individual, Kristin frequently utilizes art therapy to create a safe and nonjudgmental space where clients are encouraged to explore their emotions, thoughts, and experiences through creative expression. Her training in this area allows her to support clients to identify and explore their roadblocks and experiences in a creative, safe, non-threatening way.

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At the center of her work, Kristin aims to build a supportive partnership between herself and her clients. Her approach, at its core, is relational. She believes in the innate potential within each person to harness their creativity as a powerful tool for self-expression and insight.

Ellie is passionate about working with individuals, families, and couples seeking help with various struggles including: mood disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders, social communication, identity development, life transitions, sexual intimacy, parenting, and relationship conflict. She is also proud to be an affirming clinician, supporting clients who identify as LGBTQIA+, as well as those from marginalized backgrounds. Ellie is a graduate of The Family Institute at Northwestern University. She has additional training in Emotionally-Focused Family Therapy, Radically-Open DBT, and is grounded in psychodynamic and person-centered approaches. She also tailors her treatment techniques to the individual using CBT, Gottman Techniques, Exposure with Response Prevention, and Gestalt modalities, along with her trademark humor and empathy.

 

Ellie’s experience in residential placements, partial hospitalization programs, and intensive outpatient care settings afforded her the opportunity to work with clients aged 10-75 from diverse backgrounds and with unique life stories. Ellie’s approach includes helping clients see “outside the bubble” we find ourselves in from time to time. From grief & loss to sexuality & intimacy, Ellie works with clients to find or rediscover their authentic voices, creating a therapeutic “nest” of trust, compassion, and a healthy curiosity for the self. 

 

When not working with clients, Ellie can be found cheering on area marching & symphonic bands or relaxing with her two rescue dogs.

Dr. Payne’s specialties include working with all ages, families, and couples living with a variety of symptoms and presentations including but not limited to: depression and other mood disorders, anxiety symptoms, relational difficulties, persons presenting on the Autism Spectrum, people who identify as LGBTQIAA2S+, and those who have experienced trauma. Dr. Payne is also part of our LPP Assessment Team, conducting neuropsychological, academic, emotional/personality, and Autism Spectrum Disorder testing in our office.

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In working with their clients, Dr. Payne gathers the context of the person (such as environmental, societal, historical, and social factors) with the aim of understanding the client’s experiences as clearly as possible. They strive to incorporate an intersectional, validating, body-positive, death-positive, and sex-positive approach to working with clients. They believe that a safe and empathic environment is one in which a client feels empowered and seen, resulting in a basis for movement towards self-actualization, individuation, and personal success.

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In addition to a diverse array of professional experience, they completed the Exploring Psychoanalysis fellowship with the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute to build upon their psychodynamic and psychoanalytic knowledge base and therapeutic experience. In the therapy room, this means that the client is seen as the expert on their own experiences, creating an environment of trust and authenticity. Dr. Payne is also trained in the usage of EMDR for various symptoms most notably associated with trauma.  

Dr. Sviokla works with children, adolescents, families, and adults, specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and trauma related issues. In his previous work as a teacher and his current career as a clinician, Dr. Sviokla developed a passion for working with boys who have been characterized as “difficult” by others and who seem to have a hard time finding their social and academic footing in school. He has extensive expertise in working with schools and families to help children become more integrated into their social and academic communities, fostering a sense of belonging.

 

In addition to his work with children, Dr. Sviokla focuses on building a rapport with teens and adults in order to foster a space for open communication, trust, and positive energy. He offers an interactive experience to those who require something alternative to “talk therapy” and is creative in his interventions. Dr. Sviokla is also a part of our LPP Assessment Team, conducting neuropsychological, academic, emotional/personality testing in our office. 

 

Dr. Sviokla provides a safe and non-judgmental space for clients of all types to feel comfortable exploring their unique strengths and challenges. Modern life presents a myriad of challenges to everyone and it is often difficult to understand these challenges alone. Dr. Sviokla believes that psychotherapy can help people gain a greater awareness of the roots of their symptoms, which often includes understandable but destructive patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion. Greater awareness leads to a greater ability to make positive changes.

Erin Trainor specializes in working with adults and adolescents, survivors of trauma, and those who struggle with depression, anxiety, OCD, and life changes. In addition to using Exposure and Ritual Prevention Therapy for those managing OCD symptoms, Erin uses a person-centered approach to counseling, using each client’s unique experience to guide her therapeutic interventions. Erin believes in helping clients identify their strengths and supports, as well as collaborating with each person to build the tools that they need to approach their goals. Her dynamic approach to assisting clients creates flexible, trusting, and adaptive relationships with adults, as well as youth and their families. 

 

As a certified Yoga Instructor, she often includes somatic tools (mind-body work, breath-work, etc.) to assist clients in becoming more grounded and connected to their bodies and their stories. She is committed to operating within an anti-oppression framework, and  is a sex-positive counselor believing in serving the diverse needs of LGBTQIA+ clients in a way that supports their own lived experiences. Erin also has training in a Trauma-Informed Therapy Model, a Certification in Crisis Advocacy, and became a volunteer medical advocate for survivors of violence and sexual assault.