Kati Wax, Psy.D.

She/Her

kwax@lincolnparkpsychology.com

 

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). 

Cori Braun, LSW

She/Her

cbraun@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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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. 

Liliana Ciupeiu, Psy.D.

She/Her

lciupeiu@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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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. 

Hilary Hines, Psy.D.

She/Her

hhines@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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Dr. Hines enjoys working with clients from across the lifespan, but has primarily worked with children and adolescents within a therapeutic day school setting as well as adult male veterans (ages 24-75) in a transitional living facility. She has experiences working with those dealing with depression, anxiety, ADHD, co-occurring substance use disorders, trauma, emotional dysregulation, and life stressors. 

 

Dr. Hines is known for her genuineness in therapy and focus on building strong therapeutic relationships in order to help facilitate change. Her calm demeanor and flexibility helps provide a safe space for clients to explore their challenges, as well as allows her to meet her clients at their optimal level for change. Dr. Hines’ experiences within therapeutic day schools affords her the knowledge of IEPs and 504 plans and an understanding of the difficulties navigating special education. Dr. Hines is also part of the LPP assessment team, conducting neuropsychological, academic, and emotional/personality testing in our office.

Sarah Lynch, LSW

She/Her

slynch@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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Sarah is a Licensed Social Worker with an extensive background guiding children, adolescents, families, and young adults toward greater health and fulfillment. She has experience working with individuals experiencing  PTSD, trauma, abuse, depression, anxiety, life transitions, social struggles, family conflict, ADHD, and behavioral challenges. Sarah also has a passion for working with children on the autism spectrum and is dedicated to providing neurodiverse-affirming care. 

 

Sarah believes therapy can help individuals reach their full potential and believes in a strengths based, individualized approach. She enjoys working with children and families providing trauma-informed therapy and co-creating an open and collaborative space for healing and processing of emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Sarah has additional training in Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, and Applied Behavior Analysis. 

Adam Mills, Psy.D.

He/Him

amills@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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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. 

Ellie Paul, NCC

She/Her

epaul@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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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.

Sam Payne, Psy.D.

He/Him

spayne@lincolnparkpsychology.com

Director of Neuropsychological Services

Director of Training: Diagnostic Assessment Externship

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Dr. Payne’s specialties include working with all ages, families, and couples/partners 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+, neurodivergent individuals, 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 his 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. He strives to incorporate an intersectional, validating, body-positive, and sex-positive approach to working with clients. He believes 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, Dr. Payne completed the Exploring Psychoanalysis fellowship with the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute to build upon his psychodynamic and psychoanalytic knowledge base and therapeutic experience. Dr. Payne is also trained in the usage of EMDR for various symptoms most notably associated with trauma.  

Patrick Sviokla, Psy.D.

He/Him

psviokla@lincolnparkpsychology.com

Director of Clinical Services

Clinical Training Director: Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

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Dr. Sviokla works with children, adolescents, families, and adults, specializing in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and trauma related issues. Dr. Sviokla focuses on building a rapport with his clients 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. 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. 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, LPC

She/They

etrainor@lincolnparkpsychology.com

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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.