Welcome! Thanks for stopping by to learn more about me!

Everyone’s story is important. Everyone has the right to author their own story and live their authentic life.

My goal is to help you author your own life and to help you develop the confidence to take-on the positives, negatives, and neutrals of your life story.

Professional Background

I am a licensed social worker with training in psychology and social work, originally from Illinois. I earned my degree in Psychology from Illinois State University in 2004 and my Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago in 2007. Over the course of my career, I have worked with adults, children, and groups across a range of settings, including community outreach, culturally specific-clinics, jails, hospitals, residential programs, and in-home services. I have also managed clinics and clinical programs. Over time, my practice has intentionally shifted to working exclusively with adults, allowing for deeper and more sustained therapeutic work.

Telehealth and Multistate Practice

I began offering telehealth services prior to the pandemic while living in England and found it to be a highly effective and meaningful way to support clients while accommodating the realities of busy and complex lives. Telehealth has since become the preferred format for many of the people I work with, and I now practice exclusively online. This approach has also allowed me to expand my work across state lines. I currently provide therapy to clients in Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington, and I am in the process of re adding Illinois in order to support more individuals. I value telehealth for its accessibility, flexibility, and ability to support continuity of care, particularly during periods of transition.

Deah’s CV

Areas of Interest and Populations Served

I have a particular interest in working with adults who are navigating major life changes, including relocation, identity shifts, caregiving roles, and aging. I enjoy supporting people who are adjusting to new environments, redefining home, or exploring meaning in life , purpose, and intergenerational or ancestral connection. Support around anxiety, depression, and ADHD are also areas I have competency and interest.

Identity, Values, and Meaning

I am a dual citizen of the United States and the Slovak Republic and take great pride in my multicultural background. Existential thought, meaning making, and questions about how we live purposeful lives are areas I deeply appreciate both personally and professionally. Intergenerational resilience, cultural identity, and heritage are central values in my own life and are often meaningful areas of exploration in my clinical work.

Therapeutic Approach

My therapeutic approach is grounded in existential and humanistic traditions, with an emphasis on authenticity, compassion, and genuine connection. In our work together, we may slow down to explore present moment experiences, reflect on long standing patterns, clarify values, and identify strengths that support meaningful and sustainable change. I also value humor as an essential component of both personal and collective resilience. When used thoughtfully, humor can foster connection, soften difficult moments, and help people reconnect with perspective, creativity, and shared humanity. I see it as an important part of community building and a meaningful support in navigating life’s challenges.

Outside the Therapy Room

Outside of my clinical practice, I volunteer as the director of a Slovak diaspora nonprofit focused on cultural preservation and community engagement. I engage in fiber arts including knitting, spinning, weaving, and macramé. I enjoy spending time with my family, including my husband and our two cats. I am an enthusiastic reader of Agatha Christie novels and tend to my indoor gardens with care and curiosity. Growing houseplants and mushrooms is a particular joy and a grounding reminder of patience, balance, and steady growth.