Today we’d like to introduce you to Joslyn Jelinek.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Joslyn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been a psychotherapist and social worker for 20 years and have enjoyed working with all of the complexities of human stories and struggles. I worked for the Cook County Hospital System for many years before starting my own private practice. We specialize in perinatal mood disorder that explores the time of pregnancy and postpartum. Also, we are credentialed in substance abuse and really enjoy watching people emerge for the darkness of drug and alcohol addiction to a sober life.
Chicago Human Potential is exactly the business that I wanted to have since I was in seventh grade. I had been influenced by, and knew several social workers and I was impressed with how powerful interpersonal therapy is for a myriad of issues, from depression to anxiety to grief and loss. Chicago Human Potential builds on the strengths and fortitude of clients and helps them develop skills for living that they design for themselves with the support of accountability, re-framing, a therapeutic techniques tailored for them specifically.
We are also very welcoming of clients that are marginalized by traditional mental health systems. We welcome people of color, people with differing abilities and the LGBTQ community.
We have been open in this location for 4 years and most of our referrals are from other clients and medical professionals. We will need to expand soon and will likely open a second location in October.
It is helpful that we take about 15 insurances including Medicaid. We do sliding scale for other without insurance or very difficult accessing care.
The style of therapy we use the most is cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and commitment therapy. We also have an art therapist on staff who is amazing. Mindfulness is another component of care that our therapists use. And yes, if you do not already meditate… we will teach you!
Our office is next to the lake and there is something soothing about being close to the magnificence of nature that is healing it its own right. It seems like a perfect spot to have opened a therapy practice.
Working with talk therapy is a very rewarding profession. There is nothing like witnessing someone coming in with some distinct challenges and over time feeling that they have healed and feel better.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No! I had to learn so much about billing and I still don’t feel like we are the greatest at that whole insurance piece. Many of my colleagues in practice don’t even deal with billing, but I think it is worth it to deliver the best services that we can to everyone that would like to access them.
Although talking is my profession, I’m introverted and getting out there and doing marketing was outside of my comfort zone, but I have learned more about that as time has gone by.
Please tell us about Chicago Human Potential.
Chicago Human Potential is a comprehensive therapy practice. We work with children, teen, and adults. We seek individuals, couples and families. We most often get referrals for anxiety and depression. Some of our other specialties are perinatal mood disorders, substance abuse and living with chronic pain. We have an art therapist on staff if you are interested in that modality.
We are often referred to for our specialization in post-partum mood disorders. We have 20 years’ experience.
We are proud that our clients refer people to us.
We are distinguished as a woman owned and social worker run company.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
We lived in a national forest in Michigan and raised goats. I loved to be outside with my family and play with the new kid goats and make stuff in the mud and sand. When I think about it I can feel the sunlight and imagine climbing trees on a slightly breezy day.
Pricing:
- Diagnostic Interview (first session) is $175.00
- Session fee $150.00 group therapy $90.00
- Sliding scale usually around $100.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 7231 1/2 N Sheridan
Chicago, IL 60626 - Website: www.chicagohumanpotential.com
- Phone: (773) 517-3448
- Email: joslyn@chicagohumanpotential.com
Image Credits: Emily Riveria for the headshot
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