Building Meaningful Relationships That Drive Change

At Unbroken Family Counseling, everything we do starts with one belief: the relationship between you and your therapist is where change happens. Our therapists help children, teens, adults, couples and families from five offices in the Chicago suburbs (Geneva, North Plainfield, Downtown Plainfield, Downers Grove and Evanston) and by telehealth anywhere in Illinois.

Here's why we built our practice around that relationship, and what it means for you or your child.

Why the relationship matters

Researchers have studied what makes therapy work for decades. The biggest factor is you: your readiness to change, your strengths, your circumstances and the support in your life. In a widely cited summary of the research, psychologists John Norcross and Michael Lambert estimate that the client accounts for roughly 30% of the differences in how people do in therapy. The next largest piece they identify is the therapy relationship, at roughly 15%, which is more than they credit to the specific technique a therapist uses (about 10%). They stress that these are rough estimates, not exact numbers (Norcross & Lambert, 2019).

Large research reviews point the same way. A 2018 analysis that combined 295 studies covering more than 30,000 adults found that a stronger working relationship between client and therapist was consistently linked to better results, across different types of therapy, different kinds of clients and different countries (Flückiger et al., 2018). A companion review of 28 studies with 2,419 children and teens found the same kind of link in youth therapy (Karver et al., 2018). An American Psychological Association task force summed it up: the therapy relationship "makes substantial and consistent contributions to outcome independent of the type of treatment" (Norcross & Lambert, 2018).

We can't make anyone ready to change. That part belongs to you. The relationship is the part we can do something about, so we built our whole practice around it.

A team as diverse as the people we serve

It's easier to open up to someone who understands your world. That's why we've built a team with a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. Our clinicians include:

  • Both men and women therapists, so you can choose who you're most comfortable talking to
  • Clinicians from the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities
  • Seven clinicians with more than 10 years of experience, working alongside newer clinicians who train under close clinical supervision
  • Firefighters who understand first responder life from the inside: Alan DeCamp is a current firefighter and Kevin Burke is a former firefighter, so first responders can talk with someone who has been there
  • Spanish-speaking therapists
  • Certified alcohol and drug counselors (CADC) for addiction counseling

So whatever you're going through, there's a good chance someone on our team understands your world, and that shared understanding can help trust grow faster. Some of our clinicians share parts of their own story and some keep it private. Either way, you're welcome to tell us what matters to you in a therapist, and we'll take it into account when we match you.

Our reach gives you more choices. We have five offices in four communities. None of the nine nearby group practices we reviewed in October 2026 had more than two. We also run 20 dedicated specialty programs, from young children and teens to couples, families, first responders, immigration, foster and adoption, addiction and maternal mental health.

Learn more about our LGBTQ+ affirming therapy, autism counseling, ADHD therapy, therapy for men, therapy for women and teen therapy.

A whole team behind your therapist

With us, you don't get just one therapist. You get one therapist who leads your care as your point person, with our whole clinical team behind them.

Through our supervision structure, our clinicians consult with each other on every case. Clinical supervision is available every day, and every clinician takes part at least once a week. Many choose to come three or four times a week. Any of our clinically licensed therapists can provide supervision, and weekly group supervision is led by Andrew Hamilton, Anthony Ward, Don Mrozek, Shannon Flynn and Nick Giannasi. That means your therapist can draw on the training and lived experience of the entire team: a second set of eyes when progress stalls, and fresh ideas when you need them.

Your privacy stays protected. Case consultation happens only inside Unbroken Family Counseling, among our clinical team, and it is held to the same confidentiality standards as your sessions.

Therapists who never stop learning

We encourage our clinicians to keep growing, and we pay for advanced training as part of how we compensate them. When a therapist wants to train in a method such as EMDR or Somatic Experiencing, we make it easy to say yes. That way, newer, research-supported approaches reach your sessions sooner.

Advanced training on our team includes EMDR (Alan DeCamp, Anthony Ward, Carolyn LoScuito, Katie Butusov and Liz Vohasek), trauma-focused CBT (Aditi Tunstall) and certified alcohol and drug counseling (Brian Hazard and Don Mrozek). EMDR is a well-researched therapy for trauma and PTSD; learn more on our trauma therapy page.

We're also selective about who joins us. Every clinician we hire brings something extra beyond their license, for example: Alan DeCamp is a current firefighter, Brian Hazard and Don Mrozek are certified addiction counselors, Carolyn LoScuito focuses on pregnancy and postpartum, Gregory Rodriguez specializes in sex addiction and sexual dysfunction, and Liz Vohasek is a published author who treats trauma and OCD. You can read more about each of them on Our Team, or find your therapist in five quick questions.

Why a wreath?

Our symbol is a wreath. For thousands of years, wreaths have stood for victory and completeness. Look closely and you'll see a wreath isn't one solid piece. It's many twigs and branches woven together, each one holding up the others.

That's how we see wellness. Therapy is one hour a week, and it matters. But lasting change grows from everything woven around it: family, friends, community, a church or other faith community, and a sense of belonging and purpose. Our work is to help you strengthen those connections, not replace them, so you can find victory over what you're struggling with.

How we match you

Finding the right fit is the first step in building a strong relationship, so we take matching seriously. When you call or register, tell us what you're looking for: the concern you want help with, whether you'd prefer a man or a woman, a Spanish-speaking therapist, a particular kind of life experience, your schedule and which office is easiest for you. We'll match you with a clinician who fits and has openings.

  • No practice waitlist. The practice has no waitlist, though individual clinicians may have one, so we'll match you with someone who has openings.
  • Five offices: Geneva (622 W State St), North Plainfield (13550 US-30, Suite 300), Downtown Plainfield (24047 W Lockport St, Suite 211), Downers Grove (921 Curtiss St) and Evanston (2807 Central St).
  • Telehealth anywhere in Illinois, on your phone, computer or tablet.
  • English and Spanish. Meet our Spanish-speaking therapists.
  • Insurance: we accept most major insurance plans and offer a self-pay rate.

Looking for help with something specific? See trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, couples counseling, family therapy and child therapy.

Common questions

Will other therapists know about my case?

Your therapist may discuss your care in confidential case consultation with our clinical team, so you benefit from the whole team's experience. Those conversations stay inside Unbroken Family Counseling and follow the same confidentiality standards as your sessions.

Can I request a therapist with a specific background?

Yes. You can ask for a man or a woman, a Spanish-speaking therapist, someone who focuses on a specific concern, or someone experienced with a particular community or concern, such as LGBTQ+ clients, autism or ADHD, first responders or new parents. We'll match you as closely as we can with a clinician who has openings.

Do you have a waitlist?

The practice has no waitlist, though individual clinicians may have one, so we'll match you with someone who has openings.

What if my therapist isn't the right fit?

Tell us. The relationship is the heart of what we do, so you're welcome to ask to work with a different clinician on our team.

Ready to find your fit?

Request an appointment or call (630) 300-8928, and we'll match you with a therapist who fits your needs. You can also meet our team first.

Research cited on this page

  1. Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316–340. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000172
  2. Karver, M. S., De Nadai, A. S., Monahan, M., & Shirk, S. R. (2018). Meta-analysis of the prospective relation between alliance and outcome in child and adolescent psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 341–355. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000176
  3. Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2018). Psychotherapy relationships that work III. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 303–315. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000193
  4. Norcross, J. C., & Lambert, M. J. (2019). Evidence-based psychotherapy relationships: The third task force. In J. C. Norcross (Ed.), Psychotherapy relationships that work: Volume 1 (3rd ed., pp. 1–23). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780190843953.003.0001