CBT, ACT, mindfulness, video modeling, and role-playing techniques tailored to children, teens, and adults with Autism, ADHD, and Social Anxiety.
Sara Bartus has been working with children, teens, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, and social skills challenges for over 10 years. She utilizes an individualized and personal approach with each client and incorporates principles of structured teaching and applied behavior analysis into her work.
Sara graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in social work and psychology and then went on to receive her master’s in social work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has a second master’s degree in applied behavior analysis (ABA) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Sara is trained in structured teaching and was honored to accept an invitation to the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) Future Leaders program.
Sara values each and every one of her clients and prides herself on helping them reach the milestones they have set. She offers individual therapy and also assists in the facilitation of group social skills therapy.
Dr. Thornton, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of SociAbility. Her professional goal is to create a whole life for the people she serves – those with autism spectrum disorders. She has been working with children and adolescents for nearly 20 years, and she is dedicated to helping her patients become interested, engaged members of their communities.
Dr. Thornton has been in private practice in Northbrook, IL, since 2008. Prior to that, she worked with neurobehavioral centers in the Chicagoland area, including Rush Neurobehavioral Center in Skokie, the Pediatric Consultation Center in Glenview, the University of Chicago and the Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Dr. Thornton also conducts diagnostic evaluations for autism for those who have not yet received a diagnosis.
She is a graduate of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Dr. Boyer is a graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with majors in Psychology and English. He has an MA from Loyola University in Community Counseling and a doctorate (Psy.D.) from The Illinois School of Professional Psychology with a minor in Psychoanalytic Therapy. Dr. Boyer has spent 20 years as clinical director at L.L. Kerns, MD and Associates, specializing in psychotherapy for children, adolescents, young adults, and families.
Dr. Boyer has extensive experience conducting psychological testing for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, cognitive functioning, intellectual/learning disorders, emotional disorders, and personality functioning. He has supervised post-doctoral fellows for 15 years. Clients who seek counseling services from Dr. Boyer struggle with anxiety, ADHD, bipolar depression, major depression, PTSD, personality disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, sexual orientation concerns, and impulsivity. Dr. Boyer is on varied insurance panels, with years of experience conducting disability evaluations for the State of Illinois. Interests include self-care, health, exercise, reading, and parenting.
Dr. Shawna Solsvig is a licensed professional counselor (LPC), licensed dance/movement therapist (R-DMT), Graduate Laban Certified Movement Analyst (GL-CMA), and Dr. Becky Kennedy Certified Good Inside Parent Coach® who is completing Post-Doctoral training at SociAbility. With more than 20 years of training and experience, she has worked with people with diverse challenges across the life span, specializing in early childhood and elementary-age development, and parent coaching. In addition to therapy, Dr. Solsvig provides psychological assessments. Dr. Solsvig graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Psychology, and a minor in Spanish. She completed a terminal masters degree in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling, and a Graduate Certificate in Laban Movement Analysis from Columbia College Chicago. Dr. Solsvig holds a second masters degree in Clinical Psychology, and completed her doctoral studies in the same, at The Chicago School.
Dr. Solsvig has experience working with multi-cultural, interdisciplinary teams in locations such as behavioral and medical hospitals, public and private schools, community mental health, wellness organizations, and private practice. She is a passionate advocate who brings a genuine inquisitiveness, accessibility, and collaborative style to her interactions. In addition to providing parent guidance, she has facilitated individual and group therapy for children, adolescents, and adults from diverse backgrounds and various life experiences.
Hailing from the Midwest, Dr. Solsvig enjoys reading, water-skiing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She has lived abroad, speaks Spanish conversationally, loves new adventures, and is endlessly inquisitive. She is an Enneagram 2 (The Helper), an optimist at heart, and is humbly honored when invited to walk alongside people in their earth life journey.
Dr. Walder is a licensed clinical psychologist who has more than 10 years of experience providing psychotherapy to children and adolescents, in addition to providing parent support services and facilitating group therapy for children and adolescents. Throughout her trainings and clinical practice, she has worked with individuals from diverse backgrounds who have presented with a variety of struggles and challenges. Various settings that she has trained and worked in include a private practice, a therapeutic day school, and various social service agencies, including one specializing in autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, she has worked in a special education classroom and started her career path by volunteering as a social peer and at a crisis hotline.
Dr. Walder received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her dissertation research focused on collaborating with young adult siblings of individuals on the autism spectrum in order to better understand their lived experiences and to find strengths and solutions to challenges that they have encountered.
Dr. Walder takes a relational approach to therapy and incorporates systemic and behavioral techniques. In addition, she utilizes techniques from evidence-based therapies while working with children and adolescents. She enjoys collaborating with other professionals and works to find appropriate referrals for various services needed as she sees the whole child.
Dr. Yakovleva is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in neurodevelopmental assessment. She has extensive experience providing diagnostic clarification of autism spectrum disorder and related conditions in medical and rehabilitation settings. Dr. Yakovleva is committed to making assessments a collaborative and therapeutic process. In addition to psychological assessments, she specializes in treating anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Clients can expect focused, goal-directed therapy sessions grounded in interventions that have been proven to work, such as exposure and response prevention. Dr. Yakovleva values the participation of family members and other providers in the treatment process to enhance boundaries and foster lasting change.
Dr. Yakovleva holds her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Pediatric Developmental Center at Illinois Masonic Medical Center. Her dissertation research during graduate school explored social factors contributing to perceived loneliness. She completed a doctoral internship at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Yakovleva earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of San Diego and served as a special education teacher through Teach For America. Dr. Yakovleva is experienced in providing services in both the English and Russian languages.
