About the Practice and Therapists
“Overcoming difficulties leads to courage, self-respect, and knowing yourself.”
~ Alfred Adler
Fitzgerald Counseling
Hello!
We are a small private practice in Chicago consisting of two mental health therapists with extensive experience in the Employee Assistance and organizational areas, as well as experience and training in general mental health counseling and psychotherapy. We primarily work with adults, but also work with children and adolescents. We provide individual, couple, and family counseling as well as an array of workplace-related services.
Paul J. Fitzgerald, Psy.D.
(708) 695-8646 (Voice)
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
- Certified Employee Assistance Professional
- Master Addiction Counselor
Paul Fitzgerald is a clinical psychologist, counselor, and psychotherapist with over 20 years experience working with adults, adolescents, children, couples and families. He has worked in the Employee Assistance field as a counselor and clinical director. Prior to his EAP work, he also worked in inpatient psychiatric services and community mental health.
Dr. Fitzgerald entered this field because he has long been intrigued by the ways we as human beings see the world, and how our perceptions of ourselves, others, and our world guide our behavior and mood. Dr. Fitzgerald has two offices, in downtown Chicago (available weekdays in the afternoon and some mornings) and a part-time office in Hinsdale, on the Cook-DuPage County line (available Fridays and Saturday mornings). When appointments are available, they may be booked online through this website at www.fitzgeraldcounseling.com.
Dr. Fitzgerald specializes in working with professionals who are experiencing challenges due to substance use, relationship problems, work stress, and other issues. He has worked with physicians, lawyers, university professors, researchers, and financial services professionals. Paul has extensive experience assisting individuals with substance use disorders through assessment and referral to treatment, monitoring, follow-up, and relapse prevention.
Dr. Fitzgerald makes use of cognitive-behavioral and Adlerian principles to help clients understand and change the self-defeating patterns of thinking, behavior, and communication that may be contributing to their distress. He earned a certificate in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy from Adler School of Professional Psychology.
Both Adlerian and Cognitive-behavioral therapy emphasize encouragement and support, while helping people to be more aware of (and to change) their beliefs and perceptions about themselves, other people, the world, and life circumstances.
In addition to his psychotherapy and counseling practice, Dr. Fitzgerald serves as an Assistant Professor and Director of Training in the Counseling Department at Adler University (formerly the Adler School of Professional Psychology) in Chicago. Dr. Fitzgerald has taught graduate-level courses in Adlerian psychology, counseIng theories, addiction counseling, Adlerian Parenting, the Adlerian Life Style Assessment technique, ethical issues, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and research methods. He teaches and advises students in the Master’s in Counseling and other programs at Adler University in Chicago and Vancouver, Canada.
Dr. Fitzgerald’s professional affiliations and activities:
- Certificate in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Adler University
- Certified Employee Assistance Professional (Employee Assistance Credentialing Commission)
- Master Addiction Counselor (NAADAC, The Certification Organization for Addiction Professionals)
- National Certified Counselor (National Board of Certified Counselors).
- Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (Illinois)
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist (Illinois)
- President, 2018-2020, Northern Illinois Chapter, Employee Assistance Professionals Association
- Commissioner, 2017-2020, Employee Assistance Credentialing Commission
- Memberships:
- American Counseling Association
- Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors
- American Psychological Association
- Employee Assistance Professionals Association
- National Board of Certified Counselors
- NAADAC – The Certification Agency for Addiction Professionals
- Illinois Counseling Association
- Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association
- North American Society of Adlerian Psychology
- American Association of University Professors
Colleen O’Brien, M.A., L.C.P.C.
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, EAP Counselor
Colleen earned a Master’s degree in Counseling and Organizational Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in 2009 and recently became a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois.Colleen operates from the standpoint that every individual is equipped with the power of choice to create their lives exactly the way they want it to be. Her work includes assisting people with issues in career, personal life and relationships, and in how to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle.
Colleen regularly works with people who are struggling in the workplace or in their personal lives. Using a direct approach, Colleen assists clients in obtaining clarity around what is happening in specific situations, why it is happening, and how to achieve the desired outcome. In addition, Colleen assists clients in figuring out what they really want in career and life and how they can get it. Conceptualizing from a holistic perspective, Colleen utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to challenge irrational thoughts and assist clients in altering their thinking, leading to productivity and contentedness.
Colleen enjoys working with clients in exploring the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and its connection to each individual’s personal psychology. Colleen believes in mind-body connection and the relationship between the food we choose to put into our bodies and the effect it has on our mood, mind, and behavior. Colleen believes the body possesses an internal pharmacy and when treated with respect, will provide the foundation we need to live a happy life. Colleen was recently trained by Judith Beck, Ph.D, daughter of the famous Aaron Beck, MD, (founder of CBT), on how to utilize CBT techniques to assist clients in losing and maintaining weight loss.
Colleen speaks Spanish and English. She sees clients at the downtown Chicago location and has evening appointment times available.
Colleen may be reached at (773) 425-0235.
Our Blog
This website is also our blog, where we regularly post entries for viewing by anyone who has an interest in counseling, psychotherapy, or mental health. You can access these entries by clicking on any of the categories or monthly archives lists (at the bottom of the page), or by simply clicking the “Blog” link in the main menu to view all recent entries. You can use the buttons on each blog page to share, save or print these articles if you wish. You can also leave comments on each post page.
Website Services Marketers Please Note!
I (Paul) maintain this website myself, and enjoy doing it. I already get all the referrals I can handle. Please don’t contact me about website services, increasing traffic, SEO, or related products or services you may be selling. I will not respond!
