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Shawn Sturges
Shawn Sturges

As an individual with vision loss, Shawn found that often speaking to others about his personal experiences has had a positive personal impact on his life. Since the loss of Shawn’s vision over 15 years ago, he has learned that life is a journey to enjoy and cherish, every step of the way. Over the years, Shawn has learned that we don’t get anywhere in life on our own; allowing others to help us often yields positive returns throughout our lives. Shawn recently found his way to Wellington Counseling Group as the Clinical Coordinator, and couldn’t be prouder of his colleagues who have welcomed him with open arms. He regularly encourages callers and new clients to stay in contact. Staff are here to assist in whatever way possible, so feel free to reach out. We will always be glad to help!

Shawn earned his bachelors degree in Business Administration along with a minor in Marketing in 2012 from the University of Tampa. He then moved to the Twin Cities to diversify his education and once there, decided to pursue an education in Music Business at McNally Smith College of Music. This allowed Shawn to work within the entertainment industry for a few years in the area of music publishing and artist development both there and in Nashville.

After moving to Chicago several years ago Shawn found himself in the world of adaptive rock climbing, a world that has taken him to some pretty cool places both in the U.S. and abroad. What Shawn is most proud of is the chance he was given to become an ambassador athlete for Paradox Sports, an organization helping individuals with various disabilities experience the outdoors while rock climbing, a role that has provided him a platform to share his journey as a blind individual and inspire others to find their passion—whatever that may be—despite their disability.

Shobha Shah, Ph.D.
Shobha Shah, Ph.D.

Dr. Shobha Shah is an experienced HR and Operations manager with over 12 years of experience in the Technology and Software industry. Her commitment to Human Resources, Leadership Development and Operations has been her anchor for organizational growth throughout her career. Her expertise lies in identifying opportunities, overcoming issues, building pivotal relationships, and turning concepts into workable solutions to integrate and streamline “People,” “Processes,” and “Systems.”

Dr. Shah holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Brigham Young University. She also has the distinction of having completed a postdoc fellowship at Northwestern University and was Survey Director/Research Scientist at NORC, University of Chicago.

In her free time, Shobha enjoys knitting, crocheting, cycling, and cooking ethnic vegetarian food from various cultures.

Jeffrey Samuels, LCSW
Jeffrey Samuels, LCSW

Jeffrey is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and young adults. He is experienced in addressing a variety of clinical issues, including: depression, trauma, anxiety, grief, relationship dynamics, life transitions, and diminished self-esteem.

Jeffrey follows a relationship-focused approach, developing a strong, trusting, nonjudgmental and empathetic connection between himself and his clients. He subscribes to a strong belief that clients are the experts of their own lives and that therapy works best when individuals feel empowered and supported to reach the goals they identify as most important. He incorporates a range of clinical tools, including narrative therapy and, with younger clients, play therapy.

After earning a Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago, Jeffrey worked in multiple community mental health agencies, providing therapy to both children and their families. He also has extensive experience helping young adults adjust to life transitions such as changes in living situations, school and work life.

In his free time, Jeffrey enjoys traveling, hiking, watching movies, and taking his dog, Ernie, on walks around Chicago.

Rajkumar Periasamy, Psy.D.
Rajkumar Periasamy, Psy.D.

Dr. Rajkumar Periasamy is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with an extensive background in psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and adults. He has worked with a wide range of clinical issues, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and relationship struggles. His approach to treatment is primarily Cognitive Behavioral with an openness to adapting his approach to fit his clients’ broad range of needs.

Dr. Periasamy specializes in psychological assessments for children and adults who present with a wide range of diagnoses, including ADHD, developmental delays, learning differences, and socio-emotional challenges. His approach to evaluations is highly comprehensive as he closely tailors recommendations to a goal of enhancing a person’s wellbeing or toward ensuring their academic or vocational success. He understands that the diagnostic process can feel quite overwhelming, particularly to youths, and he works with you to ensure your child receives the necessary help they need.

Dr. Periasamy graduated from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology with his doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a primary focus on the psychology of the child/adolescent. He completed his undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!).

In his free time, he enjoys spending time watching sports, cooking, running long distances, hiking, and traveling the world.

Eric Ornstein, LCSW
Eric Ornstein, LCSW

Eric works closely with clients experiencing conflict or distress. His approach is built on consistent, empathetic listening and compassionate support, helping his client identify options and prioritize goals as they find relief from pain. Eric specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, and life transitions.

Eric taps into a few key elements of the healing process – identifying strengths, finding new coping mechanisms, and bolstering resilience. All of this helps clients develop self awareness to help transform automatic behaviors into conscious deliberate choices. This methodology places a special emphasis on psychodynamic relational concepts, a framework his published articles were at the forefront of first integrating into the field of social work.

Eric served on the faculty of the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago as a Clinical Associate Professor for nineteen years prior to retiring from this role in 2011. During his academic career, he published eighteen articles on psychotherapy and clinical social work in peer-reviewed journals and presented at local, state and national conferences. In recent years, he has taught social work practice, psychopathology and group therapy courses at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, The Institute for Clinical Social Work, and St. Augustine College. Eric also has served as President of the Illinois Society for Clinical Social Work where he has served since 2012.

In his free time, Eric enjoys listening to a wide variety of music and is a passionate Grateful “Deadhead.” He likes to take walks with his wife and catch up with his son on the latest technology.

Aldona Marchese, LPC
Aldona Marchese, LPC

Aldona Marchese is Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute-trained child and adolescent psychotherapist. She specializes in treatment of children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Aldona provides consultations and support for parents and families as they seek to enhance their parenting strategies. Aldona also provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for young individuals so that they can develop and maintain effective coping strategies and tools. Additionally, she is fluent in both French and Polish and brings to her practice a keen awareness and sensitivity of multicultural factors affecting many of her patients.

Aldona possesses extensive experience from both academic and clinically focused settings. She supports each child and their family through social, academic, and behavioral challenges and empowers them to gain insight into the emotional roots of their challenges. For some patients, Aldona also applies the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) so that her patients can develop and maintain more effective coping strategies.

Aldona holds a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education from Dominican University and is a Board-Certified Educational Therapist. More recently, Aldona has embarked on extensive additional training in Mentalization Based Treatment at Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling at Trinity University.

In her spare time, Aldona loves traveling and preserving nature with her husband, two active young sons, and their beloved rescue dog.

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