Sharon Ganellen is a veteran psychotherapist with a wealth of experience under her belt. She has worked in a variety of mental health and school settings over the last 20 years and has focused extensively in helping children and their families. Sharon’s next chapter begins now at Wellington Counseling Group, where she will help adults, couples, and families seeking positive changes in their lives and working to reach their full potential. Sharon also provides consultation and advocacy for parents and children who are navigating a variety of educational challenges in hopes of being appropriately served by their school districts’ resources.

Sharon works from a family systems orientation, incorporating elements from other recognized treatment approaches, as well. With every case, she aspires to work collaboratively with clients, to allow them to realistically assess their situation, identify their options, and to then effectively implement changes in their lives to reach their goals.

Sharon earned an MSW from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a lifelong learner who always tries to add new tools to her toolbox so that she can better help her clients.

Sharon is a Master Gardener who has volunteered at the Chicago Botanic Garden for over 20 years and holds a brown belt in Aikido. Sharon also has an extensive background in experiential education and has worked on several Teams Challenge courses. In her free time, Sharon loves to read, listen to music, cook, travel, and spend time in nature with her husband.

Dr. Michael Feinstein works with adolescents and adults, offering psychological treatment for a wide variety of presenting concerns. His area of specialty is trauma/PTSD and enjoys providing EMDR therapy to individuals in his care. Other areas of specialty for Dr. Feinstein include anxiety, depression, addiction, identity development & exploration, self-esteem & self-worth development, interpersonal & familial conflict, and life transitions. Dr. Feinstein also provides psychological evaluations.

Dr. Feinstein’s approach to therapeutic practice is primarily rooted in humanistic and Person-Centered philosophies, utilizing a modern Rogerian style that emphasizes empathy, empowerment, and personal exploration. He frequently incorporates approaches from modalities such as Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), existentialism, and psychodynamic concepts, as well. Dr. Feinstein’s philosophy for therapeutic practice is that everything brought to therapy is rich in meanings that can be explored and understood, no matter how distressing or puzzling it may appear to others. He aims to create a supportive, safe, and welcoming environment where such an exploration can take place and healing can begin to unfold. Throughout therapy, Dr. Feinstein strives to maintain a deep commitment to accurately understand you and your lived experiences, respect your autonomy, and empower individuals to live a more peaceful and personally meaningful life.

Dr. Feinstein is a graduate of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where he earned a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He has experience treating individuals from across the lifespan throughout a wide variety of settings. These include private practice, community mental health centers, nonprofit agencies, college counseling centers, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and crisis centers.

In his free time, Dr. Feinstein likes to stay active and frequently rides his bike along the lakefront and attends yoga and Pilates classes. He also enjoys playing video games, boardgames, seeing live music, exploring the local restaurant scene, and watching sports.

Lowell Bisio is fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He has previous clinical experience providing psychotherapy and psychological assessment in both inpatient and college counseling settings, where he has worked with children, adolescents, and adults.

Lowell approaches treatment from an integrative perspective that emphasizes humanistic and psychodynamic methods. He believes in the holistic individuality of every person and sees the empathic therapeutic relationship as fundamental to insight and change. Lowell is interested in sitting with, learning from, and helping individuals in despair. His other clinical interests include working with individuals experiencing issues relating to life transitions, mood, personality, identity, or spirituality.

Prior to beginning his graduate studies, Lowell earned his B.A. from Colorado College, majoring in philosophy and with minors in English, music, and psychoanalysis. He has also previously volunteered in a hospice setting providing support for patients and their families.

When he is not working or studying, Lowell enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, learning about history, watching films, playing music, and petting his cats.

Brandon Arbuckle is a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than two decades of experience in private practice. His primary focus is working with couples on conflict resolution and emotional dysregulation between partners. With a background in the intersection of neuroscience and change in couples, Brandon understands how the body responds to trauma and emotional distress as well as the effect this can have on the lives of those in intimate relationships. He works to help couples develop greater and more secure emotional connections, as well as identify opportunities for growth in their relationships.

Brandon is a certified facilitator of Prepare/Enrich™, as well as a supervisor approved by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He regularly supervises and consults with those seeking to become an LMFT in Illinois.

Brandon earned his Ph.D. in Pastoral Theology, Personality and Culture from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, a Methodist Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University. The field of Pastoral Theology is interdisciplinary, with influence from clinical psychology, psychology of religion and anthropology.

In his free time, Brandon enjoys watching movies, art, playing baseball with his two children, and exploring the varied cuisine offered by the world’s most delightful city: Chicago.

Dr. Alyson Byrne works with children, adolescents, families, and adults, offering psychological expertise throughout the lifespan. With extensive experience working with children, Dr. Byrne has helped patients navigate various challenges youths are exposed to at home and at school. Her focus areas consist of emotional and behavioral difficulties, including ASD, ADHD, difficulties with peer relationships, bullying, anxiety, depression, and adjustment issues. Dr. Byrne also works with infants and toddlers, performing developmental evaluations alongside speech and language pathologists.

Dr. Byrne is a graduate of Adler University in Chicago where she earned a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Child and Adolescent emphasis and before that, a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has extensive clinical experience in public schools, therapeutic day schools, and private schools. Dr. Byrne is also well-versed in conducting psychological, academic, and neuropsychological evaluations for children and adolescents.

In her free time, Dr. Byrne enjoys exploring the city of Chicago with her friends. She loves to try different restaurants, see live shows, travel, and spend time with her family.

Dr. David Rakofsky, President of Wellington Counseling Group and licensed clinical psychologist, has extensive experience working with depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, and communication issues in traditional and non-traditional households. He frequently facilitates a weekly men’s group helping men at a mid-life crossroads work through career development and maintaining healthy relationships. Dr. Rakofsky has been in private practice since 2005 and served in a number of leadership roles for both public and private mental health agencies.

He’s most honored to be involved in the daily training of the next generation of psychologists and Master’s level psychotherapists, and has consulted within many varied segments of the community, including law enforcement, academia, and immigration and civil rights law. Dr. Rakofsky holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago and a Master’s in Adult Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He is also a proud alumnus of Syracuse University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and religion.

When he is not working, he enjoys the arts, films, playing and performing music, cycling, and spending time with his children.

As a member of PSYPACT, Dr. Rakofsky can treat via telehealth, clients who live in the following participating states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, (Illinois), Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.