Olivia Robison

Navigating through childhood and adolescence often brings forth a set of challenges, whether that’s cognitive and developmental delays, academic struggles, social and relational issues, or emotional and behavioral issues. These struggles are often magnified to the child or teenager, and they can find it difficult to find ways to push through hardships. I believe in integrating evidence-based techniques, while simultaneously fostering connection and trust to enable my clients to tackle life’s issues at its core and develop attainable life adjustments.

I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness. I offer one-on-one therapy with children and adolescents up to age 17. My therapeutic approach is integrative, utilizing both an evidence-based framework for collaboratively identifying the specific thoughts and behaviors causing distress, while also upholding humanistic values to offer a non-judgmental, empathetic space.

I have been studying psychology for the past 5 years, I earned both my minor in criminal justice and Bachelors in Psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology from Governors State University. I am currently halfway finished with my Masters degree at Lewis University, where I specialize in counseling for children and adolescents. This summer I obtained my Registered Behavioral Technician certification, which enabled me to provide Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy to children both one-on-one and in a simulated school setting. In addition to my clinical experience, I volunteered for 2 years at a therapeutic horse facility where I assisted administering care to children with special needs. I also have been serving in a special needs ministry for children with a range of neurodevelopmental and intellectual disorders.

My extensive experience within the autism community has equipped me with a drive to focus on small, sustainable changes to daily life to lead towards a rise in independence and a reduction in maladaptive behaviors. I believe in a collaborative effort between myself, my clients, and their parents. For children, I will meet with the parents for the first session to develop a sense of what skills/struggles need to be the focus as I provide therapy for the client. For teenagers, I uphold establishing rapport and trust with the client by meeting with them initially during the first session, and then inviting the parents in towards the end to collaborate. As we start working together, their sessions become confidential and part of the trust-building process between the client and myself. If you feel this could be a good fit for your child or teenager, I’d love to offer a consultation to determine how I can best assist their struggles in an area of life.