Business Details
Your Trusted Psychotherapy Partner in Skokie, IL
I am a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with a doctorate from the University of Chicago. My practice focuses on supporting individuals, children, and families navigating complex emotional and relational challenges. With extensive experience in child psychiatry departments at Michael Reese Hospital and the University of Chicago, I specialize in working with families experiencing divorce-related stress, men undergoing life transitions, and children struggling with self-esteem or identity issues.My approach combines psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral techniques tailored to each client's unique needs. I serve as a Collaborative Law Coach and Child Specialist, helping parents develop child-centered parenting plans while maintaining a strong commitment to ethical, client-focused care. My practice emphasizes timely communication, interdisciplinary collaboration with educators and medical professionals, and evidence-based strategies for long-term emotional well-being.
Services
Collaborative Divorce
Co-Parenting Counseling
Child Custody Consultation
Individual Adult Therapy
Child/Adolescent Therapy
Child Focused Mediation
Highlights and features
- We have 30+ years of experience in child psychiatry departments at major medical institutions
- Our practice specializes in child-focused mediation for divorce-related family transitions
- We employ evidence-based approaches combining psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral therapies
- Our therapist maintains active collaboration with educators and child psychiatrists
- We offer specialized support for men navigating complex life transitions
Services
Collaborative Divorce
Specialized collaborative divorce services help families avoid court battles through child-centered parenting plans. Our approach involves neutral child specialists and divorce coaches to protect children from conflict while preserving co-parenting relationships. This process utilizes multidisciplinary teams including legal and financial experts to create customized solutions for family transitions.
Child Focused Mediation
Child-focused mediation services facilitate parenting plan development during divorce proceedings. We help parents resolve custody disputes while prioritizing children's emotional needs. Our process includes direct child consultation to incorporate their perspectives into decision-making, with ongoing support for implementing and adjusting parenting schedules as family dynamics evolve over time.
Child/Adolescent Therapy
Therapeutic services for children and adolescents address self-esteem, anxiety, and identity issues. Our family systems approach incorporates parent involvement and coordinates care with schools and medical providers. Specialized support is available for children experiencing parental divorce-related stress or refusing contact with a parent.
Men's Therapy
Targeted therapy services help men navigate life transitions including divorce, career changes, and identity exploration. We address relationship challenges and emotional growth through individualized treatment plans. Our approach supports men in developing authentic relationships while managing anxiety and self-doubt during major life changes.
Co-Parenting Counseling
Co-parenting counseling services improve communication between separated parents. We provide structured guidance for decision-making and conflict resolution related to children. Our sessions address emotional challenges during the transition to co-parenting while establishing practical frameworks for ongoing collaboration and child-centered care.
People
John M Palen
Psychotherapist
Dr. Palen is a licensed clinical social worker with a doctorate from the University of Chicago. He has over 30 years of experience in child psychiatry and family therapy, specializing in divorce-related transitions. His practice combines psychodynamic and behavioral approaches to address complex family dynamics and individual mental health needs.
Questions
What is collaborative divorce?
Collaborative divorce is a structured process where parents work with trained professionals to create child-centered parenting plans without court involvement. Our practice provides neutral child specialists and divorce coaches to facilitate this process.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not participate in insurance networks, but provide documentation for PPO policyholders to seek out-of-network reimbursement. Divorce-related services are not covered by insurance.
What ages do you work with?
We treat children as young as 5 years old through adulthood, with specialized approaches for different developmental stages and family situations.
How do you involve children in divorce cases?
As a Child Specialist, we directly meet with children to understand their needs and perspectives, then communicate these insights to parents and legal representatives while maintaining confidentiality boundaries.
What areas do you serve?
Our practice primarily serves Skokie and surrounding Chicago suburbs, with convenient office access from both city and suburban locations.
