Meet Noelle McWard

NOELLE MCWARD, LCSW

Founder, Therapist & Immigration Specialist

How do you remember that?”

I get asked this question all the time by my clients.  I will remember specific details of something that we discussed in the past, or the names and relationship of people in their lives, and often my clients will stop what they are talking about and ask me, “How do you remember that?”

While there are many answers I can give to that question, the one that is most true and most important is that I am interested.  I am interested in people in general. I am interested in the experiences and stories that all of us accumulate on this journey through life.  I am interested in my clients and their stories. I am interested in, and invested in helping them with whatever issues or concerns brought them to my office.  When I really think about it, that is why I became a therapist.

“Don’t you get sick of listening to people all day?”

This is another question that I get asked often, and the answer is an emphatic “No!”  I love my work as a therapist. I love the therapeutic process which is about not only helping to unlock some of the sources of our pain and struggles and providing tools and strategies to help individuals and couple’s to live healthier and more fulfilled lives; but is also about forming a genuine relationship with my clients.  I am very interactive and engaged in the therapy process with my clients and view the process as a dialogue between us.

I am constantly amazed, inspired and in awe of the changes that I see my clients make and I consider it a privilege to be given their trust, and to share in the work that we do together.  I work extensively with individuals around issues related to anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and life transition issues. I also love working with couples and a significant part of my practice is devoted to providing couple’s therapy.

Now that you know a bit about what I do, and why I do it, here is some information about my experience and background.  I have been practicing as a therapist since 1993, after graduating from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration with a Master’s in Social Work.  I began private practice work in 1996 and founded Counseling Solutions in 2008. I have served as an adjunct instructor at Loyola University in the Graduate School of Social Work, and have been a Licensed Continuing Education Sponsor for Illinois Social Workers and Professional Counselors since 2014.  In addition to my work as a therapist and educator, I have provided expert mental health testimony in the form of written evaluations for undocumented immigrants seeking legal remedies to their immigration status since 2001.

I can be reached at noelle@counselingsolutionschicago.com with any questions or comments.