GET TO KNOW your therapist

Julia Jordan-Lake, LCPC

“Toys are children’s words and play is their language” -Garry Landreth

Insurances I Accept:

BCBS PPO
Optum/United
Cigna
BCBS HMO Northshore
Humana (pending)

Ages I work with:

Languages I speak:

English

Who Am I?

Hi I am Julia Jordan-Lake (she/hers).

I am a therapist who is passionate about partnering with caregivers in working with unlocking the
strengths of their holistic child. There’s nothing I love more than working on problem solving over a game of Candyland or assigning “homework” to make dessert (while practicing executive functioning skills!) Nothing is more fulfilling as a therapist than seeing you connect with your child for the first time in a long time in the playroom (adult translation: therapy office!).

I am a cisgendered, LGBTQIA+ identified woman.

I love working with:

children who have been described as “difficult” by teachers
caregivers who feel like they have tried everything for their child
children and teens who think therapy is boring
neurodiverse children and teens who want to feel respected and celebrated rather than shamed and judged

Some of my favorite approaches include:

play therapy, play-based CBT, Legos (for engagement and connection!), using memes (for emotion identification!), and Daniel Tiger for everything else

HOW I HELP

I work with both children and adolescents with attunement towards the developmental level of my client, as well as the needs of the family. So much of our world is created to meet a “one-size-fits-all” approach. All of the families I work with need something different! We will explore what it looks like for your child or teen to navigate life to be a happier, healthier, more authentic version of themselves. Much of our work will include managing self-esteem and identity factors related to neuro/developmental differences while creating rhythms of rest and sustainability through systemic support in the life of the child.

I Believe...

…in the power of connection from the relationship between the parent and the child, as well as the child and the therapist.
…you are doing the best you can as a caregiver.
…therapy works best when we understand that your child/teen is not a problem to be
fixed, but a human being attempting to get their needs met with current limitations in the
expression of their thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
…change is possible when we can become detectives about your child’s behavior, which
offers us clues towards uncovering and discovering better tools to co-regulate (connect with
caregiver), as well as self-regulate (independently self-soothe).

What it’s like in a session with me

A typical session with me will include me checking in for the first 5-10 minutes of the session with you and your child/teen. You are then welcome to wait in our waiting room or treat yourself to a break at home with a cup of tea or coffee. If you peeked through the door after our check-in, it may look like we are “just playing”! However, I will be utilizing toys, games, art, music, dance, puppets, building supplies, you name it, to target the goals we have established for your child. As a child-centered therapist, I highly value your child’s choices and preferences in the session, as it allows me to explore the inner world of your child and collect clues on what may be causing distress at home, school, etc.! Some families prefer to check out at the end of session to review anything the child/teen may want to share; others prefer to transition out to music or on my pogo stick at the end of session to greet you in the waiting room. Some caregivers of those five and under may be present for session, dependent on our outlined goals and what we are targeting. We will create the flow of sessions together as we go.

More about me

When I’m not laughing over something hilarious your teen or child just said with a straight face, I can be found reading in a coffee shop or on a trail out in a forest preserve! I believe in the power of summer camp and am a huge advocate for time off screens – this is always harder to do personally than advocate for professionally! I enjoy keeping up with the latest Disney movies (for work only of course), listening and playing music, and participating in a soccer league. I can also be found walking my six-month-old mini-Bernedoodle who will one day become a pediatric therapy dog!

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Schedule your first appointment. For follow up appointments (existing clients), please contact your therapist at 773-774-4444.