Licensed Clinical Social Worker, chronic illness Psychotherapist
Hi there! I am glad you found my practice, although it means you are likely facing a medical diagnosis that you never wanted, so I’m sorry to hear that. I am a clinical social worker who specializes in chronic medical illness and am a Crohn’s patient as well as a breast cancer survivor. I have 15 years of experience working with clients with chronic illnesses and find it really rewarding to get to journey alongside many other patients as they learn to live as fully as they can with their diagnoses. I see kids as old as 5 all the way to adults in later adulthood.
My background is in special education as I got my undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa and then taught students with level 3 autism in the Chicago Public Schools for three years. For years I had been getting my own integrated GI care for Crohn’s disease, and had access to a GI dietician and GI mental health provider as part of my care. I decided I would like to pursue the path to being a social worker because of how valuable I found mental health support in my own patient journey.
I earned a Master’s degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago in 2010 with hopes to one day get to see clients with chronic illnesses. I completed my internship at Northshore/Endeavor’s Kellogg Cancer Center and then got my first job there working as an outpatient oncology social worker and research assistant. During this time, I also co-founded Oak Park Behavioral Medicine, where I helped build a private practice and worked for six years with patients with chronic illnesses. In 2018, I ventured out to establish my own practice in Evanston which I thoroughly enjoy. I have been fortunate to speak at various conferences both nationally and internationally, and served on the advisory team for the Pediatric Crohn’s Guidebook published in 2021. I was also on the Recruitment committee for the Rome Foundation’s GastroPsych organization, which is dedicated to providing a space for psychosocial GI providers to gain more competence and training in helping GI patients thrive. I have a special interest and advanced training in treating gastrointestinal conditions.
About Stephanie Brenner, LSCW
Typically sessions are a little less than an hour, and can be virtual or in person. My office location is in northwest Evanston and I see clients there Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays. I also provide virtual therapy to anyone residing in Illinois on Mondays through Thursdays. I use a HIPAA-compliant video platform called DoxyMe for our sessions.
I do not offer late night, Friday, or weekend sessions, and my after-school time slots are hard to come by. If you don’t have a flexible schedule Monday through Thursday, I can refer you out to other colleagues who may be able to accommodate you.
To start off, I try to meet with clients weekly and then gradually move to less frequently when the timing feels right and goals are being met. Sometimes schedules are harder to align, so things can be flexible but it may be a longer timeline to see progress.
Before you meet with me, you’ll be given the new patient paperwork which helps me get to know you a little better before we meet. You’ll be asked to answer questions about your symptoms, your medications, your medical and mental health history, and sign a release to talk to one of your medical providers so we can collaborate.
The first few sessions are for us to get to know each other and clarify what goals we want to work on together. Some people come to therapy for short-term focused work, others stay longer through the ebbs and flows of their illness. I usually start diving into medical issues first as that is my specialty, and then explore how these may be affecting other aspects of life like relationships, school/career, parenting, identity etc. If your medical issues are not very prominent and you would benefit from a generalist, I will happily connect you with wonderful colleagues for that work. I also am comfortable co-treating with a general psychotherapist who is not as well-versed in the medical realm.
In terms of the methodology I use in therapy, I pull from different evidence-based theories like cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, gut-directed hypnotherapy, psycho-education, and a relational approach. Relational psychotherapy is a way of looking at the client-therapist relationship as a key tool for change and healing. Through our weekly time together, we can co-create a safe space of curiosity and self-compassion when sorting through all the medical issues you are facing. I also love to use humor when I can, as well as self-disclosure when appropriate. Each client is different in what their needs are, so there is not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to therapeutic approach.
Wondering what therapy with me is actually like?
I accept Aetna PPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, and Blue Choice PPO plans. If you have a different insurance plan, you will need to pay out of pocket ($175/session) and I am able to provide a superbill receipt to you so you can get partially reimbursed if you have out of network benefits. Currently all my sliding scale slots are full, so I am offering 30 min sessions (for $85) as a more affordable option. This does require more active participation between sessions in order to maximize our time together. Please contact me to verify your coverage and discuss any questions you may have. I’m happy to help you navigate your insurance benefits to ensure you receive the care you need. I am also happy to refer you out to someone in your network if I know of any colleagues who may be a good fit.
Good Faith Estimate
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059.
