Lynne Elizabeth Gold, MA, LPC-pending
Adolescents, College Students, Young Adults, Adults, Parents, Women, Families
Anxiety & Depression, Perfectionism & Performance Anxiety, Parenting Challenges, Executive Function & Neurodiversity Support, Relationship Stress, Life Transitions & Grief
I am a Chicago native, mom of two recent Lake Forest Academy graduates, and a former advertising agency executive. I am passionate about the interpersonal work of counseling and maintain a deeply optimistic and empathetic view of each person’s ability to reach their full potential.
People generally find me to be warm, authentic, compassionate, and accepting. As a strategic listener, I love analyzing complex challenges and creating tangible, manageable action plans. Together, we will work as partners to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
Life Pivots, Career Stress & Personal Transitions
I received my clinical training at Northwestern University, following a successful career in business. As a former Vice President at DDB Worldwide, I learned the power of strategic collaboration and the essential role of empathy in leadership.
This perspective was enriched during my time as a Celebrity Wish Granter for Make-A-Wish in LA, where I bridged the gap between families in crisis and high-profile individuals. These vulnerable moments reinforced my belief in empathy’s transformative power, ultimately fueling my counseling journey.
Today, I leverage this unique background to help my clients successfully navigate performance anxiety, workplace stress, and the significant identity shifts and grief that accompany major career pivots and life transitions.
Parenting, Relationships & Family Systems
Managing your own needs while juggling family, household, and community demands can feel daunting. Guiding my own children’s neurodivergent journeys deepened my perspective on these challenges, allowing me to understand these unique pressures both personally and professionally. I love empowering clients to move beyond the weight of expectation to find their own sense of purpose, balance, and peace.
I provide a safe, compassionate space where you are empowered to reconnect with your authentic self and embrace meaningful change as you author your life. Since individuals do not exist in a vacuum, my practice extends this collaborative framework to consider parents and families as a whole navigating relationship stress and complex parenting challenges.
Together, we will address family dynamics, explore emotions, support executive function, navigate neurodiversity, reinforce boundaries, and develop actionable coping strategies—equipping adolescents, college students, and adults to thrive within high-pressure academic and social systems. I believe that we are all capable of growth and we all deserve grace.
Community Leadership & Education Advocacy
Beyond my clinical practice, I have spent decades advocating for children, families, and academic equity in the community. I worked for many years on the Illinois State University Lab School Advisory Council (LSAC) serving both University High School and Metcalf School—institutions consistently ranking in the top 10% of Public Schools in the state.
I proudly served on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Discovery Museum, advocating for gifted education and accessible STEM learning initiatives. Additionally, I championed early childhood education as part of the Mulberry School Board. I also supported our North Shore academic community as an International Parent Ambassador, a Boarding Parent Ambassador, and a New Parent Ambassador for the Lake Forest Academy Parents Association Board, which is currently ranked the #1 Private School in Illinois and a top 10 Boarding School nationwide.
Whether inside the therapy room or out in the community, my focus remains entirely on helping families and young people find the resources they need to thrive.
For Fun…
I love traveling and spending time with family and friends. I thrive on deep conversations, quiet walks in nature with my dog, and finding inspiration in the arts—especially theater, music, and museums.
