Lexi Dunne, MSW, LSW

Kids (3-10), Adolescents (10-18), College

Anxiety, Perfectionism, Behavioral Challenges, Self-Esteem/Confidence, ADHD, Bullying, Stressful Life Transitions, Troublesome Childhoods, Navigating Friendships/Relationships, Identity Exploration, Divorced Parents & Family Systems, Anger

Hi! My name is Lexi, and I am excited that you’re here! I am a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, where I received my Master of Social Work. I grew up in Northbrook and graduated from Glenbrook North High School (GBN) before moving to Austin, Texas, to pursue my undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development as a Youth and Community Studies major, completed a Youth and Social Services professional concentration, and obtained minors in both educational psychology and sociology.

After moving back to Chicago, I worked as a clinician with youth in the city’s foster care system. This experience gave me the opportunity to deepen my skills in play therapy and other evidence-based approaches, while supporting children through incredibly complex and challenging circumstances.

Before joining Inspire, I trained at the Depression and Anxiety Specialty Clinic of Chicago, where I had the privilege of working with clients across the lifespan. I intentionally sought out experience with a wide age range because I believe that understanding a child also means understanding the systems they’re a part of—family, school, and community.

In addition to my clinical training, I connect deeply with the experiences of kids, teens, and college students because I’ve walked in many of their shoes. Growing up, I was a competitive dancer and still remember the pressure and intensity that come with being an athlete. To this day, I love watching dance performances and shows—it’s still a big part of who I am. I also spent eight (8) amazing summers at Lake of the Woods sleepaway camp, both as a camper and counselor, which taught me so much about friendships, independence, and personal growth. In college, I served as student president of Chabad, where I discovered a passion for leadership and community. Giving back is a core value of mine, and I’m always seeking meaningful ways to support others.

As a youth therapist, I prioritize collaboration with the important people in your child’s life. When appropriate, I’ll connect with caregivers, teachers, or other support figures to get a full picture of your child’s world. I’ll stay in close communication with you throughout our work together so we can support your child in meaningful ways, both in and outside of sessions.

I believe that the relationship between the client and the therapist is one of the most powerful aspects of treatment. During our time together, I will work to create a safe environment that is tailored specifically to you, in which we can build rapport and establish an authentic therapeutic relationship. We will work together to understand yourself and your patterns, create goals, and utilize your strengths as well as build new skills and habits to better equip you to handle the hardships life throws your way! I am eager to utilize my passion, empathy, and education to help you work towards your goals and feel like the truest version of yourself.

I feel very strongly that anybody can benefit from therapy! As a longtime participant in weekly therapy, I understand the experience you are going through as you are seeking out and committing to seeing a therapist. Participating in the therapy process as a client and a clinician has been one of the most eye-opening and informative experiences that has shaped my practice. Reflecting on my own experience as a client allows me to connect authentically with my clients as I utilize my professional experience to provide valuable insights that empower clients on their journey toward growth and self-discovery.

Everybody has different therapeutic goals and needs, and I tailor my approach and style to reflect you as an individual. Primarily, I utilize principles and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Play Therapy.

Anxiety & Perfectionism

Overthinking, worrying, and holding myself to impossibly high standards were the prompting experiences that had my mom searching for a child and adolescent therapist for me.

These same experiences are what deeply motivated me to enter this field and sparked my passion for providing mental health services to children, adolescents, and young adults. Some level of anxiety is something natural and even helpful that everybody experiences; however, too much anxiety can be a large barrier in achieving your goals and living a life that centers around your values when it begins to interfere with your daily functioning, activities, or relationships.

In sessions, we can explore the root causes of the anxiety and identify any unhelpful patterns of thinking or psychological rigidity that are occurring. From there, we can work together to build your distress tolerance and learn how to function in a way that is more aligned with your values when episodes of anxiety do occur.

Behavioral Issues

According to the CDC (2025), nearly 20% of people aged 3-17 in this country struggle with a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder. All of these challenges can manifest in behavioral issues that may include, but are not limited to, emotional dysregulation, hyperactivity, low impulse control, disruptive behaviors, and issues with social functioning.

Behavioral issues may be common, but that doesn’t diminish the difficulties that those struggling with behavioral issues consistently face. Together, we can work to replace current habits and behaviors that are creating struggle in the client’s life with more productive behaviors that will set them up for success in the future.

Children

I am passionate about working with children, as I believe the resiliency, curiosity, genuineness, and ability to learn and grow of the still-developing individual make therapeutic intervention all the more transformative and effective.

Throughout my education and work in the field, I have developed a deep understanding of the connections between play, learning, and healthy living for youth; therefore, when working with children, I use techniques rooted in play therapy.

Play therapy is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children, which are vastly different from those of adults and even older teenagers. Play is a developmentally appropriate way of communicating and connecting with children that meets them where they are at, rather than forcing them up to an adult’s level of verbal communication. Forcing this higher level of verbal communication can create barriers in the relationship and hinder treatment.

Interactions with caring adults who are engaging with a child and are responsive to their needs are crucial for healthy development, and being a warm and attentive adult figure for my future clients is a responsibility that I do not take lightly!

Adolescents & College Aged Clients

One of the most rewarding and inspiring aspects of my work thus far involves partnering with my teenage and young adult clients.

I take great pride in my ability to develop an authentic rapport with my clients and structure sessions in an individualized way that centers each client’s personality, strengths, goals, and interests.

This period of life can be full of uncertainty, big transitions, and feeling intense pressure to always have things figured out. As someone who personally benefited from therapy at this age, I know the great impact that feeling properly supported and seen during these transformative years can have.

I also understand how intimidating and uncertain it can feel when starting to work with a therapist, so I am very mindful about moving at a pace that feels comfortable to you. I am very warm and open with my clients and will not ask you to do anything that I would not try myself!

I prioritize modeling positive behaviors and strong, healthy relationships for my clients, as learning this in the therapy space is the first step in creating significant changes and impacting long-term habits for the better.

For Fun…

When I am not at work, you will likely find me out and about with my dog, Shiloh!

I love to find new parks and neighborhoods to walk her around, and I really enjoy exploring parts of Chicago that I haven’t been to before. My family and friends are the most important people in my life! My favorite ways to spend time with them are going to farmers markets, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, or having a chill night at someone’s house.

Outside of clinical work, I am passionate about addressing the inequalities in resources and opportunities that exist within public schools and early childcare centers, and I hope to play a role in working towards creating equity in resources for children in schools among all neighborhoods in Chicago.

To schedule an appointment, Call or TEXT (847) 919-9096 or hello@inspirecounselingcenter.com