Merve (“Em”) Senalan, MHP, Prelicensed Professional Counselor
Early Adolescents (11-13), Middle Adolescents (14-18), College (18-21),Young Adults (20-30), Middle Age Adults, Seniors, and Parents.
Anxiety, Depression, Women’s Issues including Perinatal and Postpartum depression and anxiety, Stressful Life Transitions, Grief, Self Esteem, Identity Issues relating to: intimate relationships, career, and spirituality/religion.
Lake Forest mom (and native!)
Merve has a personal understanding of the rewards and challenges living in the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff community. Not only did she grow up in Lake Forest, she is now raising her own two children right in her hometown! She is thrilled to be able to serve the community she loves so much.
Doctoral student trained in several modalities
Merve is finalizing her degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University, and will begin her doctoral training in Counseling Education and Supervision this Fall 2023. As part of her enthusiasm for education and research, Merve is trained in several modalities including: Psychodynamic Theory, Neuroinformed Counseling, Biofeedback, Creative Expression in Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy.
While Merve is heavily involved in academics, she considers Inspire her work home and plans to work throughout her studies and long after! She is fortunate to be able to balance her time at Inspire as she completes her Clinical Mental Health degree and peruses her doctoral program.
Holistic approach to therapy (full mind, body and spirit)
As a clinician, Merve is grounded in an avid belief that as humans, we were crafted with a natural capacity to move from a state of frustration to appreciation. Utilizing a holistic approach to therapy (full mind, body, and spirit integration), Merve seeks to help her clients minimize symptoms and move from depletion to renewal. To help guide this process, Merve utilizes biofeedback technology to inform how holistic synchrony between mind, body, and spirit occurs.
Children, adolescents, adults, and parents
Throughout her training she has worked in private practice with children, adolescents, adults, and parents. Her primary focus is working with women and children to help them meet their treatment goals. She is honored to walk alongside on your journey of self-awareness and encourage you to transform into the best version of yourself in all aspects of your life.
For Fun
Bike riding on the Skokie Valley Bike Path, climbing the sappy pines in South Park, and bonfire nights at Lake Forest Beach are a few highlights from her childhood in Lake Forest. When she is not working, she is reliving these moments with her own two children. For fun, Merve loves reveling in the wonders of existence, being creative, and exploring nature with her family and friends.
Merve (“Em”) Senalan, MHP, Prelicensed Professional Counselor 
For Fun![Did you catch my last post on how to make new friends as an adult woman?
I’ll be the first to admit, talking to new people can be nerve-wracking, so I came up with a few easy icebreakers to get the conversation started:
🧊"I noticed your [bag/shirt/shoes, etc.]. That's really cute! Where did you get it?"
🧊"My child is starting at this school/daycare next week. Where does your child go?"
🧊"I've been looking for something new to read. Do you have any recommendations?"
🧊"Have you tried any new restaurants or coffee shops in the area lately? I'm always looking for new places to check out."
🧊“I’m prioritizing staying healthy right now. What kind of exercise do you do?”
🧊“What shows are you loving right now? Mine are [tell them your favorite shows].”
🧊“Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones are your favorite?”
🧊“Do you have any interesting hobbies?”
“Where are you vacationing this summer?”
🧊“I’m interested in volunteering, do you have any organizations you can recommend?”
Remember, icebreakers are meant to be light conversation starters - a good place to start is to simply introduce yourself, shake hands, and smile. For best results, always try to choose an icebreaker that has some context to the situations you’re in.
Finally, it’s 100% normal to feel awkward and you can rest assured that most people feel the same when they’re meeting someone new. Embrace whatever feelings you’re having and just be yourself.
#mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #therapist #relationshippodcast #icebreakers](https://inspirecounselingcenter.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)