Meet Your Therapist
Samantha Zurek, MA, NCC, LCPC
Samantha Zurek is a board certified and licensed clinical professional counselor with her Master’s of Arts degree in clinical psychology counseling practice from Roosevelt University in Chicago. She completed her therapy practicum at Kenneth Young Center, a community mental health center in Elk Grove Village, IL where she worked with adults as an outpatient and psychosocial rehabilitation therapist. She completed her qualifications for licensure at Bridgeway, Inc, a community mental health center in Kewanee, IL where she was an outpatient therapist treating children, adolescents and adults.
Samantha has over 10 years of experience working with patients of all ages who struggle with anxiety, depression, perinatal mental health concerns, major life transitions, and OCD. Samantha recognizes the importance of tailoring her treatment to what works best for each unique individual, therefore utilizes an integrative approach to build a personalized treatment plan. She has been extensively trained in using helpful strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), solution-focused therapy, exposure and response prevention (E/RP), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and person-centered therapy. In addition, Samantha utilizes mindfulness, anger management, grounding, and psych-education techniques.
Ashley Smith, LCSW
Ashley is a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience helping individuals and families navigate life’s most challenging moments. She brings a compassionate, strength-based approach to therapy, grounded in deep clinical expertise and a genuine commitment to human connection.
Ashley earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and her Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Her clinical training included internships at Juvenile Court and Beacon Therapeutic Day School, laying the foundation for her diverse and impactful career.
Since 2012, Ashley has worked across the full lifespan—supporting children, adolescents, young adults, adults, couples, and seniors. Her experience spans a wide variety of settings, including foster care, schools, court systems, hospitals, home health, and hospice care.
Clinically, Ashley specializes in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, crisis intervention, relationship issues, medical social psychosocial assessments and couples therapy. She draws from a range of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Anger Management. She also holds specialized training in Child and Family Therapy and Licensed Direct Service Child Welfare.
Ashley believes that "if we don’t understand a behavior, we simply don’t have enough information." With this mindset, she empowers her clients to explore their emotions, identify triggers, and develop practical strategies to resolve conflict and improve well-being.
Outside of her professional work, Ashley is a proud wife and mother of three boys. She enjoys fairy tales—especially Beauty and the Beast—and finds joy in building bright, intricate puzzles or Lego creations with her family. She is passionate about serving the underserved and continues to dedicate her life to supporting others emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially.
Susan Ryan-Michalak (Rivard), MA, LCPC, PEL, LBS1, EMDR Trained
Susan is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and EMDR Trained Clinician with a Master's in Counseling from Governors State University and a Bachelor's from DePaul University. She has diverse experience, having worked in residential hospitals, partial hospitalization programs, schools, emergency rooms, and private practice.
Susan specializes in EMDR, eating disorders, food addiction, trauma, injuries, pain disorders, low self-esteem, body dysmorphia, and life transitions. She uses various therapeutic approaches, including CBT, DBT, ACT, ERP, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Family Systems.
Practicing since 2008, Susan has supervised other clinicians and is dedicated to her work. She recently earned a certificate in Anger Management and is trained in ABA natural pairing. Susan believes in helping her clients achieve a better quality of life with the right tools and support.
Susan grew up on the South Side of Chicago and moved to Lincoln Park in high school. She is closely tied to Lurie Children’s Hospital and enjoys art, spending time with her family and friends, and continuous learning. Susan is passionate about self-care, journaling, watching sitcoms, and reading.
Diana Raimondo (Montalto), MA, LPC, MBA, MCP
Diana J. Raimondo is a licensed professional counselor. She earned her Masters of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Trinity Christian College in July 2020 with a GPA of 3.9. Diana has experience with various presenting concerns such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, attachment disorders, borderline personality disorder, bi-polar disorder, and grief / loss. Diana works with all ages including children, adolescents, adults and couples.
Diana is a proud member of the Illinois Psychological Association (IPA) and was also inducted into the Psi Chi Fraternity, the International Honor Society in Psychology. Diana worked as a graduate intern at Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital in 2019. She worked as a therapist in the Dual Diagnosis Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). She led group therapy for adults and adolescents. Therapeutic interventions used included Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Solution Focused Brief Therapy.
Diana has served as an Adjunct Professor at Concordia University in Nebraska teaching Human Resources Management, as well as Visiting Professor for Loyola University Chicago teaching Emotional Intelligence.
Diana has a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Organizational Development from Loyola University Chicago, and has served as a case study author and member of the Organization Development Network since 2002. She is a certified Emotional Intelligence Consultant through the Hay Group, and has designed and facilitated Emotional Intelligence programs for leaders at Fortune 500 companies. She is also a certified MBTI instructor, certified Six Sigma Green Belt, and completed a coaching program in 2009. Diana is also certified to administer the 16PF psychometric tool.