Kristin Hall Sliwicki, MSMFT, LCPC, LMFT
After a successful sixteen year corporate career, I returned to graduate school in order fulfill my calling to work with individuals, couples and families to build stronger, supportive, caring relationships. I believe in the power of our closest relationships to support and heal us - and challenge us to grow.
In selecting a couples therapist to work with, I encourage you select a person who is both trained and experienced in the unique challenges of working with couples and their relational system. Virtually all therapists say they work with "individuals, couples, and families", but do they have the training and experience to help your relationship? Are they a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)? Do they have training certifications in evidence-based models such as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) or the Gottman Method?
Private Practice - Marriage Resource Center, Ltd., Libertyville, IL
Formerly - Prairie Lakes Counseling Associates
Previous - Affiliate Therapist with The Family Institute at Northwestern University
Licenses
Illinois Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
Illinois Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Professional Memberships
Clinical Member - Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT)
Clinical Member - Illinois Chapter, AAMFT (IAMFT)
Clinical Member - Illinois Counseling Association (ICA)
Clinical Member - Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA)
Listing - Int'l Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (ICEEFT)
Listing - National Registry of Marriage Friendly Therapists
Listing - AAMFT Therapist Locator
Listing - GoodTherapy.org
Listing - Psychology Today's Therapist Locator Site
Certified Discernment Counselor (for couples on the brink)
Member - International Association of Collaborative Law Professionals (IACP)
Fellow - Collaborative Law Insititute of Illinois (CLII)
Listing - Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois (Divorce Coach)
Education
Master of Science Degree - Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT)
Northwestern University - 1998
Bachelor of Science Degree - Accounting
Michigan State University, 1979
Training and Experience
Clinical Training in Marriage and Family Therapy
The Family Institute at Northwestern University
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Externship with Sue Johnson, PhD
Gottman Relationship Institute Training - Levels 1 and 2
Collaborative Law and Mediation Training - Divorce Coaching focus
Discernment Counseling Training
Bereavement Counselor - Midwest Palliative and Hospice CareCenter
Continuous Education
I am committed to continuous education through workshops, conferences, and readings in scientifically validated "best practices" approaches in
- Couples therapy - In addition to Gottman and Johnson (above) and my incredible mentors at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, I've attended workshops, trainings and readings with Brent Atkinson (The Couples Clinic), Terry Real (Relationship Life Institute), Pat Love and Steve Stosny, David Ricco, Mona Fishbane, Dan Wile, and many others
- Interpersonal Neurobiology - Dan Siegel, MD, Tina Payne Bryson, Louis Cozolino, Marion Solomon, Stan Tatkin and others
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - a "third wave" behavioral science approach with Steven Hayes, Russ Harris, DJ Moran, Kelly Wilson and others
- Mindfulness and compassion practices - Jon Kabat-Zinn (MBSR), Tara Brach, Pema Chodron, Rick Hanson, Kristin Neff, Christopher Germer and others
- Trauma - Bessel van der Kolk MD, Peter Levine MD, Babette Rothchild, various guided imagery approaches
- Addiction and recovery - Center for Motivation and Change
- Grief and loss
- Sex therapy
Community Involvement and Support
- Stand Strong Coalition, Former Board Treasurer. The mission of Stand Strong is to actively develop and implement various prevention strategies designed to reduce and prevent the use of alcohol and drugs by the youth within the communities of School District 125 (Adlai E. Stevenson High School).
- Feed My Starving Children - The mission of FMSC is to feed starving children and adults throughout the world by packing and shipping nutrient dense meals.
- Bernie's Book Bank - The mission of BBB is to facilitate the collection, processing and redistribution of new and gently used children's books to significantly increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicago.
- Zacharias Center - Gurnee and Skokie - Since 1983, ZCenter's mission is to ending sexual violence within the community and to support survivors with the quality of care they need and deserve, including providing free counseling and advocacy services, educational programs and various professional trainings.
- A Safe Place - Waukegan - Committed to transforming lives after domestic violence.
Personal Information
My husband David and I have been mindfully and actively married for more than 25 years. We live in Lincolnshire with our two teenage children and our fierce little long-haired dachshund. We enjoy following Big 10 sports (Go Spartans! Go Cats!), transforming our property with native plants and hiking in our beautiful Lake County Forest Preserves. My personal hobbies include (but are not limited to) researching my genealogy and family history, and playing with various fiber arts, such as weaving, spinning and quilting. I am passionately curious about many topics and own more books than I will ever have time to read.
