Our Team
Alexandria Gohla, Founder & Clinical Director
MSW, LCSW, Ed.S, C-DBT, PMH-C, RYT-200
Burnout, Maternal Mental Health & High-Functioning Stress Specialist
Author of the upcoming book More Than the Group Chat
(Licensed in Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Vermont, & Wisconsin)
Are you the one everyone relies on?
The capable one. The helper. The person who keeps showing up, holding everything together, and managing everyone else’s needs — even when you’re quietly running on empty yourself.
Maybe from the outside, your life looks “fine.” You’re functioning. Working. Parenting. Accomplishing. Taking care of what needs to get done.
But internally, you feel exhausted.
You’re overstimulated, emotionally drained, disconnected from yourself, or carrying a level of stress that never fully shuts off. Maybe you’ve spent so much time being responsible for everyone else that you no longer know what it feels like to slow down without guilt.
You don’t have to keep carrying it all alone.
I work with high-functioning adults, professionals, caregivers, and parents navigating burnout, chronic stress, anxiety, trauma, emotional overwhelm, and major life transitions. Many of my clients are deeply capable people who have learned how to push through stress and keep going — even when they’re emotionally exhausted underneath it all.
I also specialize in maternal mental health and supporting individuals through pregnancy, postpartum, identity shifts, and the invisible emotional labor that often comes with caregiving and parenthood. Becoming a parent can change nearly every part of your life and identity, and many people find themselves struggling in ways they never expected.
Therapy becomes a space where you no longer have to perform, hold it all together, or minimize your own needs.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in both emotional insight and practical support. I integrate DBT, CBT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and nervous system-based approaches to help clients better understand themselves while also building realistic tools for managing stress, emotions, relationships, and overwhelm.
As a Registered Yoga Teacher, I’m especially attuned to the connection between the mind and body. Stress, burnout, anxiety, and trauma don’t just live in our thoughts — they often show up physically, too. When it feels helpful, we incorporate grounding tools, mindfulness, and nervous system awareness to help you feel steadier emotionally and physically.
Before founding Bluebird Counseling Services, I worked extensively with children, adolescents, and families navigating Autism, developmental differences, emotional regulation challenges, and complex family dynamics. That experience continues to shape my understanding of caregiving, emotional labor, and the invisible pressure so many people carry behind the scenes.
Together, we focus on:
reducing burnout and emotional exhaustion
managing anxiety and chronic stress
navigating motherhood and identity shifts
improving emotional regulation
healing perfectionism and people-pleasing patterns
building healthier boundaries
reconnecting with yourself outside of your responsibilities
For many high-functioning people, burnout doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like irritability, emotional numbness, brain fog, difficulty relaxing, resentment, or feeling disconnected from yourself despite continuing to “function.”
Therapy can become a space to slow down, process what you’ve been carrying, and begin building a life that feels more sustainable, grounded, and connected.
In our work together, you can expect honesty, warmth, collaboration, and moments of humor alongside the deeper work. I believe healing happens in relationships where people feel genuinely seen, supported, and safe enough to show up fully as themselves.
Best Fit For Clients Who:
feel emotionally exhausted from constantly holding everything together
are navigating burnout, overwhelm, or chronic stress
struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing
are adjusting to pregnancy, postpartum, or motherhood
feel overstimulated, anxious, or disconnected from themselves
want healthier boundaries and more balance
are high-functioning externally but struggling internally
Outside of the therapy room, I find grounding through yoga, reading, baking sourdough, strong coffee, spending time with my family and dog, and teaching yoga locally as another pathway toward mindfulness and balance.
If you’re ready to feel more grounded, less overwhelmed, and more connected to yourself again, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
Yoga Alliance - Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapy Professional (C-DBT)
60-Hour ICASA training in Child/Adult Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention
Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Crisis Prevention Institute- NCVI training in prevention and de-escalation.
Amy Botta, Therapist
MA, LPC
Anxiety, Identity & Self-Worth Specialist
Do you constantly second-guess yourself, overthink interactions, or feel like you’re never quite “enough” no matter how hard you try?
Maybe your mind feels noisy all the time — replaying conversations, worrying about how others perceive you, or questioning whether you’re making the “right” choices. Maybe you look put together on the outside, but internally feel anxious, disconnected from yourself, or unsure of who you really are beneath everyone else’s expectations.
You don’t have to figure all of that out alone.
I work with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, identity exploration, self-esteem challenges, body image concerns, and the pressure of trying to hold everything together while quietly struggling underneath it all. Many of my clients are thoughtful, high-functioning, and deeply self-aware — but feel emotionally exhausted from overthinking, self-criticism, people-pleasing, or constantly comparing themselves to others.
Therapy becomes a space where you can slow down, feel understood, and begin building a stronger sense of confidence and trust in yourself.
I also proudly support members of the LGBTQIA+ community and enjoy helping clients explore identity, relationships, sexuality, and self-expression in a way that feels authentic and affirming.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and supportive while also focused on helping you create meaningful, lasting change. I integrate CBT, ACT, DBT, and person-centered therapy to help clients better understand their emotional patterns, quiet anxious thinking, and develop healthier ways of responding to stress, insecurity, and overwhelm.
Together, we focus on:
reducing anxiety and overthinking
building confidence and self-trust
improving body image and self-esteem
navigating identity and relationship concerns
creating healthier boundaries
feeling more grounded and connected to yourself
Before becoming a therapist, I worked in high-pressure, client-focused roles within the travel industry. That experience strengthened my ability to remain calm under stress, listen thoughtfully, and support people through emotionally overwhelming situations — skills I continue to bring into the therapy room every day.
In our work together, you can expect honesty, warmth, and a space where you don’t need to filter yourself or have everything figured out. Therapy isn’t about becoming a completely different person — it’s about helping you feel more secure, confident, and comfortable being yourself.
Best Fit For Clients Who:
struggle with anxiety or constant overthinking
feel stuck in self-doubt or people-pleasing patterns
want to improve confidence and self-esteem
experience body image concerns or body dysmorphia
are exploring identity, sexuality, or relationships
feel emotionally overwhelmed despite appearing “high-functioning”
want to feel more grounded and connected to themselves
Outside of the therapy room, I enjoy traveling, attending Cubs games, spending time with my nieces, picnics, and finding balance through connection, fun, and meaningful experiences.
If you’re ready to feel more confident, more grounded, and more connected to yourself, I’d love to support you.
Michael Crofford, Therapist
M. Ed., LPC
Neurodiversity, Identity & Self Acceptance Specialist
(Licensed in Illinois & Ohio)
Do you feel like you always need to be “on”? That there are constantly things demanding your attention and people relying on you because you are the one who always gets it done? Even though you feel as if you are running on empty, you still find a way to show up, be who everyone needs you to be, and make things happen. You might wish that you could press pause for just a minute, catch your breath, and take a short (or long) rest.
You can be the parent, partner, friend, employee, etc. you want to be without having to constantly act like you are invincible, or even okay. Being this everyday hero doesn’t mean you have to wear a mask.
I work with adolescents and adults who are dealing with stress, anxiety, feelings of overwhelm, identity exploration, and feeling like they need to constantly mask their authentic selves. I specialize in ADHD and neurodiversity, parenting and family dynamics, trauma, LGBTQIA+ issues, as well as re-entry and community advocacy support.
My approach is affirming, genuine, and conversational. I take time to get to know each client’s story and work collaboratively with them to explore and create meaning from their experiences while also building useful skills along the way. Like leveling up in a game, I want clients to feel confident that they have all the tools they need to succeed and reach their goals. I utilize techniques from CBT, DBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, as well as Person-Centered, Existential, Narrative, and Geek Therapy approaches to help clients navigate stress, self-doubt, and emotional turmoil, while also building the context to make these changes meaningful and lasting.
In addition to more traditional techniques, I use games, collaborative storytelling, writing, drawing, comics, movies, character creation, and other hobbies to help people process their experiences, explore identities, learn valuable skills, and empower them to be active agents in their own lives. Play and creativity offer our busy and overly strained minds an opportunity to rest and engage a different part of our brain, while also allowing us safe spaces emotionally and mentally to process our stress and experiences.
Before joining Bluebird Counseling Services, I worked as a trainer and researcher. My background was primarily in criminal justice and substance use counseling, where I conducted psychoeducational groups and research about the impact of mental health on justice involved populations. I also have experience working in community advocacy roles for topics of neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ issues, and re-entry services. These experiences have deepened my compassion for people who are doing the best with the energy and resources they have available and has helped me become flexible and creative in how I approach therapy.
Together, we focus on:
building on your strengths and learning how you function best
balancing expectations and setting healthy boundaries
developing skills for handling stress and overwhelm
constructing meaning from life events through creative outlets
exploring who you are, and want to be
self-acceptance and building confidence
In our work together, you can expect authenticity and a warm, friendly, safe space where you can explore and feel accepted as the real you.
Best Fit For Clients Who:
need support with executive functioning
struggle with stress, anxiety and emotional overwhelm
are navigating neurodiversity in parenting
want to bring their creativity and hobbies to their therapy process
are transitioning to new roles, settings, or experiences
are exploring different identities in their lives
want help expressing their authentic selves internally and with others
Outside of the therapy room, I enjoy creating adventures with my wife, kids, and friends, finding new restaurants, having a mindful stroll through the park, playing tabletop games, and exploring fantasy worlds in books and movies.
If you’re ready to let go of stress and harmful expectations and begin writing a new chapter for your life, I’d be happy to go on that journey with you.
Doria Goll, Clinical Therapist
MSW, LCSW
High-Performance Anxiety & Burnout Specialist
(Licensed in Illinois & Florida)
*Spanish Speaking
Do you feel like you’re constantly pushing yourself to keep up — at work, in school, in relationships, or in life — while quietly feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted underneath it all?
Maybe you’re the dependable one. The high achiever. The person others see as capable, responsible, and successful.
But internally, it feels like your mind never shuts off.
You replay conversations. Overthink decisions. Hold yourself to impossible standards. Push through stress even when you’re completely drained. And no matter how much you accomplish, it still doesn’t quite feel like enough.
You don’t have to keep living under that level of pressure alone.
I work with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, perfectionism, burnout, emotional overwhelm, and the pressure of constantly feeling like they need to perform, achieve, or hold everything together. Many of my clients are high-functioning on the outside but internally struggle with self-criticism, stress, overthinking, and difficulty slowing down.
Therapy becomes a space where you can step out of survival mode, better understand your emotional patterns, and begin building a steadier, more sustainable relationship with yourself.
I have a particular passion for supporting:
high-achieving professionals
students experiencing academic pressure
educators and helping professionals
individuals struggling with perfectionism
adolescents navigating social stress or bullying
people who feel emotionally exhausted from constantly “doing”
My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in honest conversation. I want therapy to feel like a space where you can show up as yourself — not the polished or high-performing version you feel expected to be everywhere else.
I integrate DBT, CBT, Narrative Therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help clients better understand their emotional experiences while also developing practical, realistic coping tools. Therapy is not just about insight — it’s about learning how to respond differently when anxiety, pressure, or emotional overwhelm start taking over.
Together, we focus on:
reducing anxiety and overthinking
managing burnout and chronic stress
improving emotional regulation
challenging perfectionism and self-criticism
building confidence and internal stability
reconnecting with your identity outside of achievement
For many high-functioning people, burnout doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like irritability, emotional numbness, exhaustion, brain fog, difficulty relaxing, or feeling disconnected from yourself despite continuing to “function.”
Therapy can become a space to slow down, recalibrate, and move through life with more balance and self-compassion.
In our work together, you can expect warmth, honesty, humor, and a supportive environment where you don’t have to constantly prove yourself. You deserve a space where you can simply be human.
Best Fit For Clients Who:
struggle with anxiety, stress, or chronic overthinking
feel overwhelmed by pressure or expectations
are experiencing burnout or emotional exhaustion
hold themselves to impossibly high standards
feel stuck in perfectionism or people-pleasing patterns
are high-functioning externally but struggling internally
want to feel more grounded, balanced, and emotionally steady
Outside of the therapy room, you’ll often find me walking through Lincoln Park or along the lakefront with my husband and our dog, visiting farmers markets, or finding joy in small moments that create space to slow down and reset.
If you’re ready to feel less driven by pressure and more connected to yourself beyond achievement, I’d love to support you.
Anna Haveman, Therapist
MSW, LSW
Life Transitions, Motherhood, Grief & Cultural Identity Specialist
Are you the person who keeps everything going—even when you’re running on empty?
You may be the dependable one in your family, the person others turn to, or the one who seems like she has everything handled. From the outside, you’re functioning. Inside, you may feel anxious, emotionally exhausted, disconnected from yourself, or unsure how much longer you can keep carrying everything.
Maybe you’ve entered a season of life that doesn’t feel the way you expected it to.
You became a mother and love your child deeply, but you miss parts of who you were before. You’re navigating a loss and wondering why everyone else seems to have moved forward. You’re adjusting to a new role, relationship, job, family dynamic, or identity. Or perhaps nothing dramatic has happened—you’re simply realizing that being the person who takes care of everyone else has left very little room for you.
Therapy can be a place where you don’t have to hold everything together.
I work with adults and adolescents experiencing anxiety, emotional overwhelm, grief, parenting stress, postpartum adjustment, identity changes, and major life transitions. Many of my clients are thoughtful, caring, capable people who are accustomed to taking care of others and are beginning to recognize that they need care and support, too.
Becoming a parent can bring enormous love alongside anxiety, overstimulation, guilt, loneliness, and changes in identity. As a mother of three, I understand that motherhood can be meaningful and incredibly demanding at the same time. You can love your children and still miss your independence. You can feel grateful and overwhelmed. You can be a good parent and still need space that belongs only to you. I especially enjoy helping new and postpartum mothers navigate anxiety, changing relationships, loss of identity, mental load, guilt, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure to feel like they should be handling everything better.
Grief doesn’t always follow a predictable timeline, and loss can affect much more than sadness. It can change how you see yourself, your relationships, your sense of safety, and the future you imagined. I support clients who are grieving losses as well as those moving through significant transitions—whether that involves parenthood, relationships, family changes, career shifts, caregiving, cultural expectations, or simply entering a new season of life and wondering, “Who am I now?”
My background includes working with immigrant and refugee communities in Chicago, which strengthened my understanding of the ways culture, family expectations, belonging, and identity can shape mental health. For clients navigating multiple cultural identities or feeling caught between their own needs and family expectations, therapy can provide space to explore those experiences without judgment or pressure to choose one part of yourself over another.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and practical. I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), CBT, DBT, and mindfulness-based approaches to help clients understand what they are experiencing while also developing realistic strategies for everyday life. I don’t believe therapy is simply about learning how to make difficult feelings disappear. Sometimes the work is learning how to slow down enough to notice what you need, understand the patterns you’ve developed to cope, and begin responding to yourself with more compassion and intention.
In our work together, you can expect honesty, warmth, curiosity, and a space where you do not need to have everything figured out. Therapy can become one place where you get to exhale.
Best Fit For Clients Who:
Look like you’re functioning but privately feel overwhelmed
Find yourself overthinking, worrying, or struggling to shut your brain off
Feel responsible for everyone around you
Are adjusting to pregnancy, postpartum life, or motherhood
Love being a parent but sometimes miss who you were before
Are grieving a loss or trying to understand who you are after one
Are navigating a major life or identity transition
Feel emotionally exhausted or disconnected from yourself
Experience guilt when you prioritize your own needs
Are navigating cultural identity, belonging, or family expectations
Want therapy that includes both emotional exploration and practical support
Outside of therapy, I enjoy spending time with my husband, three children, and our dog, cooking Indian food, traveling, walking, and finding small moments of connection and calm in everyday life.
If you’re tired of being the person who always has to hold everything together, I would be honored to create a space where you don’t have to.