Mental Health Therapists

Stacey M. Hurst is a Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) who has been providing individual and couples therapy since 1996. Her expertise includes helping clients address mood disorders, disordered eating, trauma, emotional regulation, body image, life transitions, and relationship challenges. She is particularly skilled at assisting couples in fostering intimate connection by exploring their dynamics both verbally and non-verbally to enhance understanding, compassion, and communication within themselves and their partnership.

Stacey operates on the strong belief that the body possesses innate answers, wisdom, and healing capacities, and she works collaboratively and engagingly to gently guide clients to access these powerful internal resources. She provides a safe, accepting environment where clients learn to move calmly and confidently in their daily lives, discover healthier ways to relate to themselves and others, and fully integrate the body, mind, and spirit for optimal health and well-being.

Professional Background and Contributions

Stacey holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance from the University of Illinois and a Master of Arts (MA) in Dance/Movement Therapy from Columbia College Chicago. Her advanced clinical training includes certification in Laban Movement Analysis, two levels of Internal Family Systems (IFS) training, and EMDR training.

In addition to maintaining a successful private practice, Stacey has made significant contributions to the field through teaching and leadership. She has taught courses in counseling, dance/movement therapy, and movement analysis at Columbia College Chicago, Roosevelt University, Aurora University, and internationally through the Tanter Dance/Movement Therapy Association in the Czech Republic.

Her service to the national organization for dance/movement therapy (ADTA) includes roles as central member-at-large and secretary, membership on its certification board (DMTCB), and numerous workshops and presentations. Stacey’s scholarship includes publications in newsletters, online forums, and the American Journal of Dance Therapy (2018). In 2018, she co-founded the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago, dedicated to educating the next generation of dance/movement therapists via an alternate route format.

Heather Randazzo is a Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). In private practice for more than twenty years, Heather has worked with children, teens, and adults on issues related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and life challenges and changes.

Seeking support through counseling is a way to move toward health and wellness. Heather provides a supportive, accepting space to explore and develop strategies to let go of what is no longer serving clients and to build on what does.

Through creative exploration and problem solving, Heather fosters an engaging and collaborative relationship with clients, helping them find relief as well as identify strategies to improve their quality and experience of life.

Leadership and Scholarship

Heather is an active artist, workshop facilitator, educator, and supervisor. She holds a bachelor of arts (BA) degree in Psychology and Art from Concordia University and a graduate degree (MA) in Art Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago under the directorship of Harriet Wadeson, Ph.D.

An active member of the Illinois Art Therapy Association, Heather has served on the board in multiple capacities as well as provided multiple workshops on the clinical use of art therapy.

Shannon Suffoletto is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Board-Certified Dance Movement Therapist (BC-DMT), certified in Laban Movement Analysis (GL-CMA), and Movement Pattern Analysis (MPA).

Shannon works with youth, collegiate and professional athletes and is listed in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee 2025 Mental Health and Mental Performance Registries.  Shannon serves as the Certified Mental Performance Consultant for the Chicago Dogs professional baseball team in Rosemont, IL.

Additionally, Shannon provides consultation, mental skills and mental health training to coaches, teams and athletic organizations.  She is an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education at DePaul University, teaching sport psychology.  She has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology and dance/movement therapy courses at Columbia College Chicago and is guest faculty at the Bejing Normal University in Bejing China.  Shannon is a Co-Founder of the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago (EEIC).  She has more than 15 years of service in higher education administration as a prevention and wellness specialist in areas including interpersonal violence and substance misuse. Shannon’s approach centers around fostering the mind/body connection.  She employs creative techniques to regulate the nervous system and create neuropathways in service of peak performance and becoming one’s very best version of themselves.

Leadership and Scholarship

Shannon holds a BA in Psychology and Dance from Denison University and a master’s degree (MA) in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago.

Ara is a trauma-focused psychotherapist with over two decades of experience working with the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model. She is deeply passionate about IFS for its transformative potential, helping clients process painful experiences so they are no longer overwhelmed by echoes of the past.

Ara earned her M.S. in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the Illinois Institute of Technology and holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Northeastern Illinois University. In addition to her work with IFS, she offers contemplative writing as a mindfulness-based practice for clients who are interested in exploring personal growth through reflective writing.

Ara is committed to supporting clients in the LGBTQ+ community, of which she is a member.

She sees clients exclusively via telehealth, with session times available as early as 4:00 a.m. and continuing through noon (Central Time), making therapy accessible to early risers and those with a nontraditional schedule.

Stephanie is a dance/movement therapist and licensed clinical professional counselor who hopes to help you bring together the wisdom of your body, heart, and mind to find your center, overcome adversity, and come home to yourself. There’s so much in the world that wants to hold us back and hold us down, don’t let yourself be first in line, eh?

Stephanie works primarily with individuals navigating a variety of life challenges including but not limited to LGBTQIA+ identities, eating disorders, neurodivergence, high sensitivity, and anxiety. She works from a feminist, anti-oppressive, curiosity-based perspective.

Stephanie provides a warm, gentle (though direct!), person-centered approach to therapy and healing. She’s always going to keep it real with you. She is here to walk with you, not pull you along! Stephanie identifies as  a queer, neurodivergent therapist and loves to work with folx sharing those identities.

Leadership and Scholarship

Stephanie holds a BFA in Dance from Lake Erie College in Painesville, OH and an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and Counseling from Columbia College Chicago.

Stephanie is an active member and previous board member of the Illinois chapter of the American Dance Therapy Association and has served on the National American Dance Therapy Association Board as a member of the nominating committee. Stephanie has also supported both local and national conference planning and production.

Stephanie has presented with colleagues on Moving Toward Neuro-Affirming Care at both the National American Dance Therapy Association conference (2024) and the Institute for Therapy Through the Arts conference (2025) to increase awareness and tools for clinicians in caring for their neurodivergent clients and themselves both  in support of and within neurodivergent communities. Stephanie is a teaching assistant and guest teaching artist with the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago, educating providers on supporting queer clients in eating disorder recovery and learning foundational knowledge about dance/movement therapy.

Katy O’Hanlon Bruns (she/her/hers) is Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT). She is currently working under the clinical supervision of Stacey Hurst, LCPC, BC-DMT, GL-CMA. Katy works with children, adolescents, and adults to address concerns including ADHD, Autism, emotional regulation, mood disorders, and life transitions.

Katy’s approach to treatment utilizes collaboration to help support the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. Katy offers a safe, compassionate, and welcoming space that allows for the development of personal exploration and expression. She believes that the body and movement are powerful tools for promoting growth, healing, and change.

Katy holds licenses to practice in IL, VT and OH.

Leadership and Scholarship

Katy holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, IL) and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Baldwin-Wallace College (Berea, OH). She is also a graduate of the Alternate Route Dance/Movement Therapy program at the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago. Katy is an active member of the Illinois Counseling Association and the American Dance Therapy Association, and currently serves on the board of the Illinois Chapter of the ADTA.

Heavily influenced by her study of Internal Family Systems (IFS) alongside dance and somatic practices, Kellyn utilizes the creative process and embodied mindfulness to help clients hear and act from their inner wisdom. She works with people longing for more clarity, self-trust, self-worth, balance, joy, intimacy, healthy relationships, body acceptance, and self-compassion.

Kellyn emphasizes client agency and sees herself as a space-holder and witness- an assistant in removing barriers to the body, mind, and spirit’s natural healing process.

Kellyn is trauma-informed, LGBTQ+ affirming, kink/poly aware, and works within a Health At Every Size framework. She strives towards an anti-racist, anti-oppressive and liberatory approach.  She welcomes those living with chronic pain as well as those on the neurodivergent spectrum. Kellyn sees clients in-person in Chicago as well as virtually. For those for whom the office is inaccessible but would still like to work in-person, Kellyn has a limited number of slots available for in-home sessions.

Leadership and Scholarship

Kellyn holds bachelor degrees in dance and psychology from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, and a masters degree in dance/movement therapy & counseling from Columbia College Chicago. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and board certified dance/movement therapist (BC-DMT). Kellyn is IFS level I trained and Reiki Level II certified.

Kellyn is a member of the Illinois Chapter of the American Dance Therapy Association and an active member of the Chicago dance community. Kellyn facilitates contact improvisation classes and workshops and is engaged with other somatic practitioners about the intersection of embodied arts, community, and healing.

Beth Berta (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT), currently practicing under the supervision of Stacey Hurst, LCPC, BC-DMT, GL-CMA. She works with adults of all ages navigating trauma, grief, identity exploration, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, life transitions, and the ongoing journey of being human.

Beth is licensed in Illinois, Colorado, and Ohio.

Her approach is grounded in warmth, curiosity, and a deep respect for each person’s inner wisdom. Beth brings a trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and body-neutral lens to her work. She values movement, imagination, and relationship as powerful tools for healing and self-discovery. Sessions often integrate mindful observation, playfulness, body-based awareness, and collaborative exploration in support of building agency and self-trust.

Beth honors the pace of the process. Her style is collaborative and responsive, rooted in the belief that progress does not have a prescribed path but comes from being in real, attuned relationship. Whether exploring body-based patterns or holding space for simple reflection, Beth aims to co-create a space where people can reconnect with themselves and what matters most.

Leadership and Scholarship

Beth holds a BA in Dance from Columbia College Chicago and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. Her training in Dance/Movement Therapy includes work with the Embodied Education Institute of Chicago, Embodied Neurobiology, and the Life is Movement Institute.

Beth is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association and the National Board for Certified Counselors. As an active member of the dance community, she continues to create and collaborate in the Chicago area.

Zae Palmer (he/they) is a Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Zae specializes in parenting, parent-child issues, sibling relationships, multigenerational family dynamics, and lifespan transitions.They have a particular interest in childhood trauma, spiritual trauma, grief and loss, identity formation, consensual non-monogamy, and sexual health.

They see problems as purposeful creative adaptations to a family system, however these patterns often come from generational patterns that may no longer suit the current needs of the family or relationship. They are trained in Symbolic Experiential, Narrative, Contextual, and Feminist Family Therapy, Adlerian Play Therapy, Positive Discipline, and Depth Psychology.

Zae is democratic and promotes mutual respect in the culture of the therapy room. They feel that everyone’s contribution is important to the process of unfolding andreforming relational patterns. With Zae you will gain insight, practice role flexibility, and attune to the emotional interplay of the relationship. Zae is dedicated to cultivating a culturally attuned atmosphere understanding that each individual is socially embedded and holds both positions of privilege and oppression.

Leadership/Scholarship

Zae holds an M.A. in Couple and Family Therapy from Adler University (Chicago, IL) and a B.A. in Psychology and Intercultural Studies from Houghton University (Houghton, NY). In 2023, Zae started teaching Adlerian Fundamentals and Interventions at Adler University and is in collaboration with the Director of the Center for Adlerian Practice and Scholarship pursuing publication in the Journal of Individual Psychology. Zae is a member of Delta Kappa, the International Marriage and Family Therapy Honors Society and KPACT, the Kink and Poly Aware Chicago Therapists.

Melissa Schleicher, LCPC, BC-DMT, CFRC, iRest® Level 2 Teacher, joined Mind Body Connections in 2025 after a successful nine-year stint in private practice at Metta Counseling Chicago, LLC. In addition to her work at MBC, Melissa is the Wellbeing Support Advisor at Endeavor Health, Swedish Hospital and Medical Group. Since graduating from Columbia College Chicago in 2011, she has worked in community mental health centers throughout the Chicago area providing counsel, education in trauma-informed care and support in recovery from the effects of chronic and severe mental illness.

Through her work at Swedish Hospital, Melissa has become a facilitator of Adult & Youth Mental Health First Aid, is trained in Critical Incident Response through ICISF and, in 2022, completed certification as a Certified First Responder Counselor (CFRC). She is passionate about mental health education and is looking forward to bringing her spirit and passion to MBC’s community.

Riley Cornacchini (she/her) is a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT), currently practicing under the supervision of Stacey Hurst, LCPC, BC-DMT, GL-CMA. She is passionate about supporting children, adolescents, and young adults with experiences of neurodivergence, ADHD, anxiety, stress, emotional regulation, and life transitions.

As a holistic, person-centered Dance/Movement Therapist, Riley believes everyone holds inner resilience and the capacity to grow. She walks alongside clients on their unique and complex journeys, offering a space where they feel safe, heard, and understood. Using movement and reflection, she helps clients reconnect mind, body, and spirit, uncovering the strength within. While the past may shape us, it does not define us. We hold the power to shift our stories, embrace our authentic selves, and step into transformation.

Leadership and Scholarship

Riley holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) and a Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Dance/Movement Therapy from Lesley University (Cambridge, MA). She is a member of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) and a member of the Illinois Chapter of ADTA.

Conor Klusendorf is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and an ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP). With a foundation in person-centered care, Conor brings authentic enthusiasm and empathy to the therapeutic process, helping people navigate life’s challenges.

Conor has significant experience supporting clients with ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, and LGBTQ+ identity concerns, with additional specialization in substance use and addiction. He utilizes an integrative approach, skillfully blending evidence-based techniques such as Mindfulness Training, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Adlerian, and Existential. Believing that therapy should be as unique as the individual, he creatively tailors sessions to client needs, which can include incorporating music, recreation, and other non-traditional modalities to foster engagement and insight.

Clients find Conor to be a collaborative, grounded, and encouraging partner in their growth. He is known for creating a warm, non-judgmental environment where clients can slow down, focus on what truly matters, and build the confidence to make meaningful positive changes in their lives. His work is driven by the core belief that it is never too late to start this journey, and that every person possesses the inner resources to heal and thrive.

Background and Qualifications

Conor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lawrence University and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University, with a specialization in Rehabilitation Psychology. His graduate training included focused coursework in Multicultural Counseling, Substance Abuse Counseling, and Sports Psychology.

He has cultivated a diverse professional background through his work at New Life Rejuvenation, addressing a wide spectrum of mental health concerns, and at the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, where he provided therapy to individuals managing the psychological impact of chronic illness. His internship at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center provided deep experience in both addiction treatment, facilitating individual and group therapy in the Addictions Treatment Program (ATP), and vocational rehabilitation, where he assisted veterans in their career exploration and job placement as a Compensated Work Therapist.

An advocate for lifelong learning and holistic well-being, Conor’s own enthusiasm for life extends beyond the therapy room. A former collegiate athlete who still values teamwork and discipline, he is also a musician who understands the expressive power of creativity. His personal experiences, from building homes with Habitat for Humanity to undertaking ambitious projects like a bus conversion, inform his pragmatic and resilient approach to helping clients build the lives they envision.

Erin is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) dedicated to fostering genuine connections in
a world increasingly dominated by technology and, often, disconnection. She believes the
therapeutic relationship offers a safe, non-judgmental space for practicing intentional connection
and facilitating social-emotional growth. Erin is passionate about collaborating with clients to
achieve positive mental health outcomes and improve their overall quality of life.
Erin earned her Masters of Social Work from Aurora University in 2016. Her diverse
professional background includes experience as a bereavement counselor in a hospice setting,
a school social worker serving all grade levels (Early Childhood through High School), and a
private practice clinician. She partners with clients of all ages, utilizing collaboration to identify
individual strengths, overcome emotional and psychological challenges, and meet their goals.
As a clinical therapist, Erin integrates psychoanalytic theory, dialectical behavior theory (DBT),
and theories on loss and grief to inform her treatment approach. Her areas of specialty include
anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, navigating life transitions, and addressing social-emotional
challenges related to school-based 504s and Individual Education Plans (IEPs).

Erin operates from a strengths-based perspective, recognizing that every individual possesses
unique talents and skills. She emphasizes the importance of discovering and acknowledging
these inherent strengths throughout the process of self-discovery and healing. Life inevitably
brings tumultuous changes and transitions, and Erin finds deep satisfaction in supporting
individuals and families on their journey, witnessing them achieve their goals and find
acceptance in their personal paths.

In her personal time, Erin enjoys celebrating music, art, and yoga, as well as pursuing curiosity,
taking long walks, and reading. She is guided by the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh: “The most
precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love,
they will bloom like flowers.”