Mental Health Services

Suzanna Challen (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), providing weekly long-term therapy to DRES-registered students. Suzanna’s therapeutic approach is human-centered, strengths-oriented, and psychodynamic. She draws from varied approaches, including mindful self compassion (MSC), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), Jungian depth psychology, self-psychology, internal family systems (IFS), and expressive arts therapy. Suzanna supports creativity as part of the healing process and teaches art journaling on campus.

Suzanna grew up in Texas, earned a BA in Politics from New York University, a PhD in Political Science from Harvard University, and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois. Her winding path to her vocation as a therapist led her through five countries, five states, and various professional roles in human services and higher education, and she enjoys connecting with diverse students at various life stages. In 2018 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), and her experience with chronic illness informs her approach to supporting students facing a diagnosis or living with challenging health conditions. Her favorite local spot is Allerton, where she enjoys walking her dog Gracie in the forest through all seasons.

Joanna Lewis, M.S., LCPC, NCC (she/her), is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois and a Nationally Certified Counselor. She earned her Master’s in Clinical Counseling from Eastern Illinois University and provides weekly individual therapy to students registered with DRES. Her therapeutic approach is strengths-oriented and collaborative, focusing on the unique needs of each individual. Joanna integrates techniques from various evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Person-Center Therapy (PCT), and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET). Outside of her work supporting students, Joanna enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, and music.

Ayaka Hisanaga-Probst, Psy.D. (she/her) is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. After earning her doctorate from the University at Albany, State University of New York in 2023, she has taught and trained future clinicians at Western Kentucky University and Eastern Illinois University. She is currently a faculty in the Department of Psychology at Eastern Illinois University. Prior to her role as a school psychologist, she obtained a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Eastern Illinois University and worked in various settings and locations including outpatient therapy in Decatur, IL, family therapy and afterschool programming in Tokyo, Japan, bilingual counseling services in Tokyo, and programming for students with behavioral disabilities in Florence, AZ. Her research focuses on working with school/classroom climate in school consultation, challenges and support among first-generation undergraduate and graduate students, assessment of self-harming and other risky behaviors, and suicide prevention. At DRES, she provides psychological evaluation and psychotherapy for students and clinical supervision for future clinicians.

Breana “Brea” Griffin (she/they) is a fourth year PhD student in the Clinical-Community Psychology Program at U. of I. Brea received their B.S. in Biology and Psychology from St. Lawrence University and their M.S. in Psychology from U. of I. Their scholarship and activism centers 1) gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, 2) advocacy for chronic illness awareness and disability justice, and 3) the impact of institutional responses on individual and community well-being. In their free time, Brea enjoys writing music, crafting, playing DnD, and quality time with their pup, Ella Mae.

Ravon (he/him) is a PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Illinois. He is interested in creating and implementing culturally informed interventions that mitigate the harmful impact of trauma and promote positive growth and development. Outside of Academia, Ravon enjoys listening to music, watching shows/films, and a nice cup of coffee or tea.

Raymond La is a clinical-community psychology PhD student studying cultural factors of racial-ethnic mental health disparities and help-seeking behaviors and expanding this line of research to LGBTQ+ racial-ethnic minorities. He is a trauma-informed therapist and his clinical work includes neurodevelopmental assessment (e.g., ASD, ADHD), depression and anxiety, and executive functioning (e.g., attention, task and schedule management). Raymond has interest in working with BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ students, but more than happy to work with students from various backgrounds.

Rebekah (she/her) is a doctoral candidate and a 5^th year student in the clinical-community psychology PhD program at U. of I. Rebekah received her B.A. in Psychology from Skidmore College and her M.S. in Psychology from U. of I. Rebekah’s experiences throughout her doctoral training have included cognitive behavioral treatment of young adult and adolescent depression and anxiety, as well as trauma-focused treatment for youth and parents. Her research focuses on understanding risk factors for emotion regulation difficulties that contribute to self-harm outcomes, such as suicide and non-suicidal self-injury. In her free time, Rebekah enjoys running, writing, and trying to perfect her chocolate chip pancake recipe.

Acy (she/her) is a Master’s student in the Mental Health Counseling program. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology and has a strong clinical interest in supporting individuals with developmental disorders, especially Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Before beginning her graduate studies, Acy gained experience providing crisis intervention support for more than one year. She is passionate about helping clients recognize and reach their fullest potential through therapy.