Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! It’s a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law.
Sarah Hill’s career journey is a story of perseverance and grit. Diagnosed and seeking treatment in her college years for an eating disorder, her experience undergoing therapy eventually led her down the path of psychology. In 2023, Sarah started Allium Counseling in Northfield, IL, a mental health practice dedicated to providing individualized treatment for eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, and more. Therapeutic modalities can include cognitive behavior therapy, exposure and response prevention and traditional talk therapy just to name a few. What’s more, Sarah places a significant emphasis on group therapy, particularly among teens. She explains, “It is often the process of opening up and talking to one’s peers, not just to a professional, that facilitates meaningful change for the individual. Research shows that group therapy can enhance self-reflection and insight, increase accountability and motivation for change, reduce stigma and help individuals feel less alone, and improve problem-solving and social skills.”
Get to know the incredible story of Sarah Hill.
Hi Sarah! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Hi, I’m Sarah Hill. I was born and raised in Kenilworth, attending Sears School and New Trier High School. Meanwhile, my husband grew up in Tyler, Texas. He loved watching John Hughes movies, and he always dreamed about living in one of the towns where they were filmed. It only made sense that after meeting in Chicago and living in West Town for several years that we chose to move to Winnetka to raise a family of our own.
You’re a mama! Tell us about your children.
My husband and I have two spirited children: Nora (5) and Graham (3). While they fight quite a bit at this age, they are best friends, and they are so much fun. They make up games together and are quick to make each other laugh (they make their parents laugh a lot too).
What are one or two fun or interesting facts to know about you?
My husband’s and my first date was a Billy Joel concert at Wrigley Field. Seven years later, we are still attending concerts at Wrigley (this year we’ll be seeing Green Day) and listening to Billy Joel.
Another fact about me is that I inherited a love of French language and culture from my maternal grandfather. I decided to major in French as an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt, and I continue to be a self-described Francophile.
Your mantra?
There is a psalm that says, “Be still and know that I am God.” My favorite thing to do in the morning is run down to the beach and meditate on this psalm as I take in the beauty of Lake Michigan. It’s usually only for a few minutes, but whenever I do this, I feel more at peace with whatever challenges I face that day.
What would be your soundtrack or theme song if you had to pick?
In our house, we listen to a lot of songs by the Beatles, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, so that is literally the soundtrack of my life right now.
What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
I love Towne & Oak, Hometown, and Three Tarts for lunch or a latte. For dinner, my favorite restaurant is Guildhall. My husband is a sushi fanatic, so he usually orders off their Tori Dasu menu while I tend to order something more traditional.
I’d like to mention a few other places that we love: Dowize Bistro for takeout, Hewn Bakery (we can’t wait for them to open in Hubbard Woods), and Spirit Elephant.
Aside from places to eat, we love the Writer’s Theatre in Glencoe. It is such a privilege to have great theatre in our own community without having to trek into the city and deal with traffic.
I also love going to the beach. Having access to the water, with the stunning views and all the activities that the beach offers, is one of the best features of Chicago and the North Shore.
Finally, I absolutely love the Winnetka Community House. There are so many outstanding programs for kids, and the fitness center has been a game-changer for me personally. My kids love the playroom and I get 90 minutes of me-time, which is the best gift that a mom can ask for!
Love that list! Besides the playroom at Winnetka Community House, what gets you through a tough day?
I like to take a preventative approach if I can! This means starting off the day by centering myself with a daily devotional while sipping on some coffee, preferably while my kids are still sleeping.
To end the day, the best things that help me unwind are watching a TV show with my husband or hanging out with my girlfriends, whether it’s playing mahjong at a friend’s house or going out for a drink.
Ok, now let’s get down to business. Please introduce your wonderful mental health practice, Allium Counseling.
Allium Counseling provides in-person and online mental health counseling to pre-teens through older adults. We treat a variety of issues, including eating disorders, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, and more. We incorporate evidence-based practices and work with clients and their families to determine the best approach to treatment. We are very committed to collaborative care. This means that we coordinate with other members of a client’s treatment team, which may include a primary care doctor, psychiatrist, dietitian, or school social worker.
I started Allium Counseling in September 2023 after working in private practice for over six years. Prior to that, I worked at a prominent eating disorder treatment center at both their Chicago and Northbrook locations. I have always wanted to implement my own creative ideas on how to help those struggling with mental health and eating disorders, and operating my own business felt like the best way to do that. There is a growing need for providers who are well-trained and experienced in treating certain issues like eating disorders, and it is often hard for prospective clients and their parents to access these providers. My hope is to fill that gap so that those in need have the right support to reach their goals and live a happier, healthier life.
What inspired you to start Allium Counseling, and how has your personal journey influenced the specialized care you offer for mental health and eating disorders?
When I was a teen, I struggled with an eating disorder and was very closed off to the idea of getting help. I didn’t want anyone to know what I was going through because I didn’t want people to think of me differently. Being forced to talk about it with someone I didn’t trust seemed like the last thing I needed at the time. I knew that I did not have it under control, but shame and fear got the better of me. I also lacked a proper understanding of eating disorders and what was required to truly get better.
When I was finally ready to seek help in college, I found a referral list online of eating disorder specialists in Nashville, and I picked the only therapist who was walking distance from Vanderbilt’s campus. Opening up to someone about my innermost struggles was hard, but it completely changed the course of my life for the better. I had no idea that therapy could be so helpful and lead to lasting change, not just in how I felt, but also in how I behaved day-to-day. I didn’t know at the time that I would become a therapist, but I did know that I wanted to help others who had gone through similar experiences and needed someone to guide them.
Years later when I reached my final training year in graduate school, I was placed at a highly intensive treatment center for adolescents and adults with eating disorders. I kept an open mind that perhaps specializing in something that hit so close to home might not be ideal for me, however I quickly discovered that this was my calling. Even the most stressful days at work were enlivening to me. With life’s many changes, including job transitions, getting married, having children, and going through the pandemic (to name a few), I have always been energized by the work that I am doing and found great meaning in the relationships I build with my clients.
Can you share a specific example of how your collaborative approach with other providers has made a significant difference in a client’s treatment and recovery process?
We often work with clients who experience high acuity symptoms or have certain medical complications. I have seen countless clients where coordinating with their pediatrician or primary care doctor has been key to ensuring their medical stability in outpatient treatment and has kept them out of the hospital or going to a higher level of care (e.g., residential treatment, partial hospitalization programs). This has enabled clients to stay engaged in their day-to-day lives while working toward their treatment goals.
We have also seen many clients where the information they have shared with us has been essential in guiding a psychiatrist’s decision on what medications they will prescribe. Sometimes clients do not know what to share with their psychiatrist, or they run out of time in the appointment. Having a therapist as a go-between ensures that no pertinent information falls through the cracks and that the client is receiving the best care possible from their providers.
Allium Counseling offers a range of therapies, including behavioral, experiential, and family-based treatments. Can you explain how these diverse therapeutic approaches work together to support your clients’ unique needs?
Many of our clients receive an evidence-based treatment that is proven to produce better outcomes for their diagnosis or issue compared to traditional talk therapy. Oftentimes, a client will receive at least one of these treatments over the course of their time with us, depending on the types of concerns that they bring to therapy.
For those wanting traditional talk therapy, we often incorporate aspects of cognitive behavioral and other evidence-based approaches into sessions if that benefits the client.
We are also big proponents of experiential and action-oriented approaches such as exposure and response prevention (ERP). These are especially helpful for those struggling with behavioral patterns and symptoms that are difficult to change.
Finally, research shows that family involvement improves treatment outcomes. Unless there is a contraindication, we encourage clients to invite loved ones to sessions and draw upon their support systems.
Group therapy is a significant part of your services. What are some of the key benefits you’ve observed from group sessions, especially for teens and parents, and how do these sessions complement individual therapy?
I cannot stress enough the value of group therapy. I often hear from clients that they are different than other people with the same problem or diagnosis, or they don’t think group therapy can offer any benefit to them personally However, in many cases, the opposite is true. It is often the process of opening up and talking to one’s peers, not just to a professional, that facilitates meaningful change for the individual. Research shows that group therapy can enhance self-reflection and insight, increase accountability and motivation for change, reduce stigma and help individuals feel less alone, and improve problem-solving and social skills.
These outcomes are especially important for teens, who are experiencing the highest rate of mental disorders in history. Teens face high levels of academic pressure and burnout, influence from social media and technology, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and stress from family dynamics and societal changes. Group therapy is one way that teens can express themselves in a space where they don’t have to say the “right” thing or worry about being judged or canceled for their thoughts, emotions, or struggles with mental health.
Finally, group therapy can be a valuable resource for many parents and can take the form of a traditional support group, educational series, or a mix of both. I often recommend groups geared toward parents of a child suffering from an eating disorder, substance use disorder, obsessive compulsive or related disorder, or another significant mental health concern. That is a pretty wide variety, but in my experience, these groups have provided parents with a wealth of knowledge, increased confidence in their own abilities, reduced shame, improvements in communication, and strengthened relationship dynamics as a couple while they support their child.
As a mom and a business owner, how do you balance your professional responsibilities with family life, and what advice do you have for other moms who are also managing their own businesses?
Juggling work and family life is challenging, and if I’m honest, I don’t know if I have ever truly found that balance. I love spending time with my kids, and sometimes I wish I could spend even more time with them. On the other hand, after four consecutive days without our part-time nanny, I am ready for her to come back each week so that I can focus on work and use different parts of my brain.
My advice for other moms managing their own business is this: Don’t be afraid to do something that scares you. I was scared to open my own practice at first, and it took about a year for me to finally take the leap. While owning my own business has been more work, and at times more stress, it has also been very fulfilling for me, and I’ve never looked back.
What is the process for those who reach out for the first time?
Anyone who is interested in counseling/therapy can contact me at [email protected] or at 773-492-1844. I will help connect potential new clients with one of our therapists (currently this includes me and my experienced colleague, Lisa Cody), with whom they will have a free 15-minute consultation call. This call is a great opportunity to ask questions and find out what therapy might look like. If the therapist and potential client determine that they would be a good fit for each other, then they will schedule an initial appointment.
Finally, if you are considering therapy but are not yet ready to take the leap, you can find more information on our website: https://alliumcounseling.com/
Do you take insurance?
Yes, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Blue Choice plans. We also work with many clients using their out-of-network benefits or an HSA or FSA to cover the cost of therapy.
What’s next for Allium Counseling?
Allium Counseling continues to accept new referrals for therapy online and in-person on the North Shore. We are hoping to hire more talented and experienced clinicians to serve our community and provide support to individuals, groups, and families.
What are all of your contact details?
Allium Counseling is located in Northfield at 400 Central Ave., Suite 250. Visit https://alliumcounseling.com/ for more information and call (773) 492-1844 to start a conversation. We’re here to help.
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSM Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
