Mary E. Grigar, PhD
Assistant Dean of Students
Director of Health and Wellness
mgrigar@lakeforest.edu
Mary earned her Ph.D. (2001) in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University and her M.S. (1995) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed her doctoral internship at the Illinois State University Student Counseling Services and her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan Counseling and Psychological Services. Prior to her graduate work, Mary received a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she majored in Psychology and Anthropology. Her clinical experiences include primarily university and college counseling center work where she has had the opportunity to fulfill a variety roles such as counselor, supervisor/trainer, mentor, advocate, consultant, and administrator. Mary approaches her clinical work with a focus on understanding a client’s social, cultural, and biological factors to allow for a supportive, validating, and empowering space for clients to examine who they are and who they want to become. In her supervisory relationships, Mary places a high value on the supervisory relationship in order to provide an authentic space for growth and development through establishing trust and safety in the journey of becoming a positive change agent in our ever changing world.
Ed Neumann, PsyD
Associate Director of Counseling Services/
Clinical Coordinator
neumann@lakeforest.edu
Ed earned his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (2012) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Butler University and his postdoctoral fellowship at Northeastern Illinois University. Prior to his graduate studies, Ed received a BA from Illinois Wesleyan University. Ed has trained and worked in a variety of different clinical settings in his career, including a private practice, a community mental health center, and several college counseling centers. He also spent several years working on a psychiatric hospital unit for children, adolescents, and young adults. In these settings, he worked with a diverse range of people with an equally diverse range of reasons for seeking counseling. Ed approaches counseling primarily from a humanistic, person-centered perspective, but also integrates components of existential and psychodynamic theories into his work with clients. As a part of this approach, Ed is sensitive to each person’s unique blend of multiple social identities, including race, ethnic background, gender, sexual identity, ability, SES, and religious background, and how these various identities contribute to an individual’s overall sense of self. Ed’s areas of interest and specialty are depression, loss and mourning, identity development, trauma, crisis, and interpersonal relationships. In addition to his clinical work, Ed is also highly committed to supervision and training of future members of the helping fields. His approach to training is developmental and informed by his humanistic perspective. Accordingly, Ed believes that the training relationship is paramount and must be characterized by trust and collaboration, which allows trainees to feel both supported and challenged to pursue the goals they set for themselves.
Kasey Schultz-Saindon, PhD
Associate Director of Counseling Services/
Coordinator of Clinical Training
schultzsaindon@lakeforest.edu
Kasey earned her M.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2013) in Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. She completed her doctoral internship at the Colorado State University Health Network and her postdoctoral fellowship at Roosevelt University’s Counseling Center. Prior to her graduate work, Kasey received a B.A. from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, where she majored in Psychology and received minors in Spanish and Mathematics. Beyond her work in multiple college counseling centers, Kasey also has previous clinical experience in private practice and outpatient mental health clinic settings. She enjoys engaging in the wide variety of responsibilities and relationships that come with working in the college setting, including providing counseling services, supervision/training, outreach, and consultation to the campus community. In addition to enjoying working with individuals, Kasey has a passion for both group and couples counseling. Some of her other clinical interests include life transition and adjustment, relational struggles, identity development, self-esteem, gender concerns, autism spectrum disorders, stress management, and alcohol and other drug use concerns. Her approach to counseling stems from client-centered and interpersonal process theories. She believes that clients can begin to make the changes they want in their lives through building a supportive relationship with a therapist who is genuine, authentic, and empathic. When a therapist creates a space in which clients feel safe enough to sit with uncomfortable emotions, clients are able to begin to be more authentic and congruent themselves. Kasey takes a developmental approach to supervision and training, which is influenced by her client-centered and interpersonal style. She believes that the foundation of the supervisory relationship creates the opportunity for growth and further development as a psychologist in training. Most importantly, she strives to be her authentic self and create a space in which trainees can be their authentic selves, developing their own voices and identifying who they are and want to be as a psychologist.
Ashley Wood, PsyD
Staff Psychologist
awood@lakeforest.edu
Ashley earned her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (2016) from Roosevelt University. She completed her doctoral internship at Towson University’s Counseling Center in Towson, MD and her postdoctoral fellowship at Eating Recovery Center, Insight, in Chicago, IL. Prior to her graduate studies, Ashley received a B.A. in Psychology and Educational Studies from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and an M.A. in Psychology from American University in Washington, D.C. Ashley has trained and worked in a variety of settings, including college counseling, community mental health, private practice, and partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient settings. Through these varied experiences working with diverse populations and presenting concerns, Ashley areas of interest, passion, and specialization include working with issues concerning life transitions and adjustment, identity exploration and development, emerging adulthood, academic and career concerns, relationships, body image and eating, stress management and mindfulness, and self-confidence/self-esteem/self-compassion. Ashley approaches counseling from a psychodynamic and relational perspective, and believes that relationships are formative and also healing, and strives to create a safe, supportive, caring, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where clients feel seen, heard, and understood. In addition, Ashley also utilizes skills-based interventions to help expand and enhance clients’ coping, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation abilities. Through these approaches Ashley aims to empower each client to gain a deeper understanding and awareness of themselves, their emotions, thoughts, wants, and needs, and their values, so that they can find their own unique voice and live more authentically and congruently. In addition to her clinical work, Ashley is passionate about training, teaching, and supervision, and she utilizes an individualized, developmental, and relational approach to this area of her work. Ashley has taught as an adjunct instructor at Roosevelt University and also as a Master Trainer with The Body Project, an evidence-based, cognitive dissonance body-acceptance program. In her free time, Ashley likes to spend time with friends and host gatherings, arrange flowers and charcuterie boards, travel, read, explore different restaurants, and take mindful walks.
Rhea Bhatia, MS
Psychology Intern
rbhatia@lakeforest.edu
Rhea is a 5th-year doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology (PsyD) at Springfield College. Rhea completed her M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Johnson & Wales University (2019). She has gained clinical experience working with individuals across the lifespan in outpatient, community, school, and college counseling settings. In these settings, Rhea has provided individual and group therapy to support individuals in navigating disconnections and the emotional impact of systemic and interpersonal challenges. Rhea’s areas of interest include working with issues concerning identity exploration and development, grief and loss, and cultural and relational trauma. Rhea's therapeutic philosophy is marked by an integrative approach, rooted in both relational-cultural theory with a deep commitment to inclusive and culturally responsive care. She supports her clients in understanding themselves and their relationships to create a roadmap for healing, together. Outside of work, Rhea finds joy in cooking, playing board games, and spending time with friends and family.
Anagha Inamdar, MA
Psychology Intern
ainamdar@lakeforest.edu
Daniel Warshawsky, MA
Practicum Therapist
dwarshawsky@lakeforest.edu
Daniel Warshawsky, M.A. (he/him), is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP). He earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing from Indiana University in 2016 and his master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from TCSPP in 2023. He has worked with individuals across the lifespan, particularly adolescents and young adults, in both private practice and community mental health settings, and has experience working with clients from diverse cultural identities, genders, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Daniel is extremely passionate about working with clients hoping to explore issues related to identity development, anxiety and mood disorders, gender and sexuality, and relationships. Daniel practices therapy from a relational, client-centered approach that is deeply rooted in authenticity, believing that clients are the experts of their own lives and that his role is to walk alongside them – offering support and insight as they navigate life’s challenges. His goal for therapy is to create a space where clients feel safe to explore and develop their authentic selves, knowing they will be met with that same genuineness, in order to pursue meaningful growth and self-discovery at a pace that feels right for them. He places great emphasis on approachability, compassion, and honesty – qualities that are central to his identity as a therapist and essential to creating a safe, transformative, and empowering environment for his clients. When he is not at school or at work, Daniel spends his free time playing the guitar and piano, reading, baking, attending concerts, seeing movies, and enjoying time with friends and family.
Isabel Silverston, MA
Practicum Therapist
isilverston@lakeforest.edu
Isabel Silverston, M.A. (she/her), is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP). She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in economics from Tufts University in 2019 and her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from TCSPP in 2024. Isabel has clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and adults who hold diverse cultural identities in community mental health and private practice settings. Her clinical interests include anxiety and mood disorders, relationship and family difficulties, identity development and exploration, challenges associated with trauma and loss, life transitions, sexuality, and sexual health. Isabel's therapeutic approach draws primarily from psychodynamic and relational-cultural theory while also incorporating client-centered and humanistic perspectives. Isabel believes that relationships can be a mechanism for change, and that starts with the therapeutic relationship. She strives to create a safe, trusting, and collaborative relationship with clients to support them in processing how their past experiences shape who they are and how they interact with others. Her therapeutic style is warm, curious, and non-judgmental. She meet clients where they are in their process and tailors her work with each client to address their goals, needs, and unique identities.
Qingju 'Christa' Zeng, APRN/FPA, MSN, RN
Associate Director of Health Services
Nurse Practitioner
847-735-5240
qzeng@lakeforest.edu
Christa is a full practice authority family practice nurse practitioner. She received her BSN from University of Alabama in Huntsville, then her MSN for FNP from Loyola University in Chicago. She also obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine in China prior to coming to the U.S. She has been a nurse for almost 20 years and has over 10 years of experience as a nurse practitioner. She has worked in acute care, immediate care and primary care settings. She used to work at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital as a registered nurse for many years before becoming a nurse practitioner. Christa enjoys patient care, health promotion, disease prevention and patient education. She is experienced in diagnosing and managing a wide range of acute and chronic illnesses and minor injuries. She is devoted to inspiring students in making wise health and lifestyle choices.
Christa lives in the suburbs with family. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, crafting and authentic Chinese food cooking.
Services offered in the Health Center include physical examinations, illness evaluation and management, minor injury evaluation and management, sexual health (birth control, STI education/testing/treatment), prescription management, wellness and nutrition counseling, some on-site testing as well as other blood draws and laboratory services. Services that are not performed on-site will be referred and billed to a student’s individual health insurance plan (such as x-rays, laboratory testing, and physician specialist appointments).
Josie Stams, MSN, RN
Staff Nurse
847-735-5240
jstams@lakeforest.edu
Josie Stams received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Spanish from St. Olaf College. She went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Elmhurst College. She had worked as a nursing assistant on the brain injury unit of a rehabiliation hospital and on the oncology unit of an acute care hospital. Prior to working at Lake Forest College, she worked both as a pediatric intensive care nurse at the Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago and an adult intensive care unit nurse at Advocate Condell Medical Center.
Hannah Thomas
Department Assistant
847-735-5240
hthomas@lakeforest.edu
Hannah received her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. She has experience in the non-profit world when she worked at the Boys & Girls Club of Lake County in Waukegan, IL. In this setting, Hannah has assisted the younger students in their education and the high school students in their future endeavors through various scholarship and internship opportunities. Hannah also has worked in social services.
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