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We help people change their everyday.

Life Redefined Logo

Life Redefined is a team of seasoned clinical social workers and counselors located in the western suburbs of Chicago offering psychotherapy to individuals in all stages of life. From young to old, from single, married or it’s complicated, Life Redefined Clinical Counseling sees children, teens, young adults, middle/older adults, couples, and families. 

 

Our team is passionate to see people build a better and healthier normal and are constantly learning and growing in order to help make that happen for our clients. We strive to create safe spaces for people by leading with kindness, empathy and honesty. 


We hope finding out a little more about us will take away the barriers that are keeping you from reaching out. We are here to help and it all starts with a simple conversation. 

Two people engaged in conversation while sitting on couches

Learn

Our intention is for our clients to learn more about themselves and their journeys. We provide spaces, services and resources that help facilitate increased awareness and education that take away the fear of approaching life’s most complex emotions and experiences.

Grow

We want our clients to grow emotionally, physically and spiritually and one of the ways we help this process is by equipping them to express feelings in healthy ways. This leads to healthier ways of relating to their community and an increased sense of control in one’s life. 

Thrive

Our aim is for our clients to leave feeling empowered and equipped to be present, not consumed by the worries of tomorrow or the fears of yesterday, and live unafraid. Our hope is that their fears begin to fade and they begin to thrive.

Our Values

While we are open and flexible in our process, we are driven by a set of values that set the parameters for our work. We believe these values help us consistently become a safe space for our clients to untangle the complex situations in their lives.

Meet our team

Alexander Goreham

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Life can be a tricky journey, sometimes it’s full of excitement and fun, and other times it can be really tough. I don't believe we were created to walk this life alone, especially through those difficult moments. That's where therapy comes in.

 

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I got my Masters's in Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. I am a Certified Reciprocal Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CRADC). I am also trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also received my post-graduate certification in play therapy from a university in Kansas. I also use a therapy model called Internal Family Systems (IFS).

 

It is common for therapists to have several areas of speciality. I specialize in offering counseling for trauma, adoption, addictions, attachment, depression, and anxiety-related concerns. For those clients who wish to incorporate their faith into their therapeutic journey, that’s awesome! EMDR is a therapy technique that can treat multiple mental health concerns, mainly trauma. I enjoy working with adolescents and their families, kids, and adults. My view of addictions counseling is simple. I don’t engage in a power struggle with my clients for their sobriety. I believe long-term sobriety is achieved when the benefits of not using outweigh the emotional needs that are met when engaging in addictive behaviors. The starting point in any type of therapy is about meeting you where you are.

 

To be honest with you, I don't have the power to change you, and that is not my goal. My job as a therapist is to come alongside you and help you rediscover yourself and your potential. With a greater understanding of who you are and where you have been will come the opportunity for change to create a new normal. 

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What I do for fun:

I am actually a professional photographer on the side. I love to be active and ride my bike. I get competitive with beach volleyball. But I most enjoy traveling and seeing new places with my wife by my side.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Here is a more extensive list of my areas of practice:

  • Adoption

  • Trauma

  • Chemical Dependency

  • Behavioral addictions 

  • Relationship / Marriage Conflict

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Play Therapy

  • Spirituality

  • Loss / Grief

  • Men’s Issues

  • Life transitions

  • Family Conflict

Picture of Alexander Goreham
A bookshelf with toy vehicles on it
A calming room with couches and lamp
A waiting room with sevaral black chairs and table
A chair with a table and books next to it
A tve on a stand with Lego sports cars underneath

Our Space

We strive to be intentional about everything we do and that includes the physical spaces where we interact with our clients. We know feeling safe and comfortable is a key part of the process, so we thought through the lighting in the rooms, the pictures on the walls, the chairs our clients sit in, even the scents you smell when you walk in. Our goal is to create an environment most conducive to gaining clarity and untangling the complex situations in our clients’ lives.

Laurel Goreham

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor

I believe strongly in being a safe place for you to bring your authentic self into counseling, without fear of judgment. Connecting with you genuinely is deeply important to me, and I believe that building trust is a crucial part of our therapeutic relationship. Counseling can be a little like farming - we work together to cultivate your field, digging out stones of beliefs, feelings, etc. that are in the way, and nourishing new growth by giving language and tools for the things you’re dealing with. You're an expert on you! My goal is to be a genuine, empathetic, approachable tool to help my clients thrive.

 

You bring many strengths, gifts, and resources into the counseling room. But when you’re struggling, those can be easy to forget. I want to help you discover your strengths and help them grow as we work together. I'd love to support you through the tough, painful parts of life. I won't try to fix you, but I will walk with you through it.

 

I graduated from Wheaton College with my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC)  I've worked in underserved communities in the US and globally, on college campuses, and with international individuals and families navigating cross-cultural transition and trauma. As a counselor, I have several areas of focus that I enjoy working with and specialize in. I specialize in working with those who struggle with feelings of anxiety and perfectionism. Life transitions can be tough, even ones that we are excited about. My hope and goal is to help you navigate whatever you are going through so you leave feeling empowered to life a more joyful life. 

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What I do for fun:

In my free time, I like being in the mountains, going for walks with my husband, and waking up early to enjoy a good cup of coffee.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Here is a more extensive list of my areas of practice:

  • Anxiety

  • Life Transitions
  • Spirituality
  • Career Counseling
  • Coping Skills
  • Perfectionist Tendencies

  • Grief / Loss

  • Obsessive-Compulsive / OCD

  • Pregnancy / Postpartum

  • Self Esteem

  • Stress

Picture of Laurel Goreham

Maggie Spoelhof

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I earned my BA in psychology from Calvin University and a Masters of Social Work Degree from Colorado State University. The bulk of my work history has been in child welfare and working specifically with children and youth in the context of their families. I apply a strengths based perspective that is also family centered and trauma informed. I often utilize play therapy when working with kids. My main areas of interest and work include trauma, depression and anxiety related concerns, family conflict, women’s issues, and spirituality.

 

We all have a lot of navigating to do these days, and I really enjoy walking alongside individuals as they pilot life’s transitions and changes. Adjusting can be hard, scary work -- even overwhelming at times. That’s where having a therapist comes into play. How can I help support you along life’s path in ways that empower and, at times, challenge you? My goal is to help encourage and support you in discovering your potential through healthy change and/or healing. We all have pasts; it’s in acknowledging where we come from and where we’ve been that we gain the opportunity to understand our present, and can help manifest positive change for our future. I’d like to help you redefine your potential and find purpose by starting exactly where you are, today.

 

We all have a lot of navigating to do these days, and I really enjoy walking alongside individuals as they pilot life’s transitions and changes. Adjusting can be hard, scary work -- even overwhelming at times. That’s where having a therapist comes into play. How can I help support you along life’s path in ways that empower and, at times, challenge you?

​

What I do for fun:

In my free time you can find me with family! We love the Morton Arboretum, spending time playing outdoors, and swimming/swim meets!

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Here is a more extensive list of my areas of practice:

  • Anxiety

  • Life Transitions

  • Spirituality

  • Women's Issues

  • Career Counseling

  • Coping Skills

  • Grief

  • Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)

  • Prenatal and Pregnancy

  • Postpartum

  • Self-Esteem

  • Stress

Picture of Maggie Spoelhof

If you have more questions, we would love to talk.

We will reach out soon!

David Seisser

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

My aim is to create a comforting and compassionate space for each of my clients as we walk together toward finding balance physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Therapy often includes exploring your story and where you have been. Unfortunately, this can be really difficult at times and this is really where I come in. My job is to create a space for you to feel empowered to explore your past, learn from it, and create new ways forward. You don't have to settle for your old normal. I want to empower you to create a new normal.
 

I graduated with my masters in social work, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I specialize in working with trauma recovery, family-of-origin issues, self-medicating behaviors, anxiety and depression, and codependency. As a trauma-informed clinician, I operate from different therapeutic styles including EMDR, DBT, CBT, EFT and I am client centered. I work with various age groups, including teenage clients, middle aged clients, and older adults. 

 

Our response to our troubles can impact us daily, making it difficult to manage our lives and be the person we want to be. Through the hard work spent in therapy, it is possible to find relief and move closer to who we want to be.

 

What I Do for Fun:

In my free time I enjoy walking my dogs, going to the gym, and playing both board games and video games.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Here is a more extensive list of my areas of practice:

  • Trauma & PTSD

  • Anxiety/Depression

  • Codependency

  • Coping Skills

  • Emotional Disturbance

  • Family Conflict

  • Men's Issues

  • Peer relationships

  • Spirituality

  • Stress

  • Substance use

  • Sports Performance 

Picture of David Seisser
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