MTS Counseling Center

Dr. Skjoldal is a psychologist and professor with over 30 years of licensed experience. She was born in Cuba, and one of her primary areas of interest is multicultural counseling, especially in areas of cultural humility and the provision of counseling to underserved populations. Another area of clinical interest for her is psychological treatment of chronic illnesses, such as chronic pain and cancer.

Dr. Skjoldal received her MS and PhD from the University of Miami. She has been the clinical director for a number of counseling centers, including the Christ Fellowship Counseling Center, Caring for Miami, and the Care and Counseling Center of Baptist Hospital Miami, where she has seen clients and offered supervision in both English and Spanish. She is licensed in both Florida and Illinois. Dr. Skjoldal is a wife and mother of two young adult daughters and has enjoyed serving by teaching Sunday school in bilingual churches and speaking at conferences. 

Amy received her psychology degree from Taylor University and her MA in Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary. She started her career as a psychotherapist at Moody Bible Institute’s undergraduate counseling center in 1997 and continued there for 26 years. Throughout her career, she has also taught classes in the Women’s Ministry major at Moody and led women’s ministries on campus and in a local church. 

In 2007, she started her own private practice in Oak Park and Chicago, working with individuals ages 12 to 75. She has also worked with non-crisis couples and with premarital couples, using either the Prepare-Enrich or SYMBIS coursework. As a former pastor’s wife, she also counsels pastors, ministry wives, and pastors’ kids. As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), Amy enjoys connecting with diverse clientele. In June 2023, she became clinical manager of the Moody Theological Seminary Counseling Center, where she supervises interns during their practicum and internships. She also continues her private practice in Oak Brook and online. Amy is married and has two teenage sons. 

Charity received her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Moody Theological Seminary and is expecting to receive the qualification for a licensed professional counselor this summer. She strives to create a unique therapeutic experience for each of her clients and seeks to walk alongside them on their journey to healing and growth.

Charity also works collaboratively with her clients to achieve goals aligned with their beliefs and values, whether they relate to relationship struggles, identity crises, life transitions, grief, trauma, anxiety, or depression. Ultimately, she seeks to create a safe environment for her clients where they feel heard, valued, and empowered. Charity is bilingual in English and Mandarin Chinese and works with clients of diverse backgrounds and ages.

Dr. Dean is a Professor and Counselor with over 15 years of experience teaching and training clinical professionals. She earned her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Iowa, her MA in Community Mental Health Counseling, and her BA in Psychology from Chicago State University.

Dr. Dean’s primary areas of interests include mental and emotional trauma, grief and loss, couples and family concerns. She utilizes an Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach as well as elements of the Cognitive Behavioral Approach (CBT). Dr. Dean holds memberships in both counseling and research organizations and has performed leadership roles in several of these organizations. She is a grandmother of two and enjoys participating in the mental health ministry weekly at her church in the Chicagoland area.

Sarah is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree graduate from Moody Theological Seminary and a Psychology master’s degree graduate from the University of Glasgow. Sarah mainly orientates from a client-centered, emotionally focused, and strength-based approach. She also uses internal family systems, narrative therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and creative therapy. Her goal is to partner with her clients in the goals they have toward developing growth and understanding. 

Sarah is open to all clients but is especially interested in the areas of grief and loss, life transitions, relationships, women’s issues, eating disorders, abuse, and trauma. Sarah is specialized in counseling TCKs/MKs and is currently working toward becoming specialized in Narrative Exposure Therapy (for trauma). 

Kehinde Holds a BS in Sociology and Education, MA in Special Education, and is currently completing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary. She is Married with two adult Children.

She is an ordained pastor who specializes in women’s issues. She also works with families exposed to trauma in the inner city.

Kehinde views each person as a unique individual and provides services accordingly. She believes in partnering with her clients to accomplish their goals. During her time with clients, her hope is for them to be empowered, inspired, and equipped to live a more fulfilled life.

Yao has a BA in Medical Sciences, a BA in Human Services, and is pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary. He has experience working with school-age children, adolescents, and adults. Yao works with individuals presenting behavioral issues, anxiety/depression, life-change issues, school-related issues, relationships, life transition, spirituality, trauma, and immigration issues. With a background in nursing and behavioral therapy, he believes in an emphatic and empowering approach to caring. Yao has experience working with individuals with special needs, and as an immigrant, he loves to work alongside children and parents struggling with adjustment and grief.

Yao is married and is father to a toddler daughter and baby boy. He speaks English and French fluently, understands Spanish on a basic level, and speaks multiple African dialects. Besides work and school, Yao enjoys singing, writing, playing with his kids, and watching action TV shows with his wife.

Nancy is currently pursuing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary. Nancy grew up in Nepal and is half Nepali and half Indian. Her formative years were spent living alongside over 25 individuals with disabilities, which cultivated a deep understanding of resilience, empathy, and the importance of embracing each individual's unique journey. Having traveled extensively across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for volunteer work, Nancy gained invaluable insights into various cultures and witnessed firsthand the countless challenges people face.

Her areas of focus include trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, relationship dynamics, multicultural issues, and challenges specific to church and missionary contexts. In her therapeutic practice, Nancy hopes to create a safe and inclusive space where clients feel genuinely heard, understood, and respected. Nancy strives to cultivate authentic connections with her clients and is committed to fostering meaningful change and growth in her their lives.

Tiffany holds a BA in Psychology and is currently completing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary. She is married, values family, and comes from a family of eight siblings, giving her patience and kindness for a career in Christian counseling.

Tiffany has experience working with children to help navigate and walk alongside them to the best of her abilities. She also believes that counseling should be a safe and judgment-free environment to explore, unpack, and learn new ways to achieve goals. Her areas of interest are couples, families, and individuals, and she is excited for the opportunity to partner with clients from all stages of life. 

Katie is a student at Moody Theological Seminary pursuing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She is passionate about providing clients with support in their growth and healing process. Katie specializes in working with college students, as well as individuals navigating anxiety, depression, women's issues, intercultural relationships, and matters of faith. Utilizing treatment modalities such as motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy, she believes that increasing hope and developing healthy thought and behavior patterns is key to achieving clients’ goals.

Katie also holds a MA in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody. As a pastor’s wife and ministry leader, she enjoys integrating a biblical worldview for clients who desire to explore God’s role in the healing process. Katie also enjoys engaging with clients from all cultural backgrounds. She is fluent in Spanish and has had rich cross-cultural experiences in her multiethnic family. Her husband is from India, and they have two wonderful, bicultural children.

Jordan is a student at Moody Theological Seminary pursuing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She enjoys getting to know people and understanding their perspectives and being invited into their journeys. Jordan enjoys using the perspective of internal family systems to view things as well as a psychodynamic approach. Jordan is interested in working with issues ranging from anxiety, depression, trauma, parenthood, life transitions, relationship struggles, spirituality, and grief.

Jordan lives in Chicago with her husband, and they enjoy being outside with their two-year-old son and dog, an Australian shepherd. In her free time she loves running, art, music, and spending time with friends.

Josh has a BA in Guitar Performance from Wheaton College and is a student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School pursuing his MA in Counseling. Josh primarily works with middle-aged and young adults, and with individuals who are working through difficult transitions in their lives. He focuses on helping clients who are navigating church hurt, sexual addiction, immigrant identity formation, professional transitions, relationships, and anxiety.

Josh is a former pastor and teacher and is passionate about helping people who are experiencing difficulties in those areas of life gain deeper flourishing and joy. He is also a professional musician and enjoys song writing and exploring the music scene in Chicago during his free time.

Katie works with individuals of all ages from children to adults, including those with work or life stress, self-care, life transitions, sexual assault, grief, and trauma. Katie hopes to cultivate the safe space needed for clients to feel seen and known as they navigate the complex layers within their unique story, experiences, and world. With a holistic, integrative lens, she hopes that work done together moves clients toward desired growth, freedom, healing, understanding, connectedness, and wholeness.

Katie has worked in refugee resettlements with families from all over the world helping them built a new life in the U.S. She was moved by their intermingling of devastating woundedness, resilience, and profound hope. It’s also here that she fell in love with foods from the Middle East and Arabic coffee. In some of her free time, Katie loves playing soccer, doing art, and anything outside.

Esther has a BA in Psychology and Sociology and is pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She worked as an HR representative at Samsung Research Institute for almost four years. As an Indian-Korean counselor, she seeks to help individuals of all ages struggling with self-identity, acceptance, and diverse experiences. Using the integrative approach (specifically created for each individual) she evaluates the meanings and influences of identity, culture, career, life stage, personal relationships, needs for each client.

She is fluent in English, Hindi, and has conversational Korean speaking skills. She enjoys long walks observing nature and wildlife. She likes to dance, sing, play video games, and watch dystopian sci-fi, comedy, international shows, and more.

Josh has a BA in Pastoral Studies and is a student at Moody Theological Seminary pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Josh works with teens, adults, and couples who are coping with anxiety, depression, faith integration and spirituality, relationships issues, infertility, life transitions, and loss and grief. As a pastor and licensed minister, Josh loves working with those who are serious and struggling in their faith and strives to create a safe space to talk about these struggles.

Married for six years, Josh lives in Albany Park with his wife, dog, and cat. He loves hiking, camping, kayaking, video games, board games, and spending time with friends and family.

Fari has a BS in Biology and Teaching, MA in Gender Studies, MA in Social Work, and is a student at Moody Theological Seminary pursuing her MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her areas of interest vary, but her goal is to work with young mothers and children, migrants dealing with adjustment issues, and young women recovering from the trauma of sexual abuse. Fari endeavors to work with people of all faiths and backgrounds, and her desire is to see each of her clients progressing in healing and good health.

She was born and raised in Zimbabwe, but also lived in the UK and now resides in Chicago. The mother of two boys and two girls and grandmother of a five-year-old little girl, Fari has adopted the Bears as her favorite sports team and attends games with her husband. She loves gardening, traveling, planning events, walking, and sewing.