Beverly Therapists recently expanded its office space and now occupies the entire building located at 10725 S. Western Ave. This expansion allows for more therapists practicing in more modalities and provides clients with a warm and welcoming space where they can heal and grow their minds, bodies and spirits.
Beverly Therapists was founded in 2010 by Lisa Catania, LCSW; Pat Harthun, LCPC; and Jennifer Lara, LCPC. The practice now includes 16 therapists specializing in everything from individual therapy to LGBTQ support and hypnotherapy to music and art therapy.
“Beverly Therapists became an opportunity to bring a group of therapists together to grow and improve their own practices and services, while serving the community,” Catania said. “We need to start within ourselves, our families, and communities to make change happen from the inside out.”
The practice is founded on being heart-centered, and hopes to spread love, peace and understanding to unify a diverse community, a paraphrase of the group’s inclusivity and diversity statement. Beverly Therapists underwent a “mindful rebirth” in 2015, when the team declared an emphasis on inclusion and being a supportive element honoring, protecting and supporting diversity, according to Catania.
“We believe in kindness, acceptance, and nurturing the unique independent person; we look for therapists who embrace all of those concepts,” Catania said. “Each of us believes in our own individual responsibility and growth, and we support each other in affirming, challenging, and productive ways. We strive to be present in the community and meet its diverse needs and have people feel that they are being represented.”
For the past two years, Beverly Therapists has paid close attention to the LGBTQ community — particularly teens — within Beverly/Morgan Park and surrounding areas, offering a regular group session for teens who identify as LGBTQ or questioning. “This is the forefront of this community’s needs now; everyone has a right to be unique, recognized and supported, and that doesn’t always happen for certain groups of people on a societal level,” Catania said.
Beverly Therapists spends a lot of time presenting each individual therapist to the community so potential clients can get a feel for who may be the best fit for their needs. Through videos on Facebook and lengthy bios on their website, potential clients can get a sense for the therapist’s personality. “The most important ingredient is connection; we want people to find a therapist that they can trust and be honest with, and who has the expertise to facilitate and guide growth,” Catania said.
“We really do things very mindfully,” said Harthun. “We want to build a sense of community within and without. There’s so much potential for growth as a force of good in this city.”
Monthly seminars are offered to anyone in the community, occurring one Saturday a month from Sept. to May and cost only $10 per session. “Our seminars reflect the different modalities of the therapists, as well as the interests we see in the community,” Catania said. “These classes are a stepping stone for people to feel more comfortable with the idea of mental wellness and improvement.”
To find a therapist or stay up-to-date on monthly seminar offerings, visit BeverlyTherapists.com.
