About Me
HI, I’M CHRISTINE MANUEL
As a licensed clinical social worker, I find fulfillment in helping Individuals improve their quality of life and navigate their personal path. I have over fifteen years of clinical experience, and something I have learned along the way is that people desire to live their best lives, but they may need help.We can become distracted by day to day monotony, comparing ourselves to others or feel held back by things from our past. Balancing responsibilities and meeting the expectations placed on us can cause us to lose our way at times, but finding your own way to not just live but thrive is possible. In my practice I enjoy walking side by side Individuals as they set personal goals to work towards their authentic journey.
MY BACKGROUND
I am grateful to have grown up in a family that valued giving and serving the community, so my desire to help others started from a very young age. I earned my Undergraduate degree in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University, and then went on to earn my Master of Arts in Social Work from the University of Chicago. In undergraduate school I started my experience through an internship with the Department of Children and Family Services where I gained knowledge and Clinical skills working with breakdowns in family systems and the impact of ruptured attachments. In graduate school I had two internships where I gained experience in providing psychotherapy and community support to various populations, including at an Adolescent Substance Abuse Agency where I developed a passion for engaging youth and adults and honed my Motivational Interviewing skills. Following graduate school I worked in the Renal Dialysis Unit at Northwestern Hospital, supporting Individuals experiencing Renal Failure as well as their loved ones. Common themes were grief and loss, adjustment to life changes, and medical trauma.
I spent 10 years working with families formed through adoption with a focus on Adoptees with behavioral and emotional issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, attachment difficulties, identity issues, grief and loss, and parent support. I have provided clinical supervision for six years and find a lot of joy in helping new Clinicians develop their skills.
I am a trained in EMDR, a Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) Practitioner, and have formal training in Level 1 Theraplay®
In my personal life, I am married and a mom of two elementary school aged children. I enjoy being outside in nature, and reading on the couch. I love to travel and experience new things, and I have found that physical exercise is one of the most impactful ways I manage my own mental health.
My rates
Rates
$175 per initial assessment
$150 per 60 minute psychotherapy session
Rates can vary based on Client Treatment Plan and goals. Typically, sessions are 1 hour and meetings are weekly or bi-weekly.
Click Below to Request An Appointment
Insurance
I accept the following insurance:
BlueCross BlueShield PPO
BCBS BlueChoice PPO
Private Pay (Credit, Check, Cash)
Out-of-Network
Many PPO insurance plans include Out of Network benefits. In those cases, superbills can be generated for clients to submit to insurance which may result in reimbursement in part or in full.
I would also recommend checking the following questions with your insurance provider:
Does my health insurance plan cover mental health benefits?
Does my plan have a limit on how many sessions I can have per calendar year? And if so what is that limit?
What is my deductible?
Does my insurance out of network benefits?
Payment
I accept all major credit, debit, FSA, and HSA cards, checks, and cash as forms of payment.
Good Faith Estimate
At Personal Path LLC, clients who do not have insurance or choose not to use insurance will be provided with a Good Faith Estimate of the total cost of services prior to the first scheduled appointment.
Check your insurance.
We usually take many commonly known insurances.
Is your plan not on the list? Fill out the form with your insurance information and we’ll be in touch shortly.