DR. VANESSA JANKOWSKI, PhD, LCSW
Co-FOUNDER, CEO, psychotherapist

Adult Therapy | Adolescent & Family Therapy | Typology & Jungian Coaching

Vanessa Jankowski is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, with a Master of Social Work degree from University of Chicago’s school of Social Services Administration. She received her PhD in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where she also received a Master’s degree in Jungian and Archetypal Studies as well. In the Chicagoland area, Vanessa completed a five-year, post-graduate intensive clinical training program focused on social work techniques, psychotherapy, group work, and Jungian/Archetypal psychology.

Vanessa guides clients to a better understanding of their gifts and strengths while helping them identify and address the sources of their suffering. Her therapeutic approach draws from a wide range of models and theories. Her work integrates techniques and interventions from Psychodynamics, Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (C.B.T.), Dialect Behavioral Therapy (D.B.T.), Family Systems, Object Relationships, Rational Emotive Therapy (R.E.T.), Transactional Analysis (T.A.), various Depth Psychology theories and others.

Vanessa has organized and co-led annual retreats, workshops, and programs for The Center for Change & Healing, Beloit College, Corporate Learning Institute, Irons Oaks, Joy Outdoor Educational Center, the Village of Niles and Skokie Middle Schools, Niles Teen Center and more. Vanessa served as director of Horizon Hospice’s youth and family grief group program, Braveheart, where she supervised, coordinated, and facilitated groups for those experiencing grief and loss.

Vanessa is trained in crisis intervention and psychotherapy. As a high ropes and challenge course facilitator, she enjoyed working with residential rehabilitation groups, sports teams, teacher groups, college students and staff, and corporate organizations.

Vanessa co-founded Birch Forest Children’s Therapy Center in January 2022 to serve the needs of parents and children.

Vanessa’s lifelong love of painting and the arts allows her to reach individuals through creativity and imagery. She is a musician and a captivating storyteller. Before becoming a clinician, Vanessa worked extensively as a trainer of horses for shows and dressage. Vanessa understands it is important to be healthy of mind and body; She advocates and practices healthy physical activity and proper nutrition.

Kyle J. Jankowski, LCSW, MSW, MADP
Co-FOUNDER, COO, psychotherapist

Adult Therapy | Adolescent & Family Therapy | Typology & Jungian Coaching

Kyle J. Jankowski, LCSW, MSW, MADP., is the co-founder and COO of The Center for Change & Healing, a Clinical Social Work and Depth-Psychology based psychotherapy and consultation practice.

For over 20 years, Kyle has worked with youth, couples and families. He specializes in guiding clients through major life transitions. He has provided quality mental health services through a variety of roles including school social worker, special education social worker, foster care/adoption case worker, residential day school therapist, police mental health consultant, and clinical group psychotherapist.

Kyle has designed and facilitated over a dozen Depth-Psychology based weekend and week-long personal growth retreats for adults and adolescents. Kyle earned his Bachelor’s from the University of Michigan (BSW), where he also served as president of the Social Work Club, and was inducted into the Greek Academic National Honor’s Society, Phi-Alpha. Kyle then earned a graduate degree from the University of Chicago-SSA (MSW/AM). Continuing his postgraduate education, Kyle completed a seven-year advanced clinical training program and earned a second Master’s from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Jungian & Depth Psychology (MADP).

Kyle’s therapeutic practice integrates traditional psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and family system’s approaches. Additionally, Kyle integrates theories of multiple intelligences and Typology (Myers-Briggs/M.B.P.T.I.) with a focus on creativity, literature, poetry, creative space design/sacred architecture, comedy/improv, graphic art, film and photography.

Kyle understands the essential role vocation plays in a meaningful and fulfilling life. Through explorations of vocation, Kyle helps people to recognize, structure, and integrate their creative gifts and traditional intelligence into practical and meaningful career paths. Vocational and creative consultation are useful for midlife career changes, quarter-life existential crises, entrepreneurs, and non-traditional students in high school and college. Others have utilized vocational and creative consultation with Kyle to rediscover and reintegrate their lost or undervalued ethnic/cultural practices and identity. Such clients often report a renewed sense of mental, social, and cultural wholeness.

Kyle co-founded Birch Forest Children’s Therapy Center in January 2022 to serve the needs or parents and children. In 2023, he founded Siubhail Publishing, LLC.

Outside his clinical and consulting practice, Kyle avidly studies Polish-Hungarian Fencing, saxophone, martial arts philosophy, and Central/Eastern European history. He is a published poet and scholar. He enjoys hiking, traveling America’s National Parks, water skiing, swimming, culinary art, interior design, Polish cultural events, and patronizing Chicago’s extensive performing arts scene.

dr. Kevin kell, phd, lcsw
Clinical DIRECTOR, psychotherapist

Adult Therapy | Adolescent & Family Therapy | Typology & Jungian Coaching

Kevin Kell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker living and practicing in the greater Chicago area. He received his bachelor’s degree, Summa Cum Laude, from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, majoring in psychology. Kevin then graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Masters in Social Work. He is currently pursuing degrees through Pacifica Graduate Institute’s masters/ doctoral program in Jungian and Archetypal Studies. Additionally, Kevin has studied with many professional mentors from a wide variety of cultures and fields of study.

Kevin brings all of his educational and practice experience to each client and session. Kevin provides individual, group, family, and couples therapeutic counseling to clients of all ages. Clients have found significant relief from symptoms of depression, anxiety, grief/ loss, anger management/ rage, self-harm, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, addictive behaviors, and underperformance.

Kevin’s approach draws primarily from psychodynamic and depth psychological theories. New skills and information are essential to the healing process, but often there are also unresolved issues from the past that continue to disrupt the present. Lasting change and growth often require that these issues be explored and healed with compassion and understanding. Even clients with a history of treatment-resistant issues have found Kevin’s approach helpful and transformative.

When Kevin isn’t practicing therapy, he is enjoying a wide variety of hobbies and interests. Kevin is an accomplished leather worker and craftsman. He also makes and plays hide drums of many types and sizes. Kevin is a classically trained bass vocalist and regularly performs in local operas and other venues. Kevin can be found throughout the greater Chicago area sharing his love of art, performance, and beauty.

JENNIFER DIMER, LPC
PSYCHOTHERAPIST

Adult Therapy | Marriage & Family Therapy

DR. MARK R. GRANDSTAFF, PhD
CERTIFIED JUNGIAN & TYPOLOGY COACH

Consulting, Coaching and Workshops

Dr. Mark R. Grandstaff, Ph.D., has a degree in American Popular and Organizational Culture from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has written four books and more than seventy articles. He has taught at Brigham Young University (emeritus professor), the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Maryland – University College. He has lectured across the world in such places as Oxford, The University of Auckland – New Zealand, the Philippines, and Amsterdam.

Dr. Grandstaff is a former fellow of the James MacGregor Burns Institute of Strategic Leadership – College Park. He served as the senior military member on the U.S. President’s Committee for National Service. He served as a Nuclear Missile officer and a Joint Special Operations Command military analyst while in the military.

He is also a world-class Certified Typology Master Practitioner who mentors individuals and organizations in using the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) for communication and conflict resolution. He is also certified in Linda Beren’s Interstrength and CORE processes, Carol Pearson’s Archetypal Indicator, the Majors PTI, and the Strong instrument. He is a certified Jungian Coach and a member of the International Association of Jungian Coaches and Consultants (Zurich). 

His most recent book, Reclaiming The Fire: Depth Psychology in Teacher Renewal, introduces the role that Jungian Typology and Archetypal Reflectivity play in overcoming occupational stress and burnout. The editors at Marquis’ Who’s Who in America awarded him the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for his career contributions. 

An avid scuba diver and instructor, he loves to journey with his wife Amy around the world of the sea. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has four daughters and five grandchildren.

Megan wilkison, OTR/L
Occupational therapist

Child, Adolescent, and Adult Occupational Therapy

Megan received her Master of Occupational Therapy degree from Concordia University Wisconsin and holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Megan has worked with clients across the lifespan from infant to adulthood to support their needs. She assists with a variety of challenges including body and interoceptive awareness, sensory integration, picky eating, constipation management, self-care skills, and executive functioning skills. Executive functioning interventions will help target cognitive and organization skills required to initiate, plan, and complete daily tasks. 

One of Megan’s passions is working with clients on improving interoception skills to help the client identify early physiologic signs of stress and strengthen the connection between body cues and regulation strategies. Developing this connection is key to being able to respond proactively rather than reactively to body stressors.

Her neuro-affirming and strengths-based approach allows individuals to develop their own internal motivation and strengthen their brain-body connection. She is committed to supporting client’s autonomy and validating differences in the therapy process. 

When Megan is not working, you will find her enjoying the outdoors whether that includes downhill skiing, kayaking, hiking, or simply reading a book in her hammock. Megan is also an active volunteer with several organizations including philanthropy work with her sorority alumnae group and is a director of summer camp for children with intellectual disabilities.