Meet Our Team | Multicultural Counseling

Meredith Farster LCSW

Director of Clinical and Administrative Services

Hello, I’m Meredith Farster, LCSW. I am a graduate of the Jane Addams School of Social Work and Dominican University’s School of Social Work. My experience includes work with vulnerable populations such as young men and women of color, the LGBTQQ community, those experiencing homelessness and poverty, and those who have experienced violence and trauma. I have experience working with individuals, couples, and groups struggling with depression and anxiety, suicide ideation, parenting struggles, relationship violence, postpartum depression, and chronic illness. I have training in and professional interest in Motivational Interviewing, addictions, cognitive behavioral therapy, gender dynamics, and crisis intervention.

My focus is on providing culturally and racially conscious therapy services using the social work adage of the beginning where my client is. I see my role as being present with my clients as they face and navigate the grey areas of life while increasing positive & healthy coping skills. I learn from my clients as much as they learn from me, and I consider it an honor and privilege to be a part of your change process.

I am passionate about advocacy, empowerment, education and being active in my community, and have volunteered with several local community organizations. I am a certified domestic violence advocate & certified partner abuse intervention program(PAIP) facilitator through Sarah’s Inn in Oak Park. I am also a proud facilitator with the Oak Park Our Whole Lives (OWL) program, a comprehensive sexuality curriculum for youth between the grades of K-9th grade, whose focus is on consent, communication & respect and inclusion of the LGBTQ community.

Kirsten Kingsley, MA, LPC

Psychotherapist

Hello, I'm Kirsten Kingsley MA. I provide psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, and adults. Whether struggling with mood disturbances (depression, bipolar disorder), anxiety, trauma, and life transitions, I utilize an integrative and collaborative approach that encompasses the cultural, social, emotional, and behavioral well-being of clients. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is integral to a positive outcome of wholeness and healing. I offer a safe space in which clients can experience trust, acceptance, respect, and integrity. This is where self-empowerment and self-agency begins.

I have experience working in community mental health centers, schools, and private practice. I am trained in trauma, positive psychology, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and domestic violence prevention. I earned my BS from Ohio State University and my MA in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Latino/a Mental Health, from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Five facts about me: I love being a mom to my four children; I am a student of curiosity and learning; I always have a book or two in my bag; I am always open to new traveling experiences, and in my spare time I enjoy doing voiceover work.

Charlotte Greiwe, MA (she/her)

Counseling Psychology

Hello, My name is Charlotte Greiwe, MA (she/her). I am a graduate of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology with an MA in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in trauma. Based on my personal experiences over the years with mental health care that were not only positive but life-changing, I was inspired to pursue a career in counseling.

I began my career at the Howard Brown Health Center where my training included individual and group work with the LGBTQ community and BIPOC communities. In addition to trauma-informed care, I have experience in depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, life transitions, sex positivity, and LGBTQ-affirming care. I recognize my privilege as an educated, white queer person and how that impacts my relationships with my clients.

I believe in being client-centered, greeting every client with unconditional positive regard. But because there is no one-size-fits-all in therapy, I work with the client to determine the best style of therapy for them. That can include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, existentialism, solution-focused therapy, or something else. Ultimately, a positive therapeutic relationship between client and counselor is the key to successful therapy. Asking for help is the first step towards self-empowerment.

Emily Lopez, MA (she/her)

Counseling Psychology

Hi there, my name is Emily Lopez, MA (she/her). I moved to Chicago from Los Angeles in 2015 to earn my MA in Counseling Psychology with a Child and Adolescent Therapy specialization from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Over the last 3 and a half years I have worked with clients from age 5-105 and have loved every minute of it. As a queer Mexican-American cisgender female, it is important for me to acknowledge my privilege and try to represent my cultures in a way that will promote growth and healing.

I work from a client-centered, Narrative Therapy framework. This means that I view every person's life as a story or a book. In order to understand where you are now, it's imperative to understand your backstory, identify themes, reframe past experiences, and help you to write the rest of your story in an empowering way. I also work with you to support your goals, and see you as the expert in your life story. I walk alongside my clients in their own journeys, while providing support and empathy utilizing a trauma-informed approach.

My job is to provide a safe, non-judgemental place for my clients to discuss those parts of themselves they don't feel comfortable expressing anywhere else. I provide an identity-affirming space that will allow my clients to be themselves, no matter what. It takes a lot of strength to enter into a therapeutic space and I'm here to help my clients feel more comfortable in who they are, what they do, how they feel, what they think, and how they function in a chaotic world.