2022 AC Counselors

Alina holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology and is pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology from Midwestern University. Alina is currently a part-time Practicum Clinician at ATSA providing therapy services to children and adolescents coping with anxiety. Prior to beginning her doctorate, Alina worked at a psychology private practice where she assisted with generating and summarizing psychological testing reports of patients seeking evaluations for autism, ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and PTSD. Being fluent in Spanish and Urdu, Alina is also interested in cross-cultural psychology and is uniquely equipped to provide services to these populations. More recently, Alina’s previous clinical work focused on conducting psychological testing batteries of cognitive, intellectual, emotional, and personality functioning at Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. In addition, she co-facilitated group therapies on inpatient units and partial hospitalization settings at Linden Oaks, with a focus on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). A module of DBT is emotion regulation, where patients learn how to manage overwhelming emotions while increasing their positive experiences. Anxiety can be an overwhelming emotion that children with selective mutism experience, and which they attempt to regulate by staying quiet. However, selective mutism can interfere with a child’s academic and social development. Alina is looking forward to helping children with selective mutism learn that they can pursue their goals in the presence of anxiety while also having fun just being a kid at Adventure Camp!

Chynna Dubuclet, B.S. is pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a focus on child development and trauma/PTSD. She is a member of the Families and Development in Context Lab where she conducts research on development and factors that positively and negatively impact development. She is also currently working at Susan Myket, Ph.D. & Associates conducting group therapy services. Prior to attending NIU, she graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana where she majored in Psychology and minored in African American and Diaspora Studies. Chynna’s clinical and research interests include trauma and anxiety-related diagnosis and treatment in children and adolescents as well as resilience factors that buffer the development of disorders. Over the past year, she has worked with children and adults conducting psychological assessments and evidence-based treatment for a variety of mental health concerns, but has not yet had the opportunity to work with children coping with selective mutism. Given that her interest is in child development and trauma/PTSD, learning about selective mutism is important. Even though selective mutism is not trauma based (a common misconception), it is maintained by an anxious-avoidance coping pattern. Learning about selective mutism as an Adventure Camp Counselor will help Chynna consider anxious avoidance patterns that can manifest in PTSD and other trauma-based disorders, while also learning how to identify, assess, and differentiate selective mutism. She has loved working with kids since being a camp counselor in high school and is very excited to continue to build her clinical skills and serve the campers and families this summer!

Ruth Jeong, M.A. has her master’s degree in school psychology and is pursuing her Ph.D. in school psychology from Northern Illinois University (NIU). Working in the school setting, Ruth sees the need for more trained school psychologists who can deliver evidence-based interventions in efforts to provide more resources at school for students in need, especially for selective mutism. Last year, Ruth co-led a virtual anxiety group during her practicum experience. The intervention was based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles and involved breathing techniques, fear ladders, and labeling feelings. Ruth is currently a school psychology extern at a district serving Pre-K to 12th grade assessing academic and behavioral concerns. Ruth’s research interests are in bullying behaviors and the theory of moral disengagement, which proposes that individuals are able to commit harmful acts by altering their thoughts about moral standards. Ruth loves working with children, and she wants to continue assisting young children to mature and flourish in the school setting. She is excited to participate in Adventure Camp, expand her knowledge and understanding of anxiety and selective mutism as an Adventure Camp Counselor, and apply her knowledge to practice as a school psychologist.

Jordan Kaye has a history of interest in studying child and family relationships. Before pursuing her doctorate, Jordan was a Research Assistant with Child Mind Institute’s Healthy Brain Network where she assisted in CMI’s big data/open science initiative aiming to identify biological markers for psychopathology from the participation of 10,000 children and adolescents ages 5-21. Before CMI, she was also a Research Assistant for Chronis-Tuscano and Rubin’s Preschool Shyness Study which compares two early intervention programs for children with severe social anxiety/behavioral inhibition. These post-baccalaureate experiences inspired Jordan to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a specialization in developmental psychopathology. At NIU, Jordan has worked as a clinician at the Psychological Services Center providing therapeutic and assessment services to adults with various diagnoses. Jordan’s current research focuses on parent-child relationships and associated longitudinal child outcomes, parenting behaviors, and emotion- and self-regulation. Even though Jordan wanted to participate in CMI’s Brave Buddies program while she was there, scheduling conflicts interfered with the opportunity. Jordan is therefore thrilled to participate in Adventure Camp’s version of Brave Buddies this summer!

Kyla Leonard, M.A. holds her master’s degree in clinical psychology, and is currently pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology, both from Northern Illinois University, with a focus on trauma and PTSD. Before NIU, Kyla graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and experience with research focused on infant social cognition. As a budding clinical psychologist, Kyla values the importance of evidence based treatments, like Adventure Camp, and the adaptation of them to individual clients. Currently, her research focuses on the influence of self-compassion on shame in people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and who have experienced trauma. She is excited to apply self-compassion by encouraging campers to be kind to themselves in times of success and struggle. Kyla is looking forward to meeting the campers and using our compassionate brave together!

Meghan Riordan is pursuing her Ed.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Loyola University Chicago, and is currently a part-time Practicum Clinician at ATSA, providing therapy services to children and adolescents coping with anxiety. While her Education Specialist program at Loyola covers diagnostic information about selective mutism, Meghan sought out the hands-on experience provided by Adventure Camp last year to hone her skills in helping children with selective mutism. After participating as an Adventure Camp Counselor last summer, she continued with ATSA as a co-facilitator for our Courage Club group therapies for children with selective mutism and social anxiety. Her interest in providing mental health services to children and adolescents stems from a history of working with kids dating back to her college years at Butler University. While there, Meghan volunteered at the Indiana School for the Blind and Vision Impaired, interacting with adolescents through stimulating sensory activities and games to increase their confidence and curiosity. Also, as a long-standing volleyball coach for children and adolescents, and as an athlete herself throughout college, Meghan understands the pressures and anxieties that come with sports performance, which also contributed to her interest in mental health. In addition to her role at ATSA, Meghan continues her role as a Girls Volleyball Coach at MOD Volleyball Club where she educates children ages 9-18 on volleyball skills, the importance of teamwork, and ways to set and achieve performance goals. Meghan has participated in previous research covering the effects of a student’s confidence on their performance, based on their perceptions of the task, solidifying her interest in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) which she applies in her clinical work. Meghan is excited to join the Adventure Camp team again this summer, and is looking forward to seeing, once again, the amazing growth of each camper!

Bailey Schejbal is currently pursuing her Ed.S (Education Specialist) in School psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and is involved in a graduate research grant named Project Prevent and Address Bullying Behavior at All Tiers (PPABB) where she examines bullying within a multi-tiered framework to understand the best practices in bullying identification, prevention, and intervention. Prior to attending NIU, she graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology. While attending Illinois State, she became active in a research opportunity in the psychology program assisting as an undergraduate clinician working with preschoolers who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder by applying instructional and intervention strategies. For the past year, Bailey has also been working as a lead teacher at a daycare. Her undergraduate research interests and her current job have inspired Bailey to actively seek out opportunities to volunteer and advocate for children in schools. Bailey has heard amazing things about the Adventure Camp experience and learning about selective mutism from her NIU colleagues, and she is excited to meet the campers that will be attending this summer!

Sabrina Ung, MA is pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a specialization in developmental psychopathology. Prior to beginning her doctorate, Sabrina worked with children ages 2 ½ through 5 years old in a preschool setting, and graduated from the University of California, Irvine with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and social behavior and education sciences. She earned a master's degree in psychology from NIU. For the past year, she has worked as a clinician in a private practice providing therapeutic and assessment services to children and adults with various diagnoses. Sabrina’s current research focuses on children’s emotion regulation, parenting behaviors, and home environments, making her an excellent choice for serving as an Adventure Camp Counselor, particularly because working with a child’s ecosystem (school, community, home) and emotion regulation (distress tolerance) are essential aspects of treating children with selective mutism. Sabrina joins ATSA as an Adventure Camp Counselor for the fourth time, and she is excited to use her brave with the campers again this summer!

Brianna Banks, B.S., is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology, with a specialization in developmental psychopathology, at Northern Illinois University (NIU). She earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to beginning the NIU doctoral program, Brianna worked with children ages 2 ½ to 5 years old and their families as an assistant preschool teacher. It was her time there that inspired her current research pursuits examining the relationship between the parents of children exhibiting internalizing and externalizing behaviors in early childhood and their child’s teacher. For the past year, Brianna has been working as a clinician at NIU’s Psychological Services Center where she is providing therapeutic and assessment services to adolescents and adults. This experience has exposed her to a wide variety of treatment approaches and presenting concerns, including anxiety disorders. Brianna is grateful for the opportunity to serve as an Adventure Camp counselor and is excited to support all the brave campers and their families as they learn and grow at Adventure Camp!

Haley Hauptman, M.A., is pursuing her SSP (Specialist in School Psychology) degree at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Prior to attending NIU, she graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a major in psychology and a minor in applied psychology in educational and community settings. Haley has worked with children of various ages as part of her training program in school psychology. As a scholar under the Project Prevent and Address Bully Behaviors at all Tiers grant at NIU, Haley has received specialized training in understanding the effects of bullying in schools. She is passionate about ensuring a safe and supportive environment for students with varying needs, and is excited to provide this at Adventure Camp. She also looks forward to bringing her knowledge and experience of selective mutism to her internship at Schaumburg School District 54 this fall. Haley is excited to work with campers, parents, and the Adventure Camp team this summer!

Allie Jessen, M.A., earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychological science from Northern Arizona University. Currently, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University with a focus on trauma. Her doctoral research focuses on the role of duty-related trauma on the well-being of first responders. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Allie worked as a case manager for individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI), connecting them to various resources in the community, as well as working with families affected by domestic violence. Allie has spent the last year as a clinician in NIU’s Psychological Services Center providing evidence-based therapy to individuals and couples with a variety of mental health concerns. Regarding selective mutism, Allie remembers a student in her elementary school who never talked and used a whiteboard to communicate. After learning about selective mutism, Allie wonders if her classmate may have been experiencing selective mutism. She learned about Adventure Camp Counselor Training through her NIU colleagues and became interested in pursuing the opportunity to learn how to help patients with selective mutism so that they don’t have the same experience as her classmate, never speaking in school. Even though Allie’s main interest is in trauma, and selective mutism is not caused by trauma (a common misconception), there is overlap in terms of treatment and the benefits of exposure therapy, specifically facing one’s fear, sitting with it, and learning to manage anxiety. Allie is motivated to help the Adventure Camp campers recover and grow so they can have a typical childhood experience. She’s excited to serve as a camp counselor this summer at Adventure Camp and meet all the wonderful campers and their families!

Joanna Keane, B.S., is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with a specialization in developmental psychopathology and trauma psychology. Before attending NIU, she graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in counseling. While she was there, she volunteered with children in a domestic violence shelter and engaged in research examining the effectiveness of a parenting intervention for families experiencing homelessness. Her current research focuses on how the family unit can promote resilient child outcomes in families experiencing adversity. For the past 2 years, she has been working as a clinician in NIU’s Psychological Services Center where she has offered therapeutic services to clients presenting with a variety of concerns including anxiety disorders. She enjoyed working with campers to use their brave in Adventure Camp 2021, Winter Adventure 2022, and Courage Club. Joanna is excited to return and combine her passion of working with children and providing accessible, evidence-based treatments through her work as an Adventure Camp Counselor!

Cassandra (Cassie) Mick, M.Ed. holds a master's degree in child studies from Vanderbilt University and is pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Northern Illinois University. She previously worked as a Behavior Specialist at Rogers Behavioral Health – Nashville serving children with OCD and anxiety disorders and their families using exposure therapy, and at Susan Myket, Ph.D. & Associates providing psychological assessment services to children and adults. Cassie currently works at The OCD and Anxiety Center in Oak Brook providing cognitive behavioral and exposure therapy to clients of all ages. Cassie has worked with ATSA previously as an Adventure Camp Counselor, Winter Adventure Counselor, and was a co-facilitator for our Courage Club group therapy. She enjoys working with children and families coping with selective mutism and is looking forward to returning as an Adventure Camp counselor this summer!

Iris has a longstanding passion for supporting children and teens, specifically minorities or those from low-income communities. Being bicultural and bilingual in Spanish and English, Iris applied her talents to serve as a mentor for elementary school-aged children in Chicago Public School’s Cities Project, building supportive relationships with at-risk students and encouraging them to complete their assignments. This experience introduced her to working with children who show avoidant behaviors, such as not speaking or interacting with her, and sparked an interest and desire to build rapport with children who did not “warm-up” quickly. She continued working with children through the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, as a research assistant in a lab investigating children’s spatial abilities and predicting if those abilities impacted their learning in the STEM fields. She was also a research assistant on a study investigating which protective and risk factors influenced a teen’s/young adult’s decision to continue their education, such as having supportive parents or being a first-generation college student. As a first-generation college student herself, Iris earned her bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in community psychology and a minor in Spanish from DePaul University in Chicago. Currently at ATSA, Iris completed the Adventure Camp Counselor Training in the summer of 2022 and assists as a confederate for exposure therapies in both individual and group sessions. She is thrilled about joining Adventure Camp this year and is excited to not only witness the campers’ progress, but also witness their success transfer into the upcoming school year!

Sebastian Szollos, M.A. holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Northern Illinois University (NIU). He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, also from NIU. Sebastian grew up in Columbia, Maryland, where he studied anxiety in children at the Comprehensive Assessment and Intervention Program of Dr. Andres De Los Reyes at the University of Maryland. Working with children, adolescents, and families at the Psychological Services Center at Northern Illinois University, he has gained a variety of experiences in exposure therapy, psychodiagnostic assessments, and manualized treatments for a range of diagnoses. Over the past year, Sebastian worked at Florissa Pediatric Development Center where he delivered evidence-based manualized treatments and psychoeducation for clients aged 5 through 19 with social anxiety disorder, school refusal, ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, intellectual disability, and grief. He also co-facilitated social skills groups for middle school and high school clients with autism spectrum disorder. This is Sebastian’s second time as a counselor at Adventure Camp and he is excited to continue working with the AC team!