Dr. Robin Shultz, DSW, LCSW, LMFT, CADC, CTRS®

My background and wide range of experience contributes to my belief that we all, regardless of background, history, or age, are capable of change and growth. Having the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life, I have seen up close not only how resilient we are, but also the many ways in which we innately lean into challenge in the spirit of realizing our potential. Opportunities for growth come in many forms if only we can look at problems through a different lens. My belief that people are doing the best they can in trying to solve personal dilemmas at any given moment, given their current skill level and internal resources, is inherent in my philosophy of wellness and approach to treatment. Given this, my role is to help you become more aware of your own capacity for change as you learn the skill of separating from feelings and take action from this cognitive position. I differ from many clinicians in that I do not view relationship, communication, behavior, or emotional difficulties as “mental illness”, but rather as a series of repeated attempts to solve problems or feel better which have been ineffective or unproductive.

I work primarily with individuals interested in increasing their self-awareness, improving their personal effectiveness, and developing their relationship skills; with couples looking to better manage differences, handle conflict, and effectively communicate during both good times and bad; and with parents wanting to enhance their abilities to manage children’s behavior. In each case, I partner with you to explore how two-way interaction patterns in your relationships may be contributing to ongoing problems.

Change is hard, no doubt. Patterns that develop and maintain in relationship systems can include conflict, avoidance, people-pleasing, placating, and over or under-functioning by one or both parties in the relationship. These systemic patterns can develop in any relationship but carry the most impact when the relationship is with someone who matters the most. Interactions with spouses, partners, parents, siblings, children and friends can be anxiety-producing and stressful. Ineffective interaction patterns can develop and become entrenched in our relationships. Once we see these problems as opportunities for growth, we can begin to appreciate them for the “gifts” that they are to us.

I look forward to working with you. For more information about how I might help, contact Dr. Robin Shultz directly at 630-828-6305 or email me at rshultz@newlegendscounseling.com