Tara Gordon, CIT

What led you to becoming a mental health clinician?

I have been working to manage my own mental wellness throughout my entire life. When I turned 18, I knew I wanted to go to therapy because it was just never talked about in my circles before. My friends, my family, no one had ever talked about mental wellness. I knew for myself I needed to go and see what it was all about, so I could learn more about myself and my internal world. Getting to know myself has been a passion project since day 1, and I really feel like that carries over into my therapy work. I really want to help my clients get to know themselves and how they respond to their environments. 

Throughout all my jobs thus far, people have always said I was meant to work in mental health and would be a good therapist. I thrive in connecting with people where they are at. Around 2020, when the world stopped and everything was changing, I knew in my mind and body that moving forward with my goal of becoming a therapist was the right thing to do. 

What does being a 'good therapist' mean to you? 

I strive to challenge my clients, effectively supporting them in reaching the goals I know they can achieve. I think a good therapist is someone who will ask the hard questions, without judging or shaming you. It’s someone who can listen to their gut and go with what the client needs that day, even if it’s not what you expected before the session began. 

I really work hard to create an environment where everyone can show up to sessions with me, however they are feeling that day, because I know we are all messy humans trying our best. I thrive with clients who are driven, want to get stuff done, air out the messiness and figure out how to move forward! 

What’s your training and educational background?

I have a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Buena Vista University, and am currently working towards my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The Chicago School. I am anticipated to graduate in December of this year! 

I offer a variety of therapy modalities, including Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), bereavement support, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), mindfulness practices, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Narrative Therapy and Attachment Work, Person-Centered Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and holistic approaches.

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When not at work, Tara is often spending time with her daughter and their puppy Lady Mae, a 10-month-old Maltese mix. She loves photography and can frequently be found out in nature, taking pictures of plants and sunsets. Her favorite snack on the planet is cheesecake.