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Northwest Community Counseling and D.U.I. Services
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Our staff is diverse, each offering various approaches to personal growth and healing. We assist you in finding the professional who will best help you and your family.
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Rick Atwater: M.S., LCPC, Director
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 Rick has been assisting people with their emotional and spiritual growth since 1972 in various settings from hospitals and agencies to private practice. He is the Co-Director of Northwest Community Counseling Services which he founded with his wife, Moe Ross in 1985. Rick is also the founder and owner of Employee Health Consultants, Inc., a company that specializes in comprehensive employee assistance services. Additionally, he lectures nationwide, has been published nationally and founded the Heroin Awareness Foundation which is dedicated to helping addicts and supporting their families. The Foundation provides educational resources and assists in increasing the awareness of the general public.
Rick has a general counseling practice and assists individuals and families with anxiety issues, men’s issues, relationship concerns and specializes in addictions issues. He is known for his extensive experience in facilitating substance abuse interventions, and he travels nationwide to assist individuals and families. His approach is direct and current behavior oriented. He supports the use of the twelve step programs where appropriate.
Rick graduated from George Williams College with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology in 1978 and was one of the earliest Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors (LCPC) in Illinois. He writes and responds to readers about addictions related topics in a column for the Northwest Herald called “Straight Talk” that he has been writing since 1984 (you may wish to view archived files of Straight Talk articles). Rick and his wife Moe, also work with couples through the Marriage Matrix designed to assist couples with the most difficult of issues.
E-mail: RickAtwater@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Moe Ross has one desire. She wants everyone in the whole world to wake up and see how blessed we are to be alive. She also believes that this awakening requires something of us and we must pay a price; we must learn how to step back from the fast-paced outer world and find the place of calm in our hearts that offers a peace beyond our understanding. She is convinced that we all want the same thing --- to love and to be loved. Therefore, Moe specializes in helping individuals to clarify their values and align their beliefs with their everyday life. She is a seasoned meditation teacher and physicians often refer their patients to her to begin an inner journey to deal with the messes we make of our lives in a million different ways.
In addition to individual counseling sessions, Moe offers intensives which are individually designed and may last for up to 2-days with the purpose of inviting one's story to emerge in a setting offering various modalities for healing. Moe also works with couples wanting to learn from each other through the challenges offered in intimate relationships.
Moe is a published author, teaches creative writing and is the founder of Miographies. She has been a therapist for over 35 years, lectures nationally and her greatest achievement is receiving the “Happy Patient” award by the University of Illinois Retina Department when she suddenly experienced significant loss of her eye sight. This award represents her sincere commitment to being grateful for life — no matter what happens.
You can reach Moe directly by calling: 815-337-7405. She is happy to discuss all possibilities for working with her or referring you to the appropriate therapist on the Northwest Community Counseling Center staff.
E-mail: MoeRoss@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Candace Sinclair has been a licensed clinical professional counselor with Northwest Community Counseling Services since 1997. Previous experience includes mental health work in Michigan as well as positions in education and small business ownership. Her areas of focus include family, couples and individual counseling. A special focus is her For the Love of Our Children approach, helping parents respond rather than react to parenting challenges. She has Master’s degrees from Central Michigan University and Purdue University in professional counseling and in education, as well as specialized training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) for trauma. (Also see Candace’s new women’s group flyer.)
Working on present issues while making connections with the past and aiming for future goals, is the basis of her approach to therapy. She works from the premise that the increased integration of all aspects of self into a balanced whole can lead to truly knowing one’s purpose and following that path in this life. Toward that end, different methods of self awareness are presented as they seem fit to the client.
Candace has given talks in Illinois and Michigan on parenting, communication skills in relationships, and anger management. She is a member of Women in Management, American Counseling Association, Illinois Counseling Association, Illinois Mental Health Counseling Association, and International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. Having been married over 35 years, she is the mother of two daughters and a grandmother.
E-mail: CandaceSinclair@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Frank has worked in the human services field since 1974 as clinician, trainer, educator, consultant and mentor to adolescents and adults. He has a Master’s degree from Northern Illinois University in Counseling Psychology . He is certified at the interstate recipical level as a Substance Abuse Counselor (CRADC) and MISA 11. He has been contracted to consult with the staff in over thirty Department of Human Services agencies to develop clinical skills . Frank has received specialized training in three types of relapse prevention processes. Frank uses the framework of Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change to successfully increase retention of new behavior of clients. When the situation warrants it he will facilitate various processes of trauma resolution to neutralize the emotional blocks to growth and healing. He has effectively mentored individuals in the transition in career and lifestyle challenges using a role-shifting model (Psychosynthesis process). Frank specializes in reducing anxiety with Cogntive Bio-energic processes. Many of his clients state that the cognitive restructuring approaches that he presents has helped them understand ways to increase responsiveness in difficult situations and liberate themselves from the limited perspectives of outworn perceptions. Frank will help educate couples in Compassionate Communication skills as a foundation to re-establish trust in relationships before three different styles of couples counseling is explored. He also leads Men’s Issues group for men that are willing to improve the challenges they face in relationships and work. He leads a group in relapse prevention to get to the core of relapse justifications.
Additionally, Frank facilitates: CARE-FRONTATION Interventions - Straight from the Heart. These customized interventions are for mental illness, substance abuse, or destructive behavior disorders. Each intervention is completely designed to meet the particular need of the situation. Frank has been conducting intervention for over two decades and his success rate in helping impaired individuals choose to go to treatment is about 80%. He brings considerable clinical competencies from three different types of relapse prevention training, trauma resolution and anxiety reduction skills.
As part of an intervention process or anytime a family member discovers the blocked communication process in their family, Frank also conducts a Family Clearing Process to free the family from the burden of defensiveness and offer engaged acceptance. This is a highly customized process involving many structured activities for emotional healing. For clarification and to confidentially discuss your situation, Frank can be contacted directly at 847-710-7012 or
Email: FrankMorales@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Deb has been a counselor with NWCC since 2007, providing services for individuals, couples and families. Deb has assisted her clients in addressing a wide array of challenging topics, ranging from mood disorders, addictions, including food, alcohol and sex, to self-injury and sexual orientation.
She bases her practice on three progressive, interpersonal and heart-centered beliefs:
- Each person has both a sacred story and a sacred purpose.
- Finding congruence among thoughts, feelings and actions offers the opportunity to clearly embrace and claim the abundance available to all of us.
- We hold our answers within, and often benefit most by connecting with a caring, insightful professional who will assist us in the process of ‘realizing’ the answers we seek.
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Deb is a graduate of National Louis University with her MS in Counseling. Enhancing her career as a licensed clinical professional counselor, she achieved certification in Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy, which has heightened her deep connection with soul journeying and personal development. These unique insights help her provide respectful, compassionate and confidential guidance for each individual client.
Email: DeborahSaban@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 April Joy has always had a special drive to be of help to others. The challenges that she has faced in her own life experiences bring understanding and compassion to the forefront of her mission in helping others find inner peace. She believes that our happiness and prosperity begins with a process of using the tools that are available and finishes with the inner awareness that her experience and education has given her. What April Joy hopes to bring to those that cross her path is the ability to develop confidence, self love and wellness within themselves and to benefit from what she has learned and continues to learn while sharing and working in this field for the last 25 years.
April Joy graduated from Western Illinois University with a degree in Criminal Justice. She also has a degree in Alcohol and Substance Abuse. April Joy began her journey as a partner at Alternative Pathways Counseling Center for Nurturing the Spirit. She developed and trademarked a Law Enforcement Assistance Program known as L.E.A.P for law enforcement professionals and their families in helping them cope with the stress of this occupation and lifestyle. April’s training consists of many modalities. She is a Communication Specialist, along with a background in Nutrition, Domestic Violence, 12 step recovery and spirituality and motivational enhancement therapy to name a few, April relates well to children and adolescents as well as adults, to work with their stress, anxiety and depression.
April Joy feels life is not always easy for any of us but remembers well a quote that says. “We are reborn every morning. What we do TODAY is what matters most”. And so she strives, as she works with those that can use her expertise, to adhere to that it really is just “one day at a time”
Email: AprilFischer@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Kristen Pryor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, has a broad range of skills and extensive counseling experience. She joined NWCCS in 2009 after 14 years providing counseling and advocacy to survivors of various forms of abuse. Kristen facilitated support groups for domestic violence victims as well as survivors of incest. She has conducted trainings on the topics of domestic violence, crisis intervention, and suicide intervention.
As a Certified Domestic Violence Professional, she offers individual counseling to either partner when there is abuse, including teens who are experiencing dating violence. Other Specialty areas include:
- Depression/ postpartum
- Anxiety
- Hoarding
- Co-dependency
- Sexual Abuse – male and female survivors
- Women’s issues/ divorce
- Relationship issues
- Pre-marital counseling
Kristen can help clients: identify options, improve coping, heal emotional pain, re-build relationships, stop unhealthy patterns and create new and healthy behaviors by examining distorted and false beliefs, and find solutions. On occasion she assigns “homework” between sessions.
While her therapy is influenced by a variety of theoretical models (empowerment, cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, and Gottman Method for couples) she does not believe in a “one size fits all” approach. She has been described as the “calm during the storm” which is a comfort to her clients as they are experiencing a crisis
Kristen earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling in 2000 from National-Louis University and is a member of the Illinois Counseling Association. She is happily married with two daughters. Kristen works in NWCCS’ West Dundee and Palatine-area offices.
Email: KristenPryor@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 Tracy is a Master’s level Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Certified Addictions Counselor. She has extensive experience in mental health, addiction issues, interventions , assessments and works with families, adults and adolescents individually and in groups.
Her approach to the therapeutic process is individualized and client-centered. She supports the 12-step approach, and uses cognitive behavioral interventions. Tracy believes happiness can be attained and optimism can be learned. Tracy supports the body-mind connection and works with the “whole person" through multiple interventions. In addition to her clinical approach, Tracy is a Certified Yoga and Meditation Instructor, and teaches supplemental yoga sessions open to all at our Woodstock location. Tracy believes that yoga is a tool to help individuals find their own path to the mind-body-spirit connection. Tracy is known to be very respectful of each person’s individual needs and situation while working through the process of change and growth.
In addition to addictions and substance abuse counseling, Tracy also works with addictions, self esteem and body image challenges, anxiety, stress, relationship issues, codependency, depression, college-age transition issues and personal growth and development.
Tracy believes that our difficulties in life are also our opportunities to grow and change. She is passionate about helping others be the people they want to be. Her personal background and professional training offer her clients a deep understanding of a wide-range of challenges so many of us face in life, as well as a path to change.
Email: TracySoos@NorthwestCommunityCounseling.com
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 What I know for sure is that the journey to mental, physical and spiritual health is so worth it. The past and the present in one’s life intertwine, creating patterns that must be acknowledged so we can learn the lesson and be free to move on. The path to peace and contentment isn’t easy so it is extremely important to choose trustworthy, non-shaming guides to help you on your way.
In counseling, I start with the belief that I don’t have the right to suggest change in your world until I understand it from your point of view. I then use a wide variety of techniques to assist my clients. Some of those techniques stem from cognitive behavioral (linking thoughts, feelings and behavior choices,) parts theory, family of origin work, the latest in neuro-physiological research (how the brain has been affected by trauma), and the12-step approach to living from AA and AlAnon. I am open to humor, rigorous honesty and spirituality in my work with clients.
I earned my Certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor at the College of DuPage. I continued on to earn a Masters of Social Work from the George Williams College at Aurora University, Aurora, Illinois. I am also a Certified Domestic Violence Professional. I have spent the past 15 years working with people recovering from the traumas of growing up in abuse, surviving currently abusive, dysfunctional relationships, and dealing with the effects of mental health and addiction. I offer individual, couples and group counseling with adolescents and adults.
Email: KateVanEycke@northwestcommunitycounseling.com
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Sandy Buhl, M.A.
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 Sandy Buhl has worked in the human services field for over 35 years in educational, health, and small business settings as counselor, trainer, educator, and consultant. She has a Master’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to working with co-dependency and self-esteem, grief and life transition issues, Sandy is a professional artist and teaches Artful Journey classes, helping students to rediscover the artist within.
Walking lightly in the world is based on the belief that we hold the answers within ourselves. The critical mind and the external chatter around us often override our innate wisdom.
Sandy is able to ask the hard questions with compassion and insight. Meeting challenges, clarifying values, and deciding what comes next, evolve with support and encouragement. Rediscovering joy and celebrating our uniqueness requires willingness to journey deeper. Sandy provides companionship and guidance, and even humor in this venture. She also works on a sliding-scale basis. (See new women’s group flyer.)
Email: SandyBuhl@northwestcommunitycounseling.com
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