Sebastian Morales, LCSW

Experience

Hello! I am Sebastian Morales, a bilingual (Spanish-speaking) licensed clinical social worker with over 5 years of experience supporting individuals, youth, and families in McHenry County. I received my undergraduate degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University, and I hold a master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago. I have extensive experience working with a wide array of clients, ranging from children, adolescents, and adults, in various roles that I held over the years. I have worked in a behavioral health agency, a community resource center, and as a therapist. In these roles, I had the privilege to support diverse clients in addressing things like anxiety, depression, trauma, domestic violence, and adjustment to major life changes. I really enjoy working with children, teens, and young adults who are experiencing big emotions and may be struggling with how to best respond to them. I also love working with adults who are looking to overcome the obstacles and difficult emotions that can hinder them from experiencing the most from their lives. More than anything, my goal is to encourage my clients to heal, grow, and recognize that they are capable of living fulfilled lives and of becoming the best version of themselves. They may first need to be just gentle with themselves and be open to healing and all that comes with it.

Counseling Approach

I have a passion for connecting with others, and I am a firm believer in the power of human resilience. I believe that people are capable of overcoming their life’s biggest challenges; they just may need some support and help to recognize the strengths they have within themselves or learn new ways to use their strengths to address their stressors. I work with a trauma-informed and person-centered approach, and utilize elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to support my clients in recognizing their agency to choose how to respond to negative thoughts and stressors. My approach is to first focus on forming a relationship with my client, no matter if they are a youth or an adult. Once that relationship is formed, we can then focus on creating mutual goals that are ultimately centered on the client’s desires to grow, heal, and succeed.

How I can Help

One of my favorite phrases to tell my clients is, “Many people come to therapy to feel better, but that's not the point of therapy. It’s about making people better at feeling”. This is really my approach as a therapist. I seek to empower individuals and to help them recognize that their thoughts, worries, and fears don’t need to hold power over them. I believe in the power of human resilience and that we are often capable of overcoming even the most daunting of obstacles. First, we just need to find some comfort amidst life’s discomfort. I view my clients as beings of immense knowledge and cultural wealth who are experts in their own lives. So, my approach is centered on fostering a mutual relationship centered on growth, values, and empowerment. From there, we can work on growing the client’s skillset to address their growth points while also affirming their strengths.

More About Me

I consider myself a lifelong learner! I love learning about things like history, specifically Church history, the culinary arts, leather working, and music! I truly love to learn and continue to take classes to help grow my knowledge in my areas of interest. My values are very centered in my Christian faith, and it really is a guide for how I try to live my life. I love spending time with my family and friends, cooking new foods, traveling, trying new restaurants, and making memories outside. More often than not, you can find me outside, either hiking or fishing (yes, even when the lakes are frozen, you can find me ice fishing)!