Denis Hart, LPC

(he/him)

Hello! I’m Denis, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois. It is an honor and a privilege helping people come to greater understanding, peace, and self-acceptance in my work. I have a particular passion for working with couples as well as men and boys, who often have not been given the opportunity or encouragement to fully develop their emotional awareness. In my experience on both sides of therapy, I have been amazed to see how much healing is possible when we feel fully seen and met with compassion. As a therapist, not only do I provide this compassionate presence for my clients, I seek to help them learn to provide it for themselves, and in the case of couples and families, for each other. 

I have taken an eclectic career path, teaching English in France, serving in the Peace Corps in Vanuatu, and working as manager of the Illinois Vipassana Meditation center, before completing an M.S. in Counseling with a concentration in Couples and Family Counseling at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. These diverse experiences have given me the ability to easily step outside my own perspective and consider other points of view. I have played in numerous bands and drawn a daily comic strip for a university newspaper for two years, and I bring the same excitement and curiosity from my creative pursuits into therapy. My mindfulness experience, including thousands of hours of meditation practice and months of silent retreat, especially informs my clinical work and greatly enhances my ability to sit with clients through difficult experiences. 

I have completed trainings in the Gottman Method and Emotionally-Focused Therapy, two of the most widely respected, evidence-based approaches to working with couples. I also hold a certificate in Trauma-Informed Professional Practice from UNCG. I have a person-centered and existential orientation to therapy and integrate a number of different approaches including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion. 

My spiritual life is very important to me, and I identify as both Jewish and Buddhist (sometimes referred to as Bu-Jew or Jubu). I love helping people explore sources of meaning and connection to something larger than themselves, and I believe that this is a critical aspect of mental health and overall well-being. However, I also recognize that people often need tangible coping skills as much as or more so than space to ponder big questions. 

In my personal life, I live in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago with my wife, our one year-old son, and three cats. I love music, art, spending time outdoors, and reading.