meet renee
she/her
Hi there! My name is Renee Ridolfi. I am a former teacher turned therapist who loves working with adolescents, teens, and young adults.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who is passionate about working with adolescents, their caregivers, and young adults (ages 10-30) because of my own experience with complex trauma and depression. I know how challenging life can be when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, and isolated, which is why I seek to be a source of compassion and reliable support for my clients.
I welcome humans of all shapes, races, and genders, and I work to create a space that is safe and affirming for my clients to be and explore who they are. I operate from a place of anti-oppression and radical empathy, and I believe you are the expert of your own life. Therapy should be a collaborative process that fosters growth, so I work in tandem with clients to find opportunities to become the most authentic version of themselves and live a meaningful life.
I utilize a variety of therapy modalities, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP), and parts work. Our pain and suffering can also live in our bodies, so I approach therapy through a trauma-informed lens and may incorporate mindfulness and embodied techniques in our work together.
You can easily distract me in sessions by talking about rescue dogs, social justice activism, good food, travel, hiking, or the TV show, Severance.
We live in a world where systems deeply impact our ability to access the care and support we need to thrive. I am committed both personally and professionally to practice from a place of cultural humility and radical inclusivity. I see the world from the perspective of a cis, white, heterosexual, mostly able-bodied woman with chronic pain. I recognize that it is my responsibility to unlearn the systems of oppression from which I have benefitted and been impacted by in order to better understand the perspectives and lived experiences of the folks with whom I work.
statement of positionality & inclusivity
education & experience
education
Master of Social Work, The University of Chicago, Crown School of Social Work, Policy & Practice
Master of Education, Elementary Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology & Spanish, DePaul University
experience
I have experience working with adolescents and young adults, as well as the caregivers of clients under 18, in a private practice and school setting. I hold a Trauma-Informed Certificate from The University of Chicago’s Crown School of Social Work, Policy & Practice, have attended trainings in Restorative Justice, and continue to seek opportunities for anti-racist education and action in my work.
Prior to my experience in the mental health field, I worked with at promise youth in education for almost a decade as a fifth grade teacher and nonprofit professional. Through that work, I learned the importance of collaborating with children and adolescents, families, community stakeholders, and systems in order to create pathways to expanded opportunity, particularly in our most marginalized communities.
