Avery Foster, LCSW (she/her/hers)
Child and Family Therapy in Oak Park, IL for Emotional Support and Growth
I’m Avery Foster, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) based in Oak Park, Illinois. I work with children, adolescents, and families, helping them navigate stress, emotional challenges, and life transitions. I create a warm, playful, and supportive environment where kids and families feel safe to explore their feelings and grow new skills.
What Is It Like to Work With a Child and Family Therapist Like Me?
Families and kids often come to therapy feeling unsure of how to manage big emotions, unexpected changes, or stressful situations. In sessions, clients find a safe space where they can express themselves honestly and feel heard. Children enjoy playful, creative activities like art and games, while learning practical strategies to calm their bodies, manage strong feelings, and handle change more confidently. Parents and caregivers benefit from guidance, family check-ins, and tools to support their children at home. Clients often tell me they appreciate the combination of warmth, humor, and practical skill-building in our sessions.
Play Therapy and Creative Approaches for Kids, Teens, and Families
I integrate creativity with evidence-based strategies, using play therapy and art therapy alongside techniques from CBT and DBT. I often create custom tools and projects to support visual learners and make skills concrete and engaging. My approach is grounded in empathy, informed in part by my own experiences with family loss during adolescence. This lived experience helps me connect authentically with clients navigating grief, relational challenges, and trauma. I focus on building skills for emotional regulation, flexibility, and healthy expression, while supporting families in working together effectively.
You may be a good fit to work with me if you or your child are:
Children struggling to manage big feelings, anxiety, or difficulty with change
Parents and families seeking guidance and support for stress or family adjustment
Kids needing help with emotional regulation, coping strategies, and social skills
Families interested in creative, playful, and hands-on therapy approaches
Clients who want a warm, supportive, and light-hearted therapy environment
Avery is a staff therapist at Empower Family Therapy. She has completed her Masters in Social Work and is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Illinois. She offers in-person sessions in Oak Park, Illinois, and virtual sessions throughout the state. I work with children (preschool through adolescence), parents, families, and individual adults.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is it like to work with you?
Sessions with me are warm, supportive, and interactive. Kids often enjoy playful and creative activities like games and art, while learning practical strategies to manage big emotions. Families feel guided, heard, and supported, with tools to strengthen relationships and communication at home.
Who do you help best?
I work best with children who struggle with anxiety, emotional regulation, difficulty with change, or behavioral challenges, as well as their families seeking guidance and support. I also see individual adults navigating stress, life transitions, or past challenges.
What should I expect in the first session?
We’ll spend the session getting to know each other and your goals. Kids will often engage in playful or creative activities to help them feel comfortable. Parents will have space to share concerns and learn how therapy can support their child and family.
What kinds of therapy approaches do you use?
I use play therapy, art therapy, and creative projects alongside evidence-based strategies like CBT and DBT. I adapt tools to each child’s learning style, often creating visual or hands-on methods for skill-building.
How does your personal experience inform your work?
Having experienced family loss in adolescence, I bring empathy, authenticity, and understanding to sessions involving grief, relational challenges, and trauma. This perspective informs how I support kids and families in building resilience and coping skills.