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Marlene Pena, LCSW

Cultural Identities

About Marlene Pena, LCSW

¡Hola! My name is Marlene, and I am a bilingual licensed clinical social worker. Throughout my clinical practice, I’ve had the honor of working with children, adolescents, and emerging adults in a variety of settings, including nonprofit, inpatient, and a university counseling center. I have experience supporting individuals and families with a continuum of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, life transitions, interpersonal issues, and trauma.

My experiences as a first-gen Mexican-American born and raised in Chicago have nurtured my passion for providing accessible, destigmatizing, and affirming therapy services to clients from all walks of life. I particularly enjoy working with adolescents and adults who are navigating first/second generation issues, life transitions, relational and generational trauma, and anxiety/OCD.

I am committed to creating a warm, compassionate, and collaborative space where clients can feel safe and supported. I utilize a trauma informed, culturally responsive, and relational approach because I am a firm believer in that trust, authentic expression, and safety are essential for healing and restoring wellness.

I also continually engage in community engagement, advocacy, and professional development to best serve my clients. I have specialized training in Motivational Interviewing (MI), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Marlene Pena, LCSW

Techniques/Modalities

  • Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
  • Exposure and Response Prevention
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Strengths Based
  • Trauma-Informed

Specialties

  • Acculturation
  • Anxiety
  • Burnout
  • Career Uncertainty
  • College Students
  • Cultural Identity
  • Depression
  • Family Conflict
  • First Generation
  • Identity Issues
  • Interpersonal Issues
  • Life Transitions
  • Mood Disorders
  • Perfectionism
  • Racial Trauma
  • Relationship Issues
  • Self-Esteem

Office Details

  • Consulta gratis
  • Free Consultation

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • B.S. in Psychology, Clinical/Community Concentration

States Licensed In

Illinois

Fees

Fees

175

Insurance

Aetna
Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO
CIGNA
Optum
  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO
  • CIGNA
  • Optum
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Practice Details

Therapist Languages

Hablo Español

Services For

Individuals

Client Age

Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19)
Young Adults (18-25)
Adults

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“Your email will be sent to the mental health professional. Latinx Therapy does not read your email. Please note that email communication may not be entirely secure. Sending an email through this page does not guarantee that the recipient will receive, read, or respond to it and spam filters could prevent its delivery. We recommend you follow-up via the mental health therapist’s practice if you do not hear back.”

If this is an emergency do not use this form. Call 911 or your nearest hospital.