Meet IOP/PHP The Team

Audrey Grunst has been a provider in the mental health field since 2007, most known for her therapy skills in outpatient and intensive therapeutic programs. She opened Simply Bee in 2018 after spending 10 years in residential, group homes, intensive outpatient and partial hospital programs. Audrey has been able to connect treatment centers to community organizations and schools in order to provide the best continuation of care possible for her clients. Currently, Audrey spends a lot of her time presenting her Growth & Resiliency Model© to school districts and corporations across the country.

Audrey graduated from Loyola University Masters of Social Work Program in 2011 and developed programs for centers such as Lawrence Hall Youth Services, Eating Recovery Centers and Center for Contextual Change. Most recently, Audrey was awarded The Illinois Senate Award for her leadership in the Highland Park Fourth of July Shooting in 2022 for organizing over 600 therapists in a 5 day volunteer operation. Audrey combines her clinical knowledge and leadership skills to consult on several boards for mental health and safety in the Lake County, IL area and was recognized on Top 50 Women Leaders of Illinois for 2023.

Jennifer is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor, and earned her Masters in Clinical Professional Psychology from Roosevelt University. Throughout her almost 15 years in the field, Jennifer has had a passion for working with adolescents and adults. Furthermore, she works closely with parents around coaching and supporting their loved ones during times of transition and struggle.

She has expertise as a clinician and director leading teams in the residential, partial hospital, intensive outpatient, and outpatient settings. In addition, she has presented around the country on topics including: Eating Disorders, Adolescent Mood and Anxiety, Parent Coaching, and Clinician & Caregiver Burnout. Jennifer was a clinician on a study with University of Chicago measuring outcomes of Eating Disorders utilizing Family Based Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques.

Jennifer approaches each client holistically, working with them closely on identifying values, goals, and guiding them towards living a valued life. She believes it’s vital to meet a client where they are at and then challenge them gently yet directly. She also is known for her humor, love of music, and spoiling her dogs and cat.

Treatment modalities include: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and Family Based Therapy (FBT).

Rebecca Cho, M.D., is a board-certified adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist. She completed her medical school training, general adult psychiatry residency, and child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of Illinois. Dr. Cho specializes in the treatment of Anxiety Disorders, Eating Disorders, Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Dr. Cho has expertise in both medication management and psychodynamic psychotherapy, and her priority is to provide her patients with personalized and comprehensive treatment. Prior to joining the Simply Bee team, Dr. Cho has had several years of experience working in the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient levels of care.

Bryan is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who earned his Masters in Counseling Psychology from Trinity International University. Since entering the field in 2004, Bryan has worked extensively with children, adolescents, and families. He brings experience in clinical work and leadership in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, community mental health, and private practice settings. Additionally, Bryan has been an active member in the community presenting on topics including building resiliency through skill use, school refusal, managing anxiety, identifying and treating depression, and parent coaching.

Bryan values the power of the therapeutic relationship and creating an environment to promote long-term sustainable change. His approach is holistic, empathic, and focused on the needs of each individual person. Bryan believes that therapy can provide an opportunity to gain new insight, learn helpful ways to cope with and manage challenges, and live a more fulfilling life.

Treatment modalities include: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Person-Centered Therapy.

Gari has a Masters in Human Behavior from Capella University. Gari specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and co-occurring mood and anxiety disorders and has professional experience in HLOC at the PHP and IOP level. Gari enjoys exploring the underlying emotional disconnects leading to disordered eating and focuses on supporting clients in gaining comfort with distressing emotions and experiences and learning to set achievable milestones and goals for themselves along the way.

Additionally, she has worked in various mental health settings including residential, hospital, community mental health and school-based counseling programs. Gari enjoys working with teens, young adults, and adults. Gari has a passion for working with diverse populations, specifically those identifying as BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+. Socially and spiritually focused, Gari enjoys utilizing a holistic and client centered approach to addressing sensitive client concerns related to body image, identity expression, emotional expression and stress management. Gari integrates TF-CBT, DBT, ACT and ERP therapies in assisting clients and families in coping and managing life transitions, identifying and addressing barriers to communication, increasing self-awareness and self-esteem.

Treatment modalities include: TF-CBT, DBT, ACT and ERP.

Linda Lewaniak, LCSW, CAADC is a widely respected therapist and administrator with over 35 years of experience in the treatment of substance abuse and comorbid mental illness. In her various leadership roles throughout her career, Linda’s expertise is the integration of Addiction Services across all programs and all levels of care to most effectively treat the co-occurring diagnosis of substance abuse and mental health.

Leveraging her extensive clinical and operational background, she oversaw the delivery of evidence-based, cutting-edge substance abuse treatment at several Chicagoland treatment centers and provided clinical supervision to the multidisciplinary treatment teams. Lewaniak also consulted and collaborated closely with organizational senior clinical leadership teams across facilities nationwide to ensure holistic integration of addiction treatment, and provided substance abuse education, training and development for mental health professionals, educators and community resources. She has presented extensively on multiple topics with emphasis on substance abuse, mood disorders and leadership development.

Linda earned her Masters of Social Work degree with a concentration in Mental Health from Jane Addams, College of Social Work, the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free-time, Linda enjoys spending time with family, golfing and playing mah jongg.