Counseling the Gifted: Outline of Services

Who we are: My counseling work now extends beyond 25 years. For about 15 years, I owned and directed a center for the gifted and talented in Herndon, VA, (Washington DC area) where I specialized in serving this special population. As of 2010 I have consolidated all of my locations and opened The Center for Identity Potential in the Chicago area. I work with a team of professionals at the center where we offer counseling/mental health services, consultation, coaching, and what we term Potentiating (A process of working with people to tap into, activate and expand their potential). Potentiating was developed out of my work with the gifted and talented population, which has allowed me to understand more precisely how potential is developed for all people. In addition, how through your identity you can effectively express that potential. What I have done is extrapolated from my work a process I call “The Fit” evolving your unique potential through an identity(s) that expresses more of an alignment with who you are, thus allowing your potential to be activated and expressed.

At our center we are interested in creating “The Fit” for you. We are comprehensive in our approach and highly collaborative. We understand the complex needs of people and work towards facilitating your growth in a manner that is unique to you. Our services range from comprehensive evaluation to individual/family/couples/group counseling or ongoing work in the form of potentiating (a form of coaching/consultation). Our staff also provides an array of training/workshops and professional speaking opportunities upon request. See below for a more detailed list of services.

My Background: As founder and director of the Center for Identity Potential I have a masters degree in counseling from Western Illinois University, post graduate doctoral work with Virginia Tech in counselor education, supervision and family therapy, and 12 years of post graduate “externship training” (externship training is extended study of nine to 12 months with an institute specializing in post graduate counseling or psychotherapy training, supervision and education). For seven years of my externship training I studied and worked at the Family institute of Virginia (a family therapy research institute, Richmond,VA) with noted family therapists Harry Aponte and Joan Winter. Five years of my training was at the former Center for the Study of Human Systems (Washington DC), with the late Dr.’s Vince and Jane Sweeney. My background in group counseling and processes is extensive and I have provided thousands of hours of group counseling and facilitation ranging from ongoing growth / therapeutic groups to intensive group retreats. One of the group processes I am known for is my unique approach to using the family genogram, a process I call Family mapping or Spiritual Genetics developed through my training and work with Vince Sweeney (Family Mapping) and Bill Nerin (Family Reconstruction). In addition, I have provided extensive supervision and training of mental health professionals for 25 years and have doctoral and masters level coursework in supervision, along with numerous other training experiences over the years, too many to mention here. I am always learning with the intention to keep myself as challenged and diverse as possible when it comes to my work. My current training and interests are in activating one’s potential through an identity that “fits “, executive functioning and the neuroscience of human change processes.

Philosophically and practically, I am committed to the potentiating of each individual’s identity, growth, Intent and purpose (i.e. Potential). When working with people I do my best to hear their potential for growth and I work towards that mission. My work does not have a heavy focus on pathology, even though I do acknowledge that mental illness exists and I can be very comprehensive in my assessment of what is occurring. The focus in my work is you and the growth you are seeking.

I work towards providing the best counseling I can offer and when necessary in conjunction with any other growth processes, treatment services and relevant medical support needed. Overall my intention is to grow with the people I serve and continue to provide them with a greater, more purposeful quality of life and expression of self ( i.e. an Identity expression that fits).

When working with complex cases or achievement (academic or otherwise), Our center uses a team approach with an emphasis on inter-agency collaboration among schools, agencies, treatment programs, psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals.

Our combined experience and training allows us to provide a variety of counseling modalities, including individual, family, couples and group. Our mission at The Center for Identity Potential is to create “The Fit “ that works for you, but for cases we cannot accept, referrals are provided to the best of our ability to an appropriate source (when available).

Even though our emphasis is often with the gifted and talented, we provide services for other personal growth and mental-health-related concerns:

Comprehensive Evaluation Services
Our Center as a team will provide a comprehensive evaluation for your case. The evaluation involves a review of all your records and past counseling/mental health history and treatment processes. The process involves 3-5 consultation hours (but can vary on the case) During this process we will determine the need for further evaluation such as neuro-psychological testing or other related evaluations as necessary. After we have reviewed all records, conducted our inquiry, received any additional testing and evaluation requested, we then make recommendations (treatment plans, adjunctive services etc.) and assist you with what is needed in your specific case. Our mission is to provide you with a comprehensive review and practical format to follow so you can move forward in the direction of meeting your complex personal growth and mental health needs. These evaluations are particularly helpful for the gifted and talented when there is an indication of learning or development concerns or risk of mis-diagnosis as s often the case for this special population.

Andrew Mahoney trains mental-health professionals / coaches / educators for working with the gifted and talented and provides general individual and group supervision for mental health related professionals. He also provides supervision for licensure ( once state requirements are transferred and met for LCPC in Illinois).

Downtown Chicago office hours are available upon request Mondays and Friday.
Fees may vary.