Our Team:

Rebecca Cho, M.D., is a board-certified adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychotherapist. She completed her medical school training, general adult psychiatry residency, and child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of Illinois. Prior to joining the North Star team, Dr. Cho worked at Rogers Behavioral Health in Skokie for several years. Dr. Cho specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dr. Cho has expertise in both medication management and psychotherapy, and her priority is to provide her patients with personalized and comprehensive treatment.

Contact Dr. Cho at 847-892-7300 ext 5

Dongho Gwak, M.D., is a board-certified adult psychiatrist as well as a board-eligible child and adolescent psychiatrist. His commitment to child and adolescent mental health stems from seeing firsthand how access to compassionate care can positively transform young patients’ lives. Dr. Gwak received his B.S. from Rice University and his M.D. from Texas A&M School of Medicine. He completed residency training in adult psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center, followed by a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago through Northwestern University. Dr. Gwak specializes in treatment of child and adolescent anxiety disorders and ADHD and has expertise in additional mental health challenges including ASD, OCD, and depression. Additionally, Dr. Gwak provides evidence-based medication management and psychotherapy, valuing a collaborative approach with families to empower children and adolescents in their journey. A native speaker in English and proficient in Korean, Dr. Gwak connects with families from diverse backgrounds. His interests include rock climbing, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.

Contact Dr. Gwak at 847-892-7300 ext 11

Marisa Perez-Reisler, M.D., is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist. She received her B.A. from Harvard College and her M.D. from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Perez-Reisler then completed her residency in general psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College and her fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia-Cornell. Prior to joining North Star, Dr. Perez-Reisler was appointed Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern University School of Medicine. In academic hospital settings, Dr. Perez-Reisler worked extensively in Consult-Liaison (CL) psychiatry, navigating the interplay between psychiatric symptoms and medical illness. She continues to remain involved in the teaching, supervising, and mentoring of medical students, residents and fellows in training. Over her career, Dr. Perez-Reisler has developed expertise in mood and anxiety disorders, autism, ADHD, eating disorders, mental health in the setting of medical illness, collaborative care psychiatry, and women's mental health. Dr. Perez-Reisler is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Contact Dr. Perez-Reisler at 847-892-7300 ext 8

Director of Psychotherapy

Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) in the state of Illinois. Her background experience includes working in an emergency housing program and inpatient setting at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a DBT-focused Intensive Outpatient Program for adolescents and families, and a psychosocial rehabilitation program at the Anixter Center. Lauren currently supervises Rush University psychiatry residents in psychotherapy. In her treatment, Lauren's primary goal is to help clients find hope, courage to change, and to heal. She believes that all life circumstances, relationships, and experiences can lead to growth, learning, and greater self-acceptance. Lauren works with pre-teens, adolescents, young adults and families, and she is experienced in treating conditions including: anxiety, ADHD, mood disorders, parent coaching, personality traits, self-esteem/body image issues, and substance abuse. Lauren utilizes specific therapeutic modalities based on her clients' goals, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), for which she received specialized training by Behavioral Tech, LLC, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Contact Lauren at 847-892-7300 ext 6

Mindy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a background in individual (both adult and adolescent), family, group, and intensive outpatient therapy. While Mindy is trained as a generalist, her areas of specialty include trauma, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, self-esteem, body image, identity development, life transitions, family dynamics, and relationship/communication difficulties. Mindy is trained in using a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), attachment work and depth-oriented psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy, various trauma and body-based therapies, mindfulness, and meaning and insight-based therapies. More than any specific theory, however, Mindy believes in the healing power of relationship, as well as the power that comes with ascribing meaning and understanding to our unique life experiences which leads us toward a more a free life of increased joy, purpose, and self-acceptance. Mindy’s approach to the therapeutic relationship begins with a foundational belief that we are all wired for connection, and engages this relational space with compassion, curiosity, humor, perspective, and honesty. As we share our stories with truth and integrity within the context of a trusted relationship, the journey of healing begins and invites us to move from a place of pain or feeling stuck to a place of rest and freedom.

Contact Mindy at 847-892-7300 ext 7

“Courage starts by showing up and letting ourselves be seen. Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

–Brene Brown