Rate Jodana Varilek

JoDana Varilek, MSW, LCSW, LSSW, LCWS

JoDana, better known as Jodie, has a passion for working with others to improve their quality of life. She has spent twenty plus years working with young children; ages 0-3, school aged children, adolescents and adults, whom have had emotional, behavioral, medical and learning challenges. Jodie has used different forms of psychotherapy, in working with clients, within residential facilities both inpatient and outpatient, hospitals, agencies, schools, university clinics and within the clients’ home environment and in private practice.

She has counseled clients whom have experienced trauma, grief & loss, abuse, depression, anxiety, learning difficulties, behavioral outbursts, divorce and relationship issues, self-harm and more. Jodie has experience providing individual, family and marital therapy.

Her approach to counseling is that it’s a learning process where respect and trust are built to develop a partnership between the therapist and client. Jodie is creative and utilizes play therapy, yoga, art, and movement in her sessions, in addition to talk therapy, to engage her clients. She is passionate and will meet the client where they are in the learning and therapeutic process to achieve their goals for therapy.

Jodie is a graduate of Iowa State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Child & Family Services and Psychology. She worked in child welfare and adoption for four years before attending the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she earned a master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in schools. Upon obtaining her master’s degree, Jodie, became a Licensed School Social Worker. She worked in education for five years. Once tenured Jodie went on to obtain her LCSW and went into managing a Mental Health Clinic where therapy and medication monitoring were provided. She supervised a Therapeutic Day School, for children, whom had been suspended and/or expelled from the school district in which they were attending. Jodie has been working in private practice since 2018.

Jodie lives her life by the words of Mahatma Gandhi “You must be the Change you wish to see in the World” and has committed her life to working with others. Helen Keller once said “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. Working together we can create a life that is fulfilling and full of peace and joy.