Our Team

Dr. Jayne Braden

Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Jayne A. Braden, has been working in the court system since 1993. She earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 1999 and was licensed as a psychologist in 2000. Regular training with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology helps keep her skills up to date. Evaluations she completes for the court include Child Custody and Psychological, Specific Forensic Psychological, Fitness to Stand Trial, and Criminal Responsibility. FOID reinstatement evaluations as well as those for DCFS are also completed by her. She completes evaluations in several county courts including Boone, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lee, Ogle, Whiteside, and Winnebago. Pre-employment, fitness for duty, and promotional examinations are also completed for local police and fire departments. Fitness for duty evaluations are also completed for local companies. The Braden Counseling Center opened in 2002 and has been providing services to individuals with different challenges with evidence-based treatments since that time. Dr. Braden is now offering EMDR therapy.

Brandie Smalley

PhD, PMHNP-BC

Brandie Smalley has been a psychiatric nurse practitioner since 2013.  Brandie is a graduate, Magna Cum Laude, of Kansas University, and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the National Honors Society for Nursing. She is board-certified to treat patients with mental illness of all ages. While practicing in St. Louis, she has experience working with patients in an inpatient and outpatient setting.

Brenda Butz

Chief Operating Officer & SMART Facilitator

Brenda graduated from Kishwaukee College with a degree in Office Systems in 2013, and has since worked at BCC. Brenda continues to push herself to learn and grow as the demands of her job do.

As a SMART Facilitator, Brenda is dedicated to helping people gain independence from harmful addictive behaviors through our safe, friendly, mutual support meetings, our science-based and secular SMART Recovery 4-Point Program® and our principles and tools, all of which are proven to help people overcome their addictive behavior.

Brenda is your contact for any of your SMART Recovery, financial issues or general questions. As she greets everyone with a smile you can rest assured you will be her most important client. Brenda is a valuable part of Braden Counseling Center.

Mallory Ludwig

Program Director
AODA Counselor, CRADC, SAP, PAIP

Mallory Ludwig is a Certified Reciprocal Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CRADC), a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), and a Partner Abuse Intervention Program Facilitator (PAIP). She has been employed with Braden Counseling Center since August 2007.

She specializes in: DUI Evaluations, Alcohol and Drug Evaluations, Secretary of State Hearing documents, Substance Abuse Treatment, Partner Abuse Intervention (Domestic Violence Offenders)

Jane Gaitskill

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Counseling is a second career for Jane Gaitskill. For ten years she worked as a market research analyst in downtown Chicago, but found that to be increasingly unrewarding. At the age of 36 she entered Loyola University’s Masters program in Social Work.

Upon graduating, Jane’s first job was in Evanston Hospital’s Outpatient Psychiatry Department/Crisis Department. Subsequent positions included doing Emergency Room psychiatric evaluations for NorthShoreUniversityHealthSystems, doing in-home counseling with senior citizens and seeing clients in her private practice. She has been at Braden Counseling since 2018.

Jane has extensive experience working with people from a variety of religious, racial and ethnic backgrounds. She has worked with adults of all ages, couples, families in crisis, and children 11 years old and older, addressing relationship issues, mood disorders and psychotic disorders.

Jane primarily uses CBT and supportive therapies, but realizes that a “one size fits all” approach to treatment simply does not work. Given this, she brainstorms with clients to determine what works best for them.

She encourages input from her clients about the therapeutic process, regardless of whether or not that input positive or negative.

Victoria Peyton

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Vickie Peyton holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has spent 26 years working in healthcare counseling patients and their families who suffer from chronic and terminal illnesses. Vickie practices Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) along with Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) in the areas of depression, anxiety, guilt, worry, anger, self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness or being lost in life, effects of trauma, difficulty coping with chronic health concerns, miscarriage/childless, aging, life transitions, relationship/couples’ issues, loneliness, and compassion/caregiver fatigue.

If you are experiencing loss of any type, then maybe it is time to see a counselor who knows and understands the grief process and who will help you find life after loss. If you are experiencing an overwhelming stressful event that finds you uncertain with feelings of regret or brokenness, maybe it’s time to see a counselor who sees you more than a client, but a unique person. If you are looking for the opportunity to find goals or set new ones, maybe it’s time to see a counselor who believes in you and your aspirations. If you are spiritually broken, no matter your belief, and this has prevented you from finding inner peace, maybe it’s time to see a counselor who will provide a non-judgmental environment. If it’s that period of time when life is not going so well and you are ready to start your journey to emotional well-being, personal growth, reducing stress and learn new skills to cope and manage life, Vickie is ready to meet you and together begin the work to get you on the road of progress and begin (or restart) the journey to who and where you always wanted to be.

Christine Konecny

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Chrissy is a Licensed Social Worker. She completed her Bachelors Degree in Psychology in 2018, and then went on to complete her Masters in Social Work in 2020. Throughout her graduate studies, Chrissy’s emphasis was mental health and counseling. Chrissy has had experience working in schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, and private practice. Post grad, Chrissy worked as a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services Coordinator where she assisted her residents with coping through day to day life with a severe mental health diagnosis.

Chrissy believes that the therapeutic process is a collaborative one, both client and counselor work together towards a common goal. She challenges her clients to do the work both inside and outside of sessions. She works under the notion that all things in life are fluid, it’s how we move and progress through the fluidity that will determines our outcome. Chrissy is now offering EMDR therapy.

Madeline Rangel

Licensed Social Worker (LSW)

Maddy completed her Bachelor’s and Masters at Aroura University in 2019. She is experienced working in the mental health setting within partial hospitalization and outpatient programs with adults and adolescents through individual and group sessions.  Maddy wants to help individuals through their life challenges and their own treatment goals. She believes it’s important for individuals to have a better understanding of their thoughts, emotions and behaviors and how this might impact them. Maddy wants to provide a safe space for individuals to have the opportunity to open up without judgement and feel supported and respected.

Kelsey Flynn

Masters of Social Work (MSW), PAIP

Kelsey Flynn is a Pre-Licensed Therapist. Kelsey completed her Masters of Social Work Degree at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, following receiving her dual Bachelors of Arts Degree in Psychology and Sociology at Michigan State University. Kelsey has experience working in the mental health setting within the school system and the community with children, adolescents, and adults through Individual, Family, and Group Therapy. Kelsey has experience working with the Department of Human Services Child Welfare System and youth in the Juvenile Justice System through her academic experience. Kelsey recently obtained her 20 and 40-hour certification towards becoming a Partner Abuse Intervention Program Facilitator (PAIP).

It is important to Kelsey to meet her clients where they are at. Each individual begins their start at different points in their lives and no path for better days will be the same for each individual person.

Bridget Irioogbe

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)

Bridget Irioogbe is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, where she obtained her Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has experienced working in both a mental health setting as well as in a collegiate setting where she collaborated with individuals to help them reach their personal and academic goals.

“Helping individuals with and without disabilities achieve their goals is my passion. In a counseling relationship, I believe it’s a joint effort to understand and be attentive to individuals’ needs, uniqueness and multicultural aspects.”

Paul Gallosa

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
PAIP Facilitator

Paul Gallosa has 5 years of experience in the helping profession working as a certified nursing assistant, supervisor at a group home, a client care representative for an employee assistance program, and a substance abuse and mental health counselor. He received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Northern Illinois University in 2018, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He received his Master of Science degree with a concentration in Clinical-Counseling Psychology from Illinois State University in 2021. Paul has experience working in both residential and intensive outpatient services in the substance abuse field and has mainly worked with adolescents and adults in both group and individual contexts. Paul utilizes person-centered, solution-focused, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to treatment. Paul recently obtained his 20 and 40-hour certification towards becoming a Partner Abuse Intervention Program Facilitator (PAIP).

Amy Antzcak

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

She completed her bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in Psychology in 2018, at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and graduated summa cum laude. Amy graduated from NIU with a master’s degree in counseling- with a specialization in clinical mental health counseling. Amy has prior experience working as a counselor in training at the Community Counselor Training Center (CCTC) at NIU, where she primarily worked with students.

Amy believes unconditional positive regard, empathy, and acceptance are essential to the therapeutic relationship. Amy takes an integrative approach to counseling but likes to utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and person-centered theories the most. Amy also likes to work collaboratively with the client to find an approach that best meets the needs and concerns of the client.

Amanda Cimaglia

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor who completed her Bachelor of Arts in history and secondary education, and her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Bradley University. Amanda spent the first part of her career teaching high school in Arizona and pre-school in Illinois. Her objectives are to be a counselor dedicated to effective, efficient, and equitable treatment of her clients through respectful, compassionate, and collaborative therapeutic alliances that aim to provide them with the most confidence and skills to help them achieve their goals and live their best possible lives. Her clients have consisted of individuals, couples, and LGBTQ persons, ranging from 9 years old and up, to treat a variety of mental health issues: anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, anger management, and self-esteem. Amanda utilizes trauma-informed, strengths-based, and solution-focused approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing (MI) to encourage clients to grow both during and outside of sessions.

Dwayne Thomas

AODA Counselor, CADC, PAIP

Dwayne Thomas is a Certified Alcohol and other Drug abuse Counselor (CADC), whose previous clinical experiences have all been within long-term inpatient treatment, or correctional settings.  In helping to meet the treatment needs and goals of various mandated target-populations (DCFS, Drug-Court, IDOC, etc.), Dwayne brings years of case-management experience to the Braden team. Dwayne has successfully worked with many clients who were initially resistant to implementing change in their lives during treatment, by utilizing both Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT) treatment modalities, to help clients resolve their ambivalence to change, and engage in the treatment process.

David Jones

AODA Counselor, CADC, PAIP

David Jones is a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor and obtained his CADC from Elgin Community College. He has experience working in an inpatient setting where he was assigned to a MAT unit (Medication-Assisted Treatment) and provided individual and group counseling services to patients who were suffering from addiction. He also has experience working in a detox setting and interned as a detox counselor as well.  David has a strong belief that effective treatment comes from a client-centered approach that is achieved by patience, compassion, and honesty from the provider.

“I believe that establishing a safe and non-judgmental environment creates a level of trust between the client and the provider that allows the client to express what they are going through with their provider in confidence. When a client and provider have this level of rapport with each other it opens up the client to the therapeutic process as the client gains insight into their problems. This insight fosters awareness and awareness is the first step toward change.”

Ariana Garcia

PAIP Facilitator
Administrative Assistant

Ariana graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is currently a co-facilitator for the men’s and women’s Partner Abuse Intervention Program. Ariana is working toward becoming PAIP certified and is planning to return to school to obtain a master’s degree in social work.

“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” — Steve Jobs

Unique Malone

PAIP Co-Facilitator
Administrative Assistant

Unique completed her BS in Psychology with a counseling minor from NIU in 2022. She wears many hats as administrative assistant and a co-facilitator for Sub Ab and PAIP. She plans on returning to school to complete her MSW.

Meghan Kohler

Intern

Meghan completed her bachelor’s in Human Development and Family Social Services with an emphasis on Family Social Services, from NIU in 2021. She is currently in school at Aurora University completing her master’s in Social Work. She is set to graduate with her Master’s in August 2023.

Meghan believes it is important to meet her clients where they are at. She wants to provide her clients with a safe place to express themselves and how they are feelings. She likes to work jointly with her clients to find the best approach that will work best for them. Meghan utilizes person-centered, solution-focused, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Rachael Romba

Intern

Rachael completed her bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami in 2018, with a major in vocal jazz performance and a minor in abnormal psychology. She expects to complete her master’s degree in Social Work from Aurora University by May 2023, specializing in addictions treatment. Her first internship surrounded forensic treatment where she oversaw groups related to prevention, juvenile assistance and education, and truancy. She now co-facilitates Braden Counseling Center’s continuing care groups and sees client’s individually in Sycamore.

Rachael finds it important that her clients are heard and feel safe when in session and are comfortable speaking their minds without fear of judgement. She strives to display empathy, competency, and understanding; and to meet clients “where they are at” to form a collaborative approach to treatment that is unique to each client and their situation. She is most comfortable with CBT, DBT, and person-centered treatment, but is eager to explore other theories, treatment styles, and interventions that she or a client might find beneficial.

“Let go of who you think you’re supposed to be; embrace who you are.” – Brené Brown

Sylvia Crownhart

Office Manager

I came to DeKalb in 1991 to attend NIU. I met my husband there and we have been happily married since 1997. We made our home and raised our children here. I rejoined the workforce in July of 2017 after an extended absence as a stay at home parent. I was excited to land here at the Braden Center as an administrative assistant, and I am very proud to now hold the position as the Office Manager. I have drawn great inspiration from the wise words of Maya Angelou, so I share them with you, our clients, as you too begin journeys towards healing and brighter tomorrows.

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”

~ Maya Angelou