Brent Atkinson
Marriage and Family Therapist

Contact
Telephone: 630-232-7457 x111
Fax: 630-232-7567

Information: Brent Atkinson, Ph.D., is principle architect of Pragmatic/Experiential Therapy, an approach which translates new knowledge about how the brain processes emotion into practical methods for improving relationships and increasing personal success.

Brent is a widely-known teacher, researcher and therapist. His enthusiasm is contagious, and partners are inspired by the confidence he exudes in each of them. You can experience first-hand his ability to present complex ideas in compelling and easy-to-understand ways by reading two recent articles describing his therapy with couples, The Emotional Imperative, and Brain to Brain.

Brent Atkinson received a Ph.D.in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, holds Clinical Membership with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and has also earned the credential of AAMFT Approved Supervisor. Dr. Atkinson is a Senior Graduate Faculty member in the School of Family, Consumer & Nutrition Sciences at Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Atkinson's thoughts on emotional health and therapeutic process have appeared in professional journals such as the Journal of Marriage and Family Therapy, Family Process, the Journal of Family Psychotherapy, the Journal of Systemic Therapies, and others. You can view a list of his publications. He has lectured at the Laboratory for the Study of Human Relations in Athens Greece, and was a featured speaker at both The 8th World Congress of the International Family Therapy Association and the international conference, Constructed Realities, in Svolvaer, Norway. You can view a list of his recent professional presentations.

Brent is past-president of the Illinois Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and has served on the editorial boards for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the Journal of Systemic Therapies, and Family Therapy Case Studies. He specializes in helping couples improve their relationships. Brent's methods for helping couples have been recently described in The Washington Post, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan and The Complete Woman magazine. His therapy with couples has been featured in numerous articles in the Psychotherapy Networker.