Lorna Mackeben

Education:
University of Illinois, Chicago, IL - Post Master's Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL - MS Nursing>
Loyola University, Chicago, IL - BSN

License and Certification:
Advanced Practice Nurse
Certified Nurse Practitioner
Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner - Board Certified

Years of Experience:
Board Certified as a Family Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in April 2009 following completion of a Post Master's Certificate in a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program.

Thirteen years experience coordinating the care, education, assessment and management of patients with ADHD, Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Mood and anxiety Disorders.

Prior to working in the field of psychiatric nursing, I enjoyed working as a registered nurse for 15 years and held a variety of positions including community wellness educator, community health nursing, nursing instructor, nurse manager in ambulatory surgery, and staff nurse positions in cardiac intensive care, operating room, recovery room, ambulatory surgery, and a medical-surgical unit.

How long have you been at the Ben Gordon Center?
I completed my final internship for my nurse practitioner program at University of Illinois at the Ben Gordon Center in the fall of 2008. I started working at Ben Gordon Center in February of 2009.

What you enjoy most about working at the Ben Gordon Center:
I enjoy working with the clients. I like collaborating with the staff to include all models of treatment to ensure the best possible outcome for the client.

Areas of specialty:
ADHD, Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Mood and anxiety Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Bipolar Disorder and Stress Management. Children, Adolescents and Adults.

Therapeutic approaches:
I believe I self-empowerment and a focus on individual strengths to motivate clients to actively participate in their care and move toward wellness. Patient and family education play a major role in my treatment plan. The importance of multi-modal treatment is always stressed with my clients. Medication is only one part of the treatment plan; therapy and education are essential components for most clients. I utilize client-centered, cognitive-behavioral and stress management techniques in helping patients move toward wholeness and achieve positive outcomes.