It’s Meet a Mom Monday! This week’s Meet a Mom feature is Stephanie DeFilippis, mom of 8 month-old Luisa and founder of Crescent Moon Therapy! Keep reading our interview below, where Stephanie shares more about mom life, her journey to found Crescent Moon Therapy, and even some fun Park Ridge recommendations. Thank you Stephanie for sharing with us today!
If you are a local mom that would like to be featured in our “Meet a Mom” series, please send an email to [email protected]
Hi Stephanie, thanks for chatting with us today! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, I’m Stephanie! I’m a mom, a perinatal mental health therapist, and an entrepreneur. I own Crescent Moon Therapy and live with my family in Park Ridge.
How many kids do you have and what ages are they?
I have an 8 month old daughter, Luisa. I grew up in Glenview and my husband in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. We love getting to explore all the surrounding suburbs of Chicago, and now with our daughter in tow. In her 8 months of life, Luisa has enjoyed many stroller walks, coffee hangs, and carrier naps.
Do you have personal experience with perinatal challenges?
Like so many others, my journey to motherhood was not easy. I’ve dealt with PCOS for years and had challenges getting pregnant. Prior to the birth of my daughter, I had a miscarriage. The physical and emotional toll of that experience was extremely challenging. With provider support, therapy, medication, friends, and the support of my husband I was able to start to feel like myself again.
What is your favorite thing about being a mom? What do you love most about the current phase of motherhood that you are in?
I have loved the forced slowdown motherhood has given me. As a business owner, you always feel “on” and as a woman, I’ve always felt the drive to be independent. Being a mom has reinforced the importance of slowing down and really enjoying the ordinary things: snuggles, walks, sleep (lol). Watching Luisa’s little personality come out and being the person that gets to teach her about the world has been such a privilege. It’s been really fun to parent with my husband and navigate this new phase of our relationship.
You’re a Park Ridge mom! What do you love about your town? What are your top recommendations for visitors to check out?
My dad grew up in Edison Park, neighboring Park Ridge, and so I have many memories visiting my grandparents and some of Park Ridge’s favorite places. Park Ridge is the perfect distance to the city but also has invested into its downtown area while continuing to preserve its charm. The PickWick is a Park Ridge classic. It’s a movie theatre in the downtown area that preserves the nostalgia of going to see a movie as a kid. The restaurants are all delicious and super family friendly: Pennyville Station, Harp & Fiddle, Holt’s, Fire & Wine. The Wildwood Nature Center is a great spot if you have littles and are looking to get outside.
What do you love most about raising kids in your area?
I love the accessibility to everything. From going downtown, going to the beach, to spending an afternoon in OakBrook Park Ridge’s location makes it so easy to take advantage of all the city and suburbs have to offer.
Tell us more about your career journey, and how it led you to open Crescent Moon Therapy?
Prior to starting Crescent Moon, I worked for a nonprofit, Casa Central, and at Northwestern Hospital downtown. I had the opportunity to work with OBGYN’s and nurses to provide collaborative care to patients throughout their reproductive journey.
Give us all the details on your practice, what sorts of women’s issues do you cover?
Crescent Moon Therapy is a group mental health practice providing services to women by women. We specialize in the perinatal population so working with women throughout the following phases: preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. This includes infertility, miscarriage/loss, secondary infertility, raising young children, relationship challenges, divorce, menopause, and more! Many of us are moms ourselves and we really value the importance of having your own space to process all the things that come up by simply being a woman. Our motto is, “women deserve to be held just as much as their little one.” We give so much of ourselves to our families and to our jobs. We believe therapy is space to pour back into yourself.
Do you offer in-person and virtual options?
We have an office in Park Ridge (1580 N Northwest Highway Suite 116 Park Ridge, IL 60068) and offer virtual services throughout the state of Illinois and Arizona. The virtual aspect of our work is amazing and has increased accessibility to care for so many parents!
Do you take insurance?
Yes! We accept BCBS PPO, BCBS Blue Choice, Aetna PPO, and BCBS HMO (447). We always recommend reaching out to your insurance prior to starting therapy to better understand your benefits.
How do people get in contact with you?
People can reach out to us via our website (crescentmoon-therapy.com), via email ([email protected]), or by giving us a call (847-220-7038).
Rapid Fire Round:
Go-to coffee order: I’m a decaf girlie. Decaf americano with a splash of almond milk.
Favorite holiday: 4th of July!
Advice you’d give your younger self: Trust the process even when the process sucks.
Fun Fact: My 8th graduation superlative was “Most likely to become a therapist”
Undergrad college/major: University of Notre Dame, Business and Theology
