Psychiatry & Counseling Associates

“I have been a Client of PCA since it's inception, and before that Professional Associates when my Psychiatric Care team consisted of Dr. Gil Abilita and Don Nardi Taylor, and my journey with them began nearly 20 years ago. Since that time, much has Changed and Evolved, and for a long Moment, I began to feel as though the Spiritual Connection that I had known with the Caregivers here had been Irretrievably Lost. This was not the fault of the Caregivers themselves, but of some of the Staff that felt that they had been Gifted the Practice and as a Result, both the Clients and the Reputation of the Practice suffered together. Also, compounding my own negative Perception of the Chaos was the fact that I was about Twice the Age of the Caregivers on Staff, leading to a Generation Gap in the expectations I had as a Client and also the Perceptions of the Staff that was Suggested to become my Caregivers. There was one Exception in the beginning, however, and that was Myranda Whitman. Myranda had herself been "Soft Transitioned" into Professional Associates by Dr. Abilita. Myranda essentially "held the Ship together with bubble gum and bailing wire" as she worked wholeheartedly to preserve the Essence of Spirit that Dr. Abilita, along with Contributing the Wisdom her Teachers and Mentors at both the Mennonite College of Nursing and Maryville College had also Instilled in her during Myranda's Professional Development. Myranda has always had a Kind Heart and Soul, and a Great Burden was placed upon her...some of it by myself in a Review which I Explained to her was not so Critical of Her, but of the Attitudes of some of the Other members of the Staff. Myranda is an Exceptional Primary Psychiatric Caregiver, and as of 11 June 2025, I have been informed by her that she will be Transitioning to another Practice, one that will allow her to focus more on the obligations of both being a Mother and part of a Family, roles outside of being a Psychiatric Caregiver that should be Important to All of us. Just as Important as Myranda, is my Therapist Camille Cales. Camille herself is a Mother, and well Educated herself and has by Experience learned a great deal about the Points of View of my Generation. Camille draws a great deal of Inspiration from the Ongoing Experiences she shares with her own Family and her multiple Roles in it as Mother, Daughter, and Niece. As I struggle with my own ongoing Family Trauma, Camille provides me with a kind of Counterbalance, very Important to a Man such as myself that finds himself every morning in a Position of Declining Relevance in Society and Culture. Camille hasn't given up on me yet, and although we have had some misunderstandings, our Relationship as Caregiver and Client has grown Deeper and Stronger, as has my Respect and Admiration for her Art and her Practice. Words fail me sometimes when I think about Camille and what we Share as Client and Caregiver... but it's not for a lack of Anything that Camille contributes to my Ongoing Care... It's just that She, like Myranda, has contributed so much...so very, very much that can only be described as the "Good Things" that can happen when a Client and Therapist develop a Professional Relationship built on Mutual Respect and the Building of Trust. Of the Rest of the Staff, I truly can't say... but I can Pray that they are just as Devoted to the Care and Well-being of their Clients as Myranda Whitman and Camille Cales are. I just can't afford to Toy with something as Important as my Own Emotional Well Being just to Explore the Other Caregivers at PCA, and after all, Psychiatric Caregivers and Therapeutic Counselors are not to be Chosen or Evaluated by Clients with the same Caviler Attitude that we might have when Selecting Food at a Smorgasbord... Are they? Bruno Biava ⚓ Olney, Illinois 14 June 2025”

“I have been going to Professional Associates of IL for several years, starting when they were Professional Associates to now as Psychiatry & Counseling Associates. I started with Dr. Abilita and now see Myranda Whitmann. As I'm writing this review I got curious about the initials attached to Myranda's name, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC. According to their profile page, Myranda is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a Master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice. All I know is I feel like I am getting the same care as I was with Dr. Abilita, if not better tbh. They have helped me manage (and navigate) my severe depression and anxiety. The staff have always been helpful, supportive, and kind. I have never felt rushed, or minimized. I do have to allow one day (or two depending on the time of day I call) to have a prescription refill sent to the pharmacy. This is standard and expected. If I need a prescription change or a new prescription, that turnaround is usually day of. I, truly, have never had a bad experience with them, and highly recommend them.”

“A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D.) who has good knowledge of, and can prescribe, medications especially in terms of mental stuff. This place has renamed itself to Psychiatry and Coun... There's not a doctor on staff at all. Not a single psychiatrist anywhere, just nurses with delusions of grandeur. They are people who pretend to have experience in something and can order medications, but haven't the experience or wisdom to wield that power. This is not medicine. This is what medical would be without licensing requirements. I'm not interested in going back to old ideas that didn't work, whatever new experimental thing you want to force me onto, magic crystals, massage, essential oils, biofeedback, or your personal comfort level with my longstanding medication regimen. It worked for 25 years and you want to use me as a guinea pig? You are not allowed to hurt me then try to gaslight me, your own patient, into believing I agreed to be tortured into not having my medication that works. Shame. I don't just refuse to recommend this business, I recommend for your own well-being and safety to stay away. They need at least one doctor to call themselves "psychiatric" anything, and that doctor (theoretical) would have to be good and would have to manage these useless nurses. Also, it shouldn't take 52 days to call in a prescription, and I shouldn't have to beg a Dr's office to submit claims to my insurance before sending me a wrong bill. The front office lady should have been fired for complete incompetence years ago. I revisited this comment thinking I'd clean up something said in anger, to avoid trouble. However, seeing so many complaints about the same things I guess I'm in good company. If you have been abused by these nurses, or the business, write a complaint letter to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, Complaint Intake Unit; 555 W Monroe St., 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661 Yo, nurse, you respond, you are limited by law. Be cautious.”

“I went there when Dr Abelita was the prescribing Doctor for a long time (like since 2002). I'm now seeing Crystal Cargill the Nurse Practioner, and, believe what you may, but I actually think I'm getting better care now under her. She has made some suggestions that have, frankly, turned my life around. I also see the therapist Camille there and she has been fantastic with helping me through my mental health journey and help me see what I failed to see in myself for so long. Thank you Crystal and Camille.”