Additional mental health services are on their way to Sterling with the opening of Strategic Steps Counseling in January.

Owner Matthew Pearlman, a Sterling resident and licensed clinical psychotherapist, will offer individual, youth, family and couples counseling specializing in anxiety, depression, grief and life transitions, among other areas. Opening day is Jan. 5 at 603 First Ave., Suite 202, in Sterling.

“I’m very, very excited. It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own business,” Pearlman told Shaw Local. “I’ve worked with just about every population and every psychiatric disorder. I specialize mostly in anxiety, [obessesion-compulsive disorder], depression, and I work mostly with kids, but I definitely have a nice balance of kids and adults.”

Pearlman was drawn to social work because he’s had experience dealing with mental health in his own life and got his start in social work at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

“My goal is to make someone’s day just a little bit better,” Pearlman said. “To just bring a smile, that’s always my goal. Whether it be a kid or an adult, if someone comes in crying, by the end of the session, they always have a smile on their face.”

At the hospital, Pearlman worked with children diagnosed with cancer as part of his graduate program’s hands-on field experience.

After that, “I felt like I needed a break. Just after seeing everything I saw,” Pearlman said. “So I’m like, ‘I’m gonna try something new. I’m gonna try law school.’”

Pearlman moved to DeKalb for law school and wasn’t a big fan of his studies, but he was a big fan of a woman he met there who would later become his wife. That’s when he started to realize that he wanted to get back into social work.

“I really missed therapy, and I missed counseling, and I missed social work. I was ready to get back to it,” Pearlman said.

Professionally, Pearlman said, he’s never felt as passionate for something as he does for social work. He began practicing at Willow Creek Counseling in Rockford. Now, about two years later, he’s leaving to start his own practice, closer to home.

“I love being a part of someone’s story ... and being able to help people through their most difficult times. It really is an incredible feeling,” Pearlman said.

Something he said he hears a lot from people is, “I don’t know how you do it.”

“I don’t know how I do it, honestly. I didn’t even think I could do it, you know? At the end of the day, it’s just about connecting with someone and listening and being there,” Pearlman said.

For information, visit strategicstepsil.com, email matthew@strategicstepsil.com or call 815-213-5753.