Megan Ford, MSW, LSW is a therapist at Relief Mental Health in Rockford, Ill. She has more than five years of experience in working with individuals of all ages, from five to 70+, who suffer from depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions or other mental health concerns.

Serving as a social worker in obstetrics/gynecology in an outpatient clinic for two years gave Megan the experience in and passion for women’s issues, PTSD/trauma, postpartum and perinatal depression, and LGBTQ support, to name a few.

Megan strives to build a collaborative relationship with her clients when working toward their goals. She feels connection and trust are two of the most important qualities a client and therapist can share. Megan loves working with individuals who are motivated for change and truly enjoys being a part of their journey.

Compassion, empathy, and keeping an open mind are at the forefront of Megan’s clinical work. She wants nothing more than to make her clients feel they are being heard and supported. Whether they are coping with life transitions, mental illness, or just need someone to talk to, she helps clients meet their goals by incorporating a variety of treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), play therapy, psychodynamic therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and strength-based treatments. Megan knows that “showing up for yourself” and seeking help can be difficult, but feels there is no issue too big or too small. If it matters to the client, it matters to her.

Megan earned her Master’s degree from Aurora University in Illinois, and an undergraduate degree in sociology and anthropology from Rockford University, also in Illinois. She sits on the Board for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Northern Illinois chapter and is a founding member of an LGBTQ advocacy chapter in Rockford called PFLAG. She joined Relief in 2022 and resides in Rockford with her husband Scott, their cat Frankenstein, and two great pyrenees, Elvira and Winston. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, spoiling her pets, crocheting, and going to the beach.

In addition to talk therapy, Megan can help her clients gain access to all of Relief’s mental health services—psychiatry/medication management, psychedelic antidepressant therapy (SPRAVATO® esketamine nasal spray) for treatment-resistant depression or suicidal ideation, and/or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression, anxious depression, OCD, smoking addiction, and more.