Therapists in Evanston, IL

As a Latinx woman, I appreciate the complexities of identity and intersectionality. I am committed to my clients, with attention to advocacy and an anti-racist lens, and I am an active ally in helping clients navigate the reality of oppressive systems that impact mental health. I am trained and experienced in working with people from diverse backgrounds and am skilled at providing therapy for all clients. Other specialty areas are working with postpartum, perinatal parents, trauma, LGBTQ+, young adults, and people in life transitions.

Vanessa is a dedicated therapist in Chicago, holding a master's degree in Clinical Psychology and licensures as a Board Certified Dance Movement (BC-DMT) Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and is completing her doctorate in Expressive Arts Therapy. Vanessa radiates warmth and spunk. It’s not unusual for her clients to experience an array of emotions: crying, laughter, sadness, and hope; all within a single session.

Engaging in therapy is a courageous, commendable task. I have enormous respect for the individuals, couples, and families I work with, and endeavor to create a solid base of trust and a collaborative connection. Depending on your needs and goals, our work may focus on improving your quality of life, shifting patterns, and/or deepening your overall self-awareness. I find that, along the way, healing often occurs as one gains clarity and begins moving toward the desires, needs, and truths that may have gotten lost amidst the 'shoulds' and various other messages absorbed over time.

Preston has clinical experience working with adolescents and adults in college settings, outpatient mental health clinics, and private practice. His clinical interests include working with underserved communities, mood disorders, substance use, relationship and family challenges, trauma, and systemic challenges related to diversity and inclusion.

I work with adults and adolescents to help them understand the impact of their thoughts, feelings, and actions on their wellbeing. I offer an active and empowering space to navigate issues such as anxiety, low mood, family conflict, identity confusion, and cultural transitions. I also provide therapy/coaching for work and school-related stress, low motivation, attention difficulties, and time management. People working with me will learn how their life experiences affect their ability to cope with challenges effectively.

When we lose that connection to our self, all other connections in our life suffer. Suddenly, it is a struggle to be fully present with the ones with love and care for. We become blocked from experiences in life and career that used to bring us fulfillment. We lack the motivation to participate in the communities in which we have a vested interest. When faced with these disconnections we start to wonder: What is my meaning? What is my purpose? What’s the point?

My role as your therapist is to empower you with compassion and care that allows for healing. I guide you back to your inner voice to cultivate meaningful relationships. We are continually evolving because life is a creative process. I provide insight so that you better understand your relationship dynamics, allowing for the creation of new habits and patterns. Connection is essential, and it begins with the relationship to self. Increasing self-awareness, self-understanding, and establishing healthy tools for self-care empowers and equips you in navigating life's stressors.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. My focus is to help my clients reach their full potential, through emotional stability. I look at the therapeutic relationship as important ground work to establishing the emotionally safe environment required by clients as they face many challenges in the therapeutic process. I provide a counseling experience that allows the client to grow by identifying and using their own strengths to achieve their goals.

Betrayal trauma can make you feel feel confused, guilty, or powerless. Perhaps you've experienced gaslighting, complex trauma, or infidelity in a relationship. You may have experienced betrayal trauma if your well-being or safety was violated by someone (or an institution) you trust. In childhood, that person is typically a parent or caregiver; in adulthood, your partner. Betrayal trauma can lead to PTSD, anxiety, and depression among other things - but therapy can help.

Seeking support is difficult! Whether you know what you need or are completely unsure of where to begin, I am dedicated to helping you figure it out. We will work together to identify what is not working in your life and create clear and accessible goals. Uncover the best version of yourself!

I'm a licensed clinical psychologist. In my 25+ years as a psychotherapist I've come to appreciate the wisdom found in various therapeutic models. So I've developed an integrative approach. I believe it's important to tailor the therapy to the individual. Our past, present, and future all influence our choices and behaviors. So I find it helpful to put on trifocals to see where we're at, how we got here, and where we want to go. As social beings our interpersonal relationships are vital to our well-being and happiness. Sometimes our interpersonal style helps us connect with others; sometimes it gets in the way of our relationships. Checking out our personality style is often beneficial. As individuals we are unfolding in our own unique way and I believe there is an inner wisdom that leads us to who we are and what we really desire. Sometimes we get disconnected from ourselves and need to get back in touch by looking inward.

My passion is to help people explore their challenges, work toward their life goals, and find peace. I use empathetic listening and a compassionate approach to help people process trauma, childhood abuse and neglect, women's issues, grief, depression, relationship challenges and life transitions. Through a variety of interventions, including EMDR therapy, I can help you work through a sense of being stuck, find your strength and grow into your best self.

During these stressful times, do you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed? Recovering from a traumatic experience, or dealing with a life transition, work stress, or relationship challenges? I provide compassionate, generous listening and practical tools to soothe anxiety and anger so you can reach a calmer state and clear-sighted perspective. Through the therapy process, clients typically make effective, long-term lifestyle changes that promote well-being and more balance in life. With couples counseling, I incorporate evidence-based approaches, combining Gottman's work with Terry Real's Relational Life Therapy.

People seek therapy for various reasons. It takes a lot of courage to recognize that things aren't working and to seek help. Have you been struggling with specific problems involving work, family, or relationships? Or have you perhaps been suffering from something harder to define, such as persistent feelings of meaninglessness or sadness? Whether the problem is easy or hard to identify, I'm here to help.

My approach to psychotherapy is to create a safe space where you can explore and heal the difficult and painful issues that are showing up in your life. Together we will move beyond problem-solving into releasing the deeply held mistaken beliefs and core unresolved issues behind your symptoms. My body-centered and somatic approach allows me to work directly with your nervous system to address symptoms like anxiety, racing thoughts, and irrational fears as well as feeling stuck, depressed and unavailable or unresponsive to life and relationships.

I provide collaborative psychotherapy services for adults, teens, couples, groups, and families with a warm integrative approach. Using the best of solution-focused and goal-oriented psychotherapies, including EMDR therapy, I offer clients tools and processes, which specifically address their unique problems and concerns. We will continue to assess your needs and goals on a regular basis and will work together as you achieve the healing and skills that you desire and deserve. I offer the opportunity for you to find joy in all areas of your life and relationships, especially your relationship with yourself!

I believe success in therapy can be found by focusing on both the present and the past. Sometimes we are going through difficulties that need to be talked about and addressed right now. I can provide you with ways to navigate and cope with those present-day challenges. But for much of the time, the challenges we face in the present are linked to experiences we have gone through in the past. I can help you explore and understand those experiences so you can develop a greater perspective on who you are and why you may feel and think the way you do. ​

Tough starts, early trauma, and missing pieces in our life story can affect how we feel about ourselves, connect to others, and manage day to day. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, I have 25 years of experience working with children, youth and families in the context of child welfare. I am trained in adoption-competent mental health and have extensive experience working with individuals with developmental trauma, including those impacted by foster care. Looking at challenges through this lens can shed new light on what is happening and what is needed to move forward with less struggle and greater connection.

I use mindfulness techniques and cognitive-behavioral approaches in working with patients. That being said, every person is unique and treatment should not be "one size fits all". I believe that it's vitally important that treatment techniques are tailored to the individual patient and the problems he or she wants to work on. I have extensive experience treating patients with a variety of anxiety disorders, depression and mood disorders, adult ADD, adjustment disorders and stress related problems. The core of my approach is to help people unleash their own inner motivation for change. I work with adults and teens.