Therapists in Chicago, IL

“people start to heal the moment they feel heard” ​is a guiding principle of my practice. Therapy is a place where your story is centered. In this space, you are allowed to be vulnerable and completely as you are. We co-create change through the therapeutic process by holding space for life’s biggest challenges. Though the process feels lonely at times, you have a trusted professional guiding you and holding space with you every step of the way. Thank you for taking the next step in your journey. I am excited to be with you on your journey.

The first step is the hardest and it takes great courage to ask for help. I strive to help people navigate how to cope with life's challenges and transitions and provide a safe space for you to process your feelings. We will explore changes and find your personal growth together.

Feeling disconnected? At this uncertain time, many are experiencing relational challenges within their family, marriage/romantic life, workplace, or social life. I will help you to address ongoing anxiety, depression, or avoidance of difficult feelings such as self-doubt. My approach is focused on a partnership, and supporting you to seek-out positive and meaningful experiences to rebuild connection and self-esteem. During our initial sessions, I will complete an assessment to form a better understanding of your background and we will form individualized goals such as improved relationship satisfaction or reduced anxiety.

-Individual, Couple, & Family Therapy. Trained at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Kansas State University's School of Family Studies, and The University of Chicago School of Medicine, Clinic Founder Rob Gellman has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 14 years, and was a professor at Adler University from 2008-2011. He is a regularly invited speaker with local mental health agencies and national conferences. A recognized expert on families coping with chronic illness, infidelity, and the training of therapists and physicians, Rob's clinical practice is diverse, helping adults, children, couples and families on the path to wellness. ***Specializing in Anxiety Disorders, Relationship Distress, Infidelity, Sex Therapy, Young Couples, Depression, Chronic Illness, Grief and Loss, Family Conflict, and Lifecycle Transitions.

Donna Livesey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois who has been practicing since 2014. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Donna has specialized training in motivational interviewing, which helps her help the client make changes to substance use. She also has specialized training helping clients identify and recover from symptoms of childhood trauma. Donna has experience working with marginalized communities and also has specialized training in suicide grief, which helps her treat survivors who have lost loved ones to suicide.

To meet my clients where they are, I find it necessary to practice cultural humility and honor the client’s personal values, while offering resources on self-regulation, community empowerment/social justice, and healthy relationships. In my time as a clinician, I have worked with adults from a wide range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. More specifically, I have experience working with LGBTQIA+ populations, eating disorders, sex positivity, substance use, religious trauma, depression, anxiety, single event and complex trauma, family dysfunction, grief/bereavement, relationship problems, and Borderline Personality Disorder.

You might be feeling overwhelmed and need someone to talk to. Therapy is an essential practice that will help you understand your challenges and bring you the happiness you deserve. I will be there to support and guide you as you grow into the person you want to be. My goal as a therapist is to help you overcome obstacles and develop the skills needed to improve your overall well-being. I provide a warm and non-judgmental space for you to be truly heard so that you can communicate your authentic thoughts and feelings in a safe place.

Above all else, I value the human experience. My approach is to meet individuals, couples, and families where they are to help balance their current reality with what they desire. I can help you develop improved insights and effective coping skills. I work with couples and families to achieve healthy goals of relating. Once empowered with tools, clients can begin to experience a new and positive reality. For clients who desire brief or solution-focused therapy, I'm happy to work with you in minimizing past failures/problems and shift towards increasing your strengths. *Call me to make an appointment.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with experience working with adolescents and adults.I use a variety of techniques to help clients discover positive ways of coping and responding to the difficulties they face. I value the psychologist-client relationship and strive to establish a connection with each client based on empathy and understanding of each individual's needs. I assist clients in developing ways to cope with life stressors and establish/maintain personal relationships. In the therapeutic process, I focus on an individual's strengths and encourage clients to use strengths to enhance their lives and attain their goals.

I work from the position that we are reincarnated Spiritual Beings immersed in a human experience. When we are consciously unaware of this truth or deny it, we experience dis-ease within us that can manifest as anxiety, depression, phobias, or thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that do not serve us well. When we do eventually remember or awaken to this truth (often by way of one or more Spiritually Transformative Experiences), our attempts to integrate it into our daily lives can be painful in many different ways. It can lead to feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and alone.

I am passionate about working with individuals and their relationships, including helping with communication, women’s and men's issues, commitment concerns, family dynamics, and addiction. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming, seeking to create trusting relationships that foster healing and growth. I work to ensure my clients feel equal, heard, and understood by learning about all parts of my client’s environments and experiences that interact with one another that lead them on their path.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience working with substance use, codependency, relationship issues, shame, grief/loss, and disordered eating. I am specifically passionate about working with adults in the LGBTQ+ community. I utilize a strengths-based, solution-focused perspective and offer therapeutic interventions with warmth, humor, and directness.

Welcome! Are you looking to have more calm and confidence? Whatever your needs and goals may be... I hold out hope for more peace in today’s fast-paced world, while knowing it can start with how we each feel inside. Therapy should be collaborative between the client and the therapist, with a trusting relationship as the foundation. While fostering personal responsibility and problem solving, the goal is to learn through guided insight and self-awareness. With a strengths base approach, I treat individuals (child, adolescent, or adult) to navigate life’s challenges and promote improvement in wellbeing.

With all the stressors in our society today, you may benefit from a caring clinician who can be a main source of support and offer effective therapeutic treatment. I believe the most important element in a therapeutic relationship is empathy and rapport. I try to understand your world and the experiences that you have had, because only then can we process your emotions and perspectives together. I hope to help you reach your goals while offering a supportive and safe environment.

I enjoy working with children, adolescents, adults, and families who may be experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, trauma, grief and loss, feelings of isolation and disconnection, coping with life changes, ADHD, and more. I bring play, creativity, mindfulness, and breath work into therapy to help foster a sense of empowerment, presence, and freedom in others.

I enjoy working primarily with individuals who have a history of interpersonal violence. I especially feel honored to journey with those navigating their relationships as they work through their trauma history. I recognize how one's racial, cultural, and faith background impact recovery and welcome integrating these components in therapy. I also take time to explore how childhood experiences shape the individual and current relationships. My hope is that, through our time together, you will gain greater insight into yourself, which will contribute to your flourishing and the flourishing of your relationships.

As we grow and develop as humans, we often find ourselves confronted by issues from the past – issues we may have thought long-resolved. These issues can manifest in our relationship dynamics, our perceptions about ourselves, and our means of coping with our environment. My role is to join you in confronting these things so that you can integrate and learn the lessons these past experiences are meant to teach you. In our work together, you are the expert. You decide what your experiences mean and how they impact the person you are.

We live in a culture that has specific ideas of who we should be, how we should look, how we should feel, and how we should behave. Deviating from this cultural standard (especially due to race, class, ability, gender, and sexual orientation) gives us messages that we are wrong, bad, or broken; we can become disconnected from our bodies, cultures, and loved ones, and end up feeling unsafe, anxious, and depressed. Therapy is a practice that works to heal this trauma by creating a safe space where you can reconnect to yourself, your community, and the world.

Katie’s training and experience includes children and adolescents demonstrating symptoms associated with ADHD, autism, intellectual disability, giftedness, depression, anxiety, trauma, school refusal, and self-esteem issues. Her clinical work with adults has focused on those diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, trauma, and supporting parents in behavioral training. She values working with clients and their family to create goals, monitor progress, and champion successes.