Therapists in 60602

I love working with people of all cultures who have histories of trauma and addiction and who want to make pivotal breakthroughs in recovery. I work best with patients who engage honestly, directly and courageously; welcome challenges; and want to thrive. We discover and nurture strengths borne of struggle. I specialize in culturally responsive group treatment of trauma and addiction, relationship issues, family dynamics and multigenerational legacies. I empower patients; we tap into their insight, intellect, creativity and spontaneity. I enthusiastically welcome Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other People of Color to my practice.

My ideal client comes from many walks of life. They are children, teenagers, and adults and present with anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, relationship and family problems, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), school problems, and oppositional-defiant disorder. They all share a common need to be heard, empowered, and guided on the path of recovery. I provide evidence-based treatments tailored to the needs of my clients. I focus on strengths and capabilities rather than "illness."

Therapy is about providing professional support to help you work through whatever prevents you from experiencing the freedom of emotion and choice. There are times our cultural, familial, and social experiences cause us pain we don’t know how to process, which stops us from living fully and freely. Sometimes our patterns and ways of responding interfere with making sense of our experiences. We need help sifting through our thoughts and emotions to get clarity. Recovery from depression is a healing process, whether from a chemical imbalance or in reaction to life.

My clinical work focuses on fostering strength and resiliency throughout peoples life. My immigration story as a psychologist involves overcoming many adversities, which has only fueled my passion for helping others. I am not one to shy away from adversity or back down from obstacles, and I work diligently and with credence, being prepared to be unprepared. My multicultural awareness informs my therapeutic approach in terms of building connections. My unique clinical attribute is undoubtedly my passion, intrinsic motivation and my ability to help make any client feel comfortable in the therapeutic environment.

The start of therapy is often a painful or stressful time. I will work with you to improve your current life and increase your future resilience. I believe the foundation of this work is often the experience of being truly heard. There are stories behind the things we do and the feelings we have. We usually know parts of these stories, but therapy helps us to know more. As we come to know more, we gain more control, and it becomes easier to meet life’s challenges. Additionally, we become better at seeing people and situations for what they really are, which helps us to avoid ruts at work and in our relationships.

I work with individuals, couples, and families struggling with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, addiction issues (substance abuse), troubled teens, school failure, LGBTQ+, and trauma and identity issues. As a lifelong allied and friend to the LGBTQ+ community, I work very hard to remain current to concerns that are specific to marginalized communities. I tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique needs. I will work with you to think outside of the box and build strength through our therapeutic relationship.

Life’s challenges happen suddenly. Without warning it feels like you can’t navigate through with confidence and calm. Instead, you are plagued with worry, hesitation, anxiety, and depression. At times, life feels like a ticking time bomb, and you are desperately searching for an effective means to diffuse it. But your coping skills aren’t working well enough, or maybe they weren’t that healthy in the first place. How are you supposed to get comfortable with the challenges you are experiencing, let alone feel you are responding in a healthy way, when everything around you – maybe even your person – can be so unpredictable?

I believe that dealing with stressful situations can become tough and overwhelming. But, I also believe that you have the ability – with professional guidance – to unlock your own potential and solve the problems that are holding you back from a more fulfilling life. My role is to partner with you in change, create specific and achievable goals, and work together in lock-step to help you reach your full potential. My ideal client has been suffering from anxiety, depression, relationship problems, immigration and acculturation issues, LGBTQIA+, burnout, trauma, and substance abuse and is looking to make a change for the better.

My professional background includes working with a wide variety of clients from children to older adults. I have provided mental health and substance abuse outpatient counseling including individual, group and family therapy. I have worked with a broad range of presenting issues including anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, relationship problems, family conflict, mood disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, thinking disorders, codependency, domestic violence, self-esteem, women’s issues, spirituality, chronic illness, chronic pain, dual diagnosis, and addictions.

Are you in a relationship that you want to leave? Do you long for a relationship in your life but you can't seem to find the right person or act in a way that brings out your best self? Are you feeling down on more days than you are feeling up? Perhaps we should talk. The first step is the hardest, picking up the phone and asking for some help. A courageous act which I so respect and understand, but the necessary first step in the journey towards feeling better. Often you will feel better for just having done that for yourself.