Therapists in Cook County, IL

We all procrastinate from time to time— that assignment isn’t that hard, the towels aren’t that dirty, the mail isn’t so urgent. Suddenly, it’s 9:30PM, and even though you used the day productively (reorganizing Tupperware and extra electronic cables), the one thing you needed to do didn’t get done. Procrastination isn’t about being lazy or mismanaging time; it’s a misunderstanding of internal motivations and anxieties. I can help you implement changes in your life to decrease avoidant (procrastinating) behaviors as well as the frustration and guilt that comes with it.

I discover objectively what is the issue, applying the best treatment for abuse, aging, alcohol/substance use, anger, anxiety, attention deficit, autism spectrum disorders, bereavement, cancer, career consultation, coping, criminal charges, custody, delinquency, dementia, depression, divorce, DUI, dyslexia, hyperactivity, hypnosis, individualized education plans, insomnia, job loss, learning disability, lower productivity, neuropsychological exams, panic attacks, parenting, personal injury, personality tests, post automobile accident, relationships, stress, trauma, TBI, underachievement, vocational guidance, workers compensation.

My overarching goal for any of my clients is to have an improved life, in whatever area that they are seeking to manage and improve.

I have over 20 years of testing experience as a Licensed Diagnostician, Educational Psychologist, and School Psychologist. I specialize in psychoeducational & neuro/psychological testing for children, teens, college students, and adults. I evaluate for ADHD, executive functioning, anxiety, mood, developmental concerns, social anxiety, social difficulties, personality traits, adjustment issues, 504/IEP, learning challenges, college & graduate school testing, college career assessment profiles, & more. I worked with many school districts as a child advocate/consultant/school psychologist, including North Shore, Lincolnwood, & NSSED

My clients tell me that I really listen to them, am a down-to-earth person, and am able to help them through very difficult times of their lives. I am an energetic and positive person, yet can calmly help clients find creative solutions to tough problems and areas where they feel stuck somewhere in their lives.

Whether you desire to make changes, heal wounds or develop a more genuine and authentic life, Aimee invites you to partner with her in creating a safe, supportive space for reflection and growth. Examine, explore and discover how maintain a more gratifying and joyful lifestyle. As your story unfolds, she tailors a wholistic approach that meets your personal needs, goals and aspirations.

Considering change, whether big or small, takes courage and hard work. My hope as we engage in a therapeutic relationship is to create a welcoming, open environment where you feel supported, valued, and safe. I work with adults identifying a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship challenges, and grief & loss. I provide a focus on relational dynamics in addition to the impacts of systems, environment, and trauma. Together we'll work to form a deep understanding of your most important relationships, emotions, and experiences while examining pathways for support and change.

My belief is that effective counseling develops from establishing a collaborative relationship with clients, as they are the experts in their lives. Through psychodynamic therapy individuals gain a self-awareness and understanding of the influence of their past on present circumstances, and enables individuals to explore unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships and manifest themselves in current issues going in their lives. My belief is that people want to be healthy and happy and sometimes just do not know where to start.

As a therapist, I strive to ensure that the largest influence on your life story is your genuine self, not judgment, worry, fear, or external entities. To do this, I help you: identify what has held you down or is holding you back, discard unnecessary judgment, and leave behind what no longer serves you, so that you can embrace positive change.

My ideal client is looking for a supportive environment to sort out what is bothering them in a collaborative manner. As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I specialize in couples and families at all stages of marital distress and conflict, re-marital,premarital, infidelity, family problems, empty nesters, and aging parents. I will work with you to find effective solutions to the challenges you are facing. We will work to identify your strengths and weaknesses keeping your goals at the forefront of our work together.

I am committed to creating a therapeutic space for exploration, authenticity, collaboration, and celebrating the diversity of each individual. I place great importance on the strength of the therapeutic relationship and believe it is the engine for agency, growth, and meaningful change. Through empathy and humor, I seek to engage my clients in identifying strengths, exploring healthy coping mechanisms, challenging stories we tell ourselves, and finding ways to turn towards compassion in our relationships with others and ourselves. I strongly believe in people’s innate resilience and feel it is an honor to walk alongside my clients.

In-person & telehealth available: Brighter Pathways, PLLC is a small group practice currently offering individual, couples, family, and group therapies. Our therapists value collaboration, education, and transparency because treatment should make sense to you. In order to best meet your needs, your therapist will strive to understand your unique circumstances. We believe in a team approach to treatment. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan that addresses your personal goals and struggles. We offer a safe, supportive, and open environment for you to explore your struggles and strive for personal growth.

I'm a psychologist who's caring and direct. I use compassion, wisdom and humor to help clients understand and deal with problems in a way that's respectful and honors their unique situation. My style is grounded in the belief that promoting an individual's innate desire and ability to move forward in life is the key to progress in therapy. If you're feeling overwhelmed in life, dealing with something you find increasingly hard to handle and are ready to make a change, I can help. Please consider calling me to begin exploring a new way to live.

I have extensive training working with individuals who struggle with a range of anxiety symptoms, and diagnoses especially trauma. In my years of practice, I have noticed that many clients lack trust in themselves and the ability to find a positive sense of self. People just want to understand themselves and become more comfortable with how they handle daily life stressors and others. To achieve this goal individuals need support with recognizing triggers and utilizing appropriate coping skills to reduce the negative responses to those triggers.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me! My ideal clients are looking for a strength-based approach where they are more than a "psychiatric diagnosis." My clients come from many backgrounds - they are children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families - and are dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, women’s issues, anger management, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorder, addiction issues, couples therapy, and working through LGBTQ+ issues. I partner with my clients in the change process and empower them through using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and other tailored approaches.

Our life's work is helping clients achieve a better sense of self and happiness...more recently we've recognized that without good mental health providers, finding this balance in life can be more difficult and stressful. As a result, we tend toward an Integrative approach and help our clients transform into the people they want to be. We see each client as an individual with many parts to their identity. Utilizing a holistic and systemic approach we help clients reintegrate the parts of themselves to function better as individuals and within their systems. Our focus tends toward a systems based approach using behavior methods.

People enter into therapy for a variety of reasons such as; having experienced a recent or past trauma, struggling with anxiety, depression or a life altering event. Ultimately, we all want to feel better and live more productive lives. I believe that therapy is a collaborative endeavor which takes place in an open and non-judgmental environment. My role is to help clients gain a deeper understanding of themselves, what motivates their behaviors and how they can bring about the desired changes.

It is common for human beings who experience trauma and life stressors to feel like their lives are unraveling. My passion is bringing healing to people who have been through a traumatic/stressful experience and also improve their lives. I enjoy working with adults of all ages. I am fluent in English and Portuguese. As a client-centered and trauma-informed therapist, I view the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative space and a vehicle for change.

Shira Behal is a therapist with experience, who knows how to weave different approaches together to find the right one for you. Shira is someone who listens, and also educates and guides. Someone to help you reach your goals and grow into a life that matches your values. Someone ready to do the deep work, and stay with you through the long work. Shira is a therapist who knows that healing takes a balance between the intellect, the emotional mind, and the body.