Dissociative Disorders (DID) Therapists in Near Eastside, Chicago, IL

Is your heart heavy from trauma or affected by childhood trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD, depression, anxiety, and dissociation? Are you feeling alone, and stuck in the past or abusive relationships? Do you feel unsafe or powerless even after the abuse is over? Are you feeling overwhelmed by struggles that use things to try to forget/numb? I understand how trauma leads to mental and behavioral challenges. Trauma history can stop you from living life as an authentic you as trauma may create fear-based reactions and self-defeated thoughts. I’m here to help you untangle some of your thoughts to find inner peace and heal wounded parts.

You spend a substantial amount of time pretending to have it all figured out, but inside you struggle with feeling flawed, unusual, or broken, and you imagine that no one around you can really understand what this feels like. It might look like despising the body that you exist in and feeling like your only option is to change it. It might look like feeling like your insecurities are crushing you, and impacting how you interact with others. It might look like struggling after hearing your partner had an affair, not knowing how you will emotionally recover. You want a therapist who can hold your hand and remind you of your own light.

(She/Her/Hers) Over the years, I have built a practice devoted to improving the lives of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, struggling with a number of different issues. More recently, I have shifted my focus from clinical practice to the training of pre-licensed and early career therapists. I very much enjoy mentoring as it gives me the opportunity to share all that I have learned in my two decades of providing psychotherapy.

My priority in our therapeutic relationship is that you feel comfortable and accepted in a safe and non-judgmental environment. My objective is to work with you as a whole person, rather than just a list of issues. It is imperative to me that you feel heard and understood. I truly love being a therapist and feel privileged to be a part of my client's lives.

Welcome to Chicago Psychology Services, nestled in the heart of the vibrant Chicago Loop. Our team specializes in testing and evidence-based therapies, embracing a holistic approach to wellness. Beyond addressing challenges, we're dedicated to empowering you to live a life filled with joy and creativity. Our personalized care integrates every facet of your unique journey, ensuring a comprehensive treatment and assessment experience. We help individuals, couples, and families find resolution and clarity with you life adjustments and difficulties. Our approach emphasizes timely solutions that bring profound insights and inner peace.

I specialize in supporting people who have experienced trauma, whether this be a single event, or repeated or chronic experiences throughout their childhood or life. I also work with people who having difficulties managing their mood (e.g. experiencing depression or anxiety) and understanding the role of experiences in shaping their sense of self and identity. I can work with people to process hard life experiences, creating a space to be heard or challenged, but also to develop practical skills to better cope with their difficulties (e.g. improving motivation, managing anxiety, reducing "unhelpful coping" such as substance misuse).

My strengths as a therapist are in helping people who are experiencing difficulties related to mood (depression, bipolar disorder), traumatic events (past or recent), anxiety, or psychosis. My therapy style is warm, person-centered, and collaborative but also humorous and active. I am also LGBTQIA+ friendly, gender affirming, and body/sex positive. I enjoy working with members of the kink, BDSM, and ethical non-monogamy communities and strive to make therapy a safe space to explore topics relevant to their lives. I am neurodivergence affirming and competent and try to make accommodations whenever possible to make therapy accessible.

It takes great courage to live out our authentic selves, find wisdom underneath our emotions, and repair and transform relationships that are close to heart. I admire your strength and humanity. As a counseling psychologist, researcher, and professor, I received doctoral and postdoctoral training in individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy. As an immigrant, I witness life and culture in its nuances and complexities. I believe (and research shows) that, built upon a safe and trusting relationship, therapy can effectively support people to find clarity, authenticity, and resolution through the richness of our life journeys.

I am passionate about helping empower my clients effect change in their lives, as well as working with individuals who have struggled to be successful with other therapists. Change is possible, and I aim to provide access quality to mental healthcare service to those looking for healing and personal growth. I believe we stay stuck in patterns, until we become aware of how histories impact our present day functioning, and opt to make changes.

Throughout our lives, we are taught how to be a good friend, a good family member, and to be kind and considerate to others. Unfortunately, people often are not taught how to be nice to oneself. As a therapist, I strive to assist clients in self-exploration and self-compassion and working towards self-acceptance. The real change starts with us as individuals. Once we start to take care of ourselves, and make those steps towards internal healing, there is a ripple effect towards improving our relationships with others. All parts of us are important, especially those parts of us we want to avoid and reject.

My field of expertise is working with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression or relationship challenges and working with couples. I enjoy working with young adults in transition who are feeling uncertain about employment, relationships or future- a quarter-life crisis. My other areas of interest include working with individuals who have experienced trauma and coping with the difficult emotions those experiences bring. When working with couples, I work with developing positive communication and relational skills to increase closeness, effectively adjust to life's challenges, and manage stress, anxiety and depression. I also enjoy working with adolescents and families to increase closeness and improve communication skills.

Currently Accepting New Clients - Hello and welcome! It takes a lot of courage to begin therapy and I hope to encourage and foster this courage in our work together. I view therapy as a collaborative process. I take a holistic and multicultural perspective, which means that all parts of your life are welcome and encouraged in our work together. I believe your identities and history are essential to who you are and how you navigate the world. You are the expert of yourself, and I collaborate with you so that you feel less alone and more understood. I offer genuine encouragement and help you recognize your progress.

As we go through life we often find ourselves wondering what we can do to better in our relationships with our significant others, family members and others around us. It seems as if we have tried everything, but nothing seems to work, at least not for a long time period. As a therapist, I believe in compassion, therapeutic alliance, and a non-judgmental environment to be with you every step of the way as you reach your goals. I am a Certified Psychotherapist that has emphasized in trauma, complex trauma, relationship issues, Grief, Infidelity, anxiety, and mood disorders.

As therapists, we work to build a genuine relationship with each client, create a safe space for discovery, and aim to understand that individual. This allows clients to safely explore alongside the therapist, and begin to see themselves with greater clarity, depth, and honesty. Good, effective therapy will likely not happen overnight (though exciting and wonderful eureka moments certainly occur along the way), and trust, honesty, and humor are invaluable to a beneficial therapeutic relationship. We believe that laughter and tears are equally powerful but that therapeutic change is measured in neither.

It takes a great deal of courage to share your experiences with a therapist and begin to work on yourself. I believe in accepting yourself as you are, while also continuing to change and improve yourself to live the life you want. I work to create a safe space that is nonjudgmental and open to nurturing personal growth. I strongly believe that the most progress comes from a good client-therapist relationship. I specialize in working with adolescents and adults working through life's challenges and processing ordinary stressors. Author of You Can't Stay There: Surviving a Breakup One Moment at a Time available on Amazon.

I’m glad you’re here. It is vulnerable and brave to start your therapy journey. Whether it’s your first time, or you’re back after a break, my hope is you will experience a deeper connection with yourself and the healing and growth to live to your full potential. I work with adults of all ages and my areas of interest include life transitions, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, career discernment and family of origin dynamics. As a mother of two young children, I also enjoy supporting expecting and new parents, and those seeking to create work-life balance and navigating issues of self-worth.

I am a Clinical Psychologist and I work well with individuals and couples who are interested in developing deeper knowledge of themselves, their relationships, and those around them. Together with my clients, I seek to understand each person in order to promote healing and healthier living going forward. Clients who benefit from my method are verbal, insight-oriented, and motivated to grow into the healthiest version of themselves they can become. Clients often come with symptoms such as anxiety or depression, but once they feel some relief they choose to explore the underlying reasons for these symptoms.

To schedule sessions, please book a call with our Client Care Coordinator here: www.calendly.com/adminccbh Starting this process can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Using warmth, empathy, direct feedback and skill building I can help you more fully understand yourself and your relationships and therefore feel empowered to start living the life you want to live. I firmly believe that healing comes from exploring how our past experiences have affected the ways in which we interpret and interact with our world in the present.

There are times in life where we all feel overwhelmed. Whether the day to day grind is wearing you down or overwhelming anxiety is making it difficult for you to leave the house, I am here to be on your side. I am a big believer that effective therapy is a collaborative effort between the client and the therapist and that healing is achieved by working together. I take an integrative approach to therapy, where I tailor the therapy to fit the needs of the client. I am also trained in EMDR therapy for trauma treatment and Gottman level 3 certified for couples work.