Therapists in Oak Park, IL

Are you a queer or trans person who struggles to find a therapist who understands you? Do you find that you often have to educate therapists, who are allies, but don't quite have the cultural understanding of someone who's a part of the community themselves? We are here to help.

A lot of my clients (and arguably people in general) need to feel understood. In a couple's environment especially, each individual usually wants to feel seen by their partner. Sometimes it's hard for that to happen though, especially when both parties are feeling hurt. A lot of the times, clients' goals are then to communicate better, which makes sense; if communication was articulated and received my clearly then we'd understand each other more and maybe run into less issues. I come in and try to help my clients feel understood by others, but also I try to help them feel understood by themselves too.

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.

Possibly one of the most overlooked yet effective approaches to taking care of yourself is the simple act of listening–listening to yourself, listening to your body, and having someone you trust listening to you. Listening is where I like to start – to ensure that before anything else, I take the time to understand who you are. Each individual takes a unique path and one of my goals is to embrace that in a collaborative and open treatment experience. I take a nonjudgmental and empowering approach to ensure that my clients are strengthening their sense of self while acknowledging the past and present challenges.

Do you feel stuck, unmotivated, or not like "yourself"? I'm here to help you find peace of mind, freedom, & personal relief to take charge of your life. I'm an Integrative Internal Family Systems counselor & Adlerian art therapist, with 12+ years of experience, who excels in addressing mood shifts, anxiety, work-life balance, grief, & trauma. I listen with an insightful, patient disposition and an engaging, compassionate heart when we talk about your values, identities, and challenges. Together, we approach obstacles to discover new solutions & apply intuitive skill sets, gaining newfound confidence, authenticity, & wholeness.

Welcome to YOUR space of growth, if you accept, my dear fellow Human! You are capable of everything you desire for yourself & your inner world - change, healing, empowerment, upliftment, release, fulfillment, peace, liberation, & anything else your spirit truly yearns for. In this moment, Life may be immensely challenging you, but somehow you may still be exactly where you are supposed to be. At this fragile place where our paths converge I lay out in front of you this question: How can your mental wellness be truly supported right now, in the unique way YOU require?

I'm a licensed art therapist that is dedicated to nurturing culturally attuned care for the Asian and Asian-American communities. At the core of my practice is an unyielding belief in the transformative and healing power of art, a medium that transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, inviting individuals from all walks of life to engage, express, and heal. I've embraced a diverse array of individuals, particularly championing the needs of people of color, immigrants, and minority groups, guiding them towards self-acceptance, gender affirmation, and a profound sense of self-worth.

Healing can be a journey. Engaging in a space where your authentic self can shine can make that journey a bit less difficult. I try to create a space that is welcoming to your thoughts, feelings, and self-energy. I mostly work with people of marginalized communities (i.e. BIPoC, LGBTQ+, First-Gen/Immigrants), trauma survivors, and creatives. My past experiences including working with people with psychosis, sexual violence trauma, and gender affirming/supportive care.

My working model is positioned from a trauma informed, holistic, strength-based approach to understanding how we are able to cope with life and grow to be resilient. I base my clinical interventions in art therapy principles and both traditional / non-traditional approaches to understand clients' inner world and foster self-expression and trauma processing.

A longtime Chicagoan, I have also lived in China, France, and Japan. I use my full experience in management consulting, nonprofits, and the arts in my work as a therapist and am adept at working with people from varied backgrounds. I am astute, compassionate, and deeply committed to my clients' well-being. I engage my clients not only on the inner- and inter-personal levels, but also in the contexts of their intersecting roles and identities. I am attuned to the mutual influence that individuals and groups have on one another and the interconnectedness in life's pain and healing .

In a time of struggles or life transition, you may feel stuck, unsure, or overwhelmed. I believe in your resiliency being within you, sitting within your body, and I will guide you in exploring your inner power with compassion, safety, and empowerment. I value cultural humility and believe in a holistic approach that is centered on you and your experiences in our therapy sessions. I integrate collaborative insight-driven discussion and movement-based interventions, which helps me to address both your physical (body) and emotional (mind) needs in a neutral and non-judgmental manner.

We may at times wonder who we are, what it all means, and what it's all for, and that's okay. Your thoughts and emotions are a valid part of being human, but sometimes we need support, and that's okay, too. You deserve to find joy, empowerment, and self-insight with curiosity and non-judgment. I work with clients exploring identity, existential concerns, anxiety, ancestral trauma & healing, spirituality, sexuality, and navigating alt & expansive spaces, structures, identities. Whatever you're working through, let's collaborate to best serve your process and purpose!

Klara utilizes strength-based and relational approaches to help clients build resilience and personal insight through self-compassion and skill-building. Due to the creative and fluid nature of the therapeutic process, Klara mindfully shifts with each client’s needs, changing and growing with them on their unique journeys. She utilizes creative, holistic, and trauma-informed interventions while working collaboratively with her clients to create a tailored therapeutic experience.

As a relational therapist, I work with individuals, couples, and families as they navigate anxiety, depression, trust and communication, and life cycle transitions. I enjoy working with clients of all cultural backgrounds, sexualities and non-traditional relationships, as they navigate different phases of life. I hope to provide a communicative, collaborative space in which we can make meaning of the client's lived experiences to foster healing and growth on an interpersonal and intrapersonal level. As a queer, Asian-American woman of color, I hold space for the multiple identities in which clients identify.

Are you experiencing feelings burdening your daily living, are you feeling exhausted with anxiousness, are you occupied by unhelpful thoughts, or do you need a space to feel heard? I am here to honor your courage, your stories, and your willingness to change. I work from a person-centered, cultural relational framework that promotes safety and collaboration. I utilize art therapy and/or Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) in addition to talk therapy. Trust and connection are essential foundations to the therapeutic process, my goal is to facilitate an open space where progress, set backs, and feedbacks are valued and acknowledged.

Suffering is often the result of less than nurturing relationships and experiences. Fear can become imprisoned in the body. Family and culture can dictate how safe it is, or not safe, to express and be yourself. My immigrant experience from Taiwan allows me deeper empathy with people navigating life transitions and relating to different cultures and new relationships. At Embodied Way Psychotherapy PLLC, I strive to empower individuals within the context of systemic injustice and complications. My work is to provide compassion and wisdom so that you can feel fully alive and authentic in your body, your world and your relationships.

Your voice is stronger and louder than you believe, and I believe that every being has an untold story waiting to be heard, understood, and held with honor. We are often given the systemic message that our voices do not matter, that our stories will be outlived, or that our mental health (a.k.a. our feels) are not as important as our physical health. That is not your truth, or mine. Therapy can help you find your voice (or whatever medium works for you) so that you may continue to grow stronger, louder, and be more unapologetically YOU.