Therapists in Chicago, IL

I am passionate about providing counseling for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I enjoy working with diverse cultural backgrounds, all sexual orientations and gender, and advocating for clients. I use an integrative treatment pulling from Humanistic, Systems, Trauma-Informed, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy while incorporating expressive therapy techniques for individual clients. For couples therapy, I use the Emotionally Focused Couples therapy techniques to help couples understand and dismantle unhealth conflict cycles.

Life is a journey that can be both beautiful and frightening. It can feel overwhelming navigating these ups and downs. Adjusting to the changing world while taking care of your mental health is challenging. Unconditional acceptance, compassion, and empathy drive my therapeutic style. Seeing people as complex individuals with unique cultural, spiritual, and psychological facets allows me to see the bigger picture so I can tailor therapy to your specific needs. Feeling comfortable and safe is essential so we can explore and better understand those frightening parts of life.

I understand how overwhelming the process of finding a therapist can be. I understand the discouragement felt when your therapist isn’t the right fit. My approach to therapy is down to earth and humanistic. I recognize that everyone is having their own authentic and imperfect experience which cannot be judged, and the way I treat every client mirrors that. My core belief is that everyone deserves to be heard.

Doing the work it takes to find the right therapist when your mind and heart are struggling and in need of that help takes an enormous amount of strength and hope. As a highly experienced clinical social worker, my goal is to bring my wide-range of experience with therapeutic modalities and diverse populations to capitalize on your strengths and hope. I work from a humanistic, trauma-informed and strengths-based perspective. While I have experience ranging from counseling people living with varying degrees of mental illness, to refugees from conflict zones, and survivors of Queer hate motivated violence.

I’m Bori, a therapist and a trauma-specialist. Let me first say this: thank you very much for being who you are. I do appreciate that you are prioritizing yourself in this healing journey. I appreciate that you have made this audacious, brave decision to seek counseling. No matter where you are or which season you are in, your story matters. Your struggle matters. Your being matters. Your inner child matters.

Patrycja is a Chicago based Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in therapy for adults with trauma, c-PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, addictions, and challenging life transitions. She cares deeply about the individuals she serves, and strives to provide a supportive and impactful therapeutic experience. She practices from a psychodynamic and humanistic framework, and has a profound curiosity about the complexity of the human experience. She is passionate about demystifying the process of therapy.

Struggling with issues related to trauma, grief, body image, life changes, anxiety, or general unhappiness? Sessions involve a somatic collaborative approach to help you feel supported. We will discover your strengths and work on coping mechanisms that work for you to live a more balanced life. I strive for each client to feel empowered and choose to meet them where they are in a way specific to their own individual needs. With your agency and permission, I may utilize EMDR, movement and intuition, reiki, as well as psychotherapeutic factors to work towards healing. Humor and creative wonder are also invited in the room!

I'm passionate about working with couples and individuals navigating life transitions, grief, anxiety, self-esteem, relationship issues, and complex family dynamics. I strive to create a space that is comfortable, calm, and rooted in being human. I am committed to supporting clients from an intersectional feminist and anti-racist perspective.

As a therapist, I believe in the power of self-awareness in helping people overcome adversity. Trained in Systems Therapy at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, my orientation is to use relationships to strengthen our understanding of one another, and of ourselves. I value the humanistic experience most of all, and strive to learn as much as possible about one's past motivations and ways of coping. I also believe that the therapeutic relationship is the key ingredient in effecting change. I use compassion and acceptance as tools to help create space for that change.

Being human can be tough. We have big old brains that think too much, and emotions that, at times, can feel out of control. Our relationships, jobs, health, and identity were already really complicated, and now on top of everything the world feels really scary and unpredictable. Whether your distress is relatively new, or you have a long history of dealing with mental health issues, many people have found therapy to be a critical step to feeling better, and reaching their goals.

My goal is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space to collaborate with clients at a respectful pace. I trust that my clients are experts on themselves and strive to meet them where they are. I believe in the power of the therapeutic relationship as a mechanism for healing and focus on fostering a relationship defined by authenticity, vulnerability and trust. I am not interested in playing the role of an aloof expert and seek to join clients in their journey of self-exploration on a level playing field.

Every individual and couple who has ever sought my services worked diligently to navigate life as best as they can until they reached an impasse. They feel depleted, frustrated, confused, unfulfilled. Stuck. This is human, and I view those seeking my services as individuals, not diagnoses. Therapy is at its core, conversational. As such, my primary aim is to create a setting in which it is as comfortable as possible to explore the most sensitive areas of your life. Some of the primary issues I treat are depression, work stress, anxiety, substance use, trauma, life transition.

As a licensed clinical psychologist I will work collaboratively with you to identify and better understand the challenges you are facing, as well as the strengths and supports you possess to address these challenges. I have seen firsthand how this exploration can lead to desired changes in people's lives. My areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, recovery from trauma, substance abuse, body image and eating problems, grief and loss, relationship concerns, life adjustments, family issues, identity and sexual orientation issues, self-esteem development, immigration, and acculturation issues.

My greatest passion and area of specialty is in working with individuals, of all ages, who are experiencing significant distress in their lives, including: death and loss, impaired self-esteem/confidence, anxiety, depression, life transition issues and relationship difficulties.

Seeking therapy is a courageous act. As your therapist, I'm privileged to meet you where you are at. I view my clients holistically and with a humanistic lens to gain an encompassing understanding of their experience. My style of therapy is based in person-centered principles and guided by empathy, authenticity, understanding, and respect. I use cognitive behavioral strategies to identify patterns and barriers, enhance cognitive flexibility, and empower clients to carve out their unique path of individual fulfillment. My goal is for your life to be both more functional and fulfilling.

I approach therapy with a compassionate and trauma informed lens, viewing clients as more than what has happened to them. I seek to empower clients to recognize that through conscious awareness, acceptance, and compassion, everything they need is already within. I provide a non-shaming space and guide clients to reconnect with their inner selves, helping them understand their internal world, and access their own healing capabilities. I utilizes a systemic lens to therapy, which understands the important interplay between human behavior and past and current environmental influences and relationships with family, friends, and culture.

As a practicing artist, (30 years as a designer, visual artist and entrepreneur) I have a particular understanding of issues and situations affecting working creative professionals and people who identify as artists. My goal is to serve the creative community, as well as other clients, with mental health and wellness services. I work towards gaining a cultural, societal, and situational understanding of each persons' attitudes, beliefs, and desires in order to create awareness and therapeutic change. My approach is humanistic, and includes a variety of techniques. I hope that my encounters with clients can be transformational, not a transaction.

As your child's psychologist, I will see the world through their eyes and help them find their voice. I have over 10 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families. I utilize Client-Centered play therapy with young children and Client-Centered talk-therapy with adolescents, young adults and families. I wholeheartedly believe in providing empathetic understanding, unconditional positive regard, and being genuine. Providing young people with a safe place to explore their thoughts and feelings is key to encouraging positive growth and authenticity. I also offer emotion-focused parenting support and counseling.

It is ok to not be ok. As we go through life, stressors increase, anxieties grow, and we can forget what it means to just be. We bring to relationships a lifetime of experiences which can hinder us or help us. Through all of this haze, we can lose sight of taking care of ourselves, understanding our needs, and making choices with those needs in mind. Being a human is a work-in-progress. I see it as an honor to stand with someone as they confront, explore, renovate, and soothe the self. With work, I believe a person can find their shine.