Family Therapy in River North, Chicago, IL

My name is Matthew Cramer and I'm a psychotherapist and addictions counselor. If you're considering therapy but aren't quite sure, or aren't entirely comfortable opening up to a stranger, then you've come to the right place! Most people who see me have little to no experience with therapists or therapy. Many are uncomfortable asking for help, believing it is a sign of "weakness." Others come from families where "staying strong," and keeping "personal business" in the family was the norm. Whatever their story, they are able to open up to me.

I am a warm, flexible, thoughtful and experienced licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist , and psychoanalyst located just north Chicago's Loop. I establish supportive and comfortable therapeutic relationships with men, women couples. Sessions are customized to the unique needs, goals, and strengths of each client. Typical issues include the following: depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, work difficulties, grief or loss, relationship issues or patterns, substance or alcohol abuse, divorce, parenting, stress management, relief from painful emotional symptoms, personality disorders, and renewing hope.

As clinical director for Midwest Counseling & Diagnostic Center, and a practicing clinical psychologist, Dr. Joy E. Ryba treats individuals, couples and families presenting with issues related to drug and alcohol addiction, process addictions (gambling, spending and sex), depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and self-injury. She has been in private practice since 2004, after leaving the group practice of a large suburban behavior health hospital.

I believe one of the most courageous acts a person can take is to seek therapy and professional support. As your therapist, my goal is to work collaboratively with you to create a space where you feel safe to learn more about yourself and better understand your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Seeking to heal and be whole is a brave undertaking, and I hope to journey alongside you as we work towards your therapeutic goals.

Are you in a place where you feel the need to make changes in your life to improve your happiness and overall well-being? Maybe it's addressing your social drug/alcohol use, or wondering why you feel stuck, and feel the need to explore your intrinsic wants/needs. I believe there's an importance in empowering one's spirit, identifying blocks, and in learning new skills to strengthen one's ability to make wanted changes. I focus on enhancing existing strengths, encouraging mindfulness, and building coping skills to support these changes.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have specialized in working with children and families for the past 18 years. Currently, as a psychiatric therapist at a local children's hospital, I provide individual and family therapy to children and adolescents struggling with acute needs, including depression, anxiety and behavioral concerns. I primarily work within the Cognitive Behavioral Model, with a view to helping children and adolescents obtain the skills necessary to become healthy and happy adults.

As a Latina, I understand how crucial it is to have a therapist that is culturally competent. While no one is going to be the expert in everyone’s culture, I believe it is vital to have an understanding of the bases of cultures and their value to their communities. This knowledge is not only essential but also emphasizes the beauty of human connections. Thus, it’s critical for me to understand your culture, your family , your values, and understand diversity aspects that allow me to see you as the person you are while we embark on this healing journey together.

Working with various populations has taught me the importance of understanding the full individual and their own unique experience in the world. I provide a supportive environment, focusing on symptom reduction while also exploring underlying roots of emotional discomfort. I encourage self-exploration, emotional processing, and self-acceptance. I try to help clients connect past experiences to their current situations, and I utilize the therapeutic relationship to foster clients' growth and self-fulfillment. I find therapy to be powerful and exciting, and I consider it a privilege to help people strive for their potential.

Rae Anne is a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, adjustment disorders, and trauma and stressor related disorders. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Penn State University with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies and holds a Masters degree in Counseling from Northwestern University. Rae Anne has extensive experience in working with children, teens, families, and adults in community mental health, hospital, and outpatient settings.

I am accepting New Patients! I'm in-network with Aetna, BCBS/Anthem, Cigna, and UHC/Optum. I offer a free phone consultation to see if we are a good fit to work together. It can be difficult to navigate personal change, loss, life transitions or maintaining motivation... Looking at you: new college student, new parent, caregiver for aging family or person transitioning children out of the home. Are you feeling stressed or stretched thin? This can look like depression, anxiety, procrastination or overwhelm. We can work on that together. There are always strengths in each person's situation that we can build on and maximize.

My areas of expertise focus around relational issues (with spouse/partner, parents or adult children), anxiety/depression, managing anger/emotions, young-adult development and life transitions (moves, school/career, divorce/separation, aging, etc.) Repeat arguments, miscommunications, lack of understanding, stonewalling/withdrawal, infidelity, difficulty navigating needs and expectations. Together we will identify patterns, stressors, and the role of beliefs, goals and emotions in motivating behavior. Life comes with problems, and success is rolling with the ups and downs. Come together or come alone.

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Deja has watched mental illness and illicit drug use disrupt the lives of strangers, family and friends. She sought out a degree that will allow her to help individuals heal mentally and emotionally. Her focus is re-building individuals and families broken by mental illness and substance use. Deja’s mission is to guide individuals to their highest selves through self-awareness and therapeutic intervention. She aims to help her clients create internal stability,so they can control their external reality. She believes that it takes a collective effort for a person to grow into their best selves

Stephanie uses a combination of modalities such as CBT, mindfulness, trauma-informed interventions, and psychodynamic influences. Stephanie earned an MSW from the University of Southern California. Her previous experience includes working with at-risk youth dealing with family issues and depression, treating survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and helping people in crisis situations. She works with adolescents and adults struggling with stress, depression, anxiety, domestic abuse, sexual assault, self-injury, mood disorders, and more.

Feeling numb, lost, stuck, or that we have lost control of our thoughts or our relationships can be a frustrating and aggravating, to say the least. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, I offer a nonjudgmental, welcoming space where I assist my clients in navigating the many challenges we face every day. Now accepting a select number of virtual private pay clients, per request. To read more about Antonina, go to: www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-service/495366

I have a passion for creating therapeutic spaces for support and growth. My practice experience includes work with adults, children, adolescents, and families who are presently suffering with trauma, grief, relationship issues, divorce, parenting challenges, life transitions, depression, anxiety disorders and a wide array of life circumstances. As a seasoned psychotherapist, I blend compassion, intellectual insights, and current research to address you or your loved ones unique needs and create a space in which empowerment and hope may flourish. I welcome working with diverse clients collaboratively towards their goals.

Sarah Donohue is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes in partnering with clients to explore what is causing their discomfort. She works from a client-centered perspective so that the client knows they are the expert in their story. Sarah incorporates mindfulness practices into sessions to help calm the often-overactive nervous system. Prior to coming to LifeStance, Sarah worked in Child Welfare for 4 years. She provided a multitude of services for children and families in the foster care system who experienced trauma, abuse, and neglect.

I work with clients who are seeking to better understand themselves and live authentic, rewarding lives. My specialties include anxiety, depression, life transitions, dating/relationships, self-esteem, and career development. Many of my clients desire clarity in their romantic and/or family relationships, and want to increase supportive, caring connections in all aspects of their lives. I support my clients in increasing their self-worth and self-knowledge to reach these goals. I have a passion for working with women, BIPOC, and queer individuals and I am committed to learning and practicing anti-oppression therapy.

Being a couple & family therapist , I work with people of all ages, providing trauma-informed and attachment-oriented therapy for kids and the adults who love them. As a school counselor I learned how much children and teens struggle with life stressors. Meeting their caregivers taught me how much adults struggle with their own stressors while they try to help their family . My goal is to empower you to take personal accountability for your individual and relational decisions. I am straight but not narrow, welcoming non-traditional individuals, couples and families, with a soft spot for multigenerational families.

My name is David Lewis, and I am a therapist. I am committed to providing you with a safe, healing, non-judgmental, therapeutic space where you can discover more about yourself. My goal is to provide you with therapy tools to reduce relationship anxiety, depression, and stress. I will help you cultivate healthy and functioning relationships and explore various ways to live an authentic life full of meaning and purpose. We can work together to heal and overcome your relationship challenges and life's hurdles, enabling you to attain acceptance and peace.