Therapists in South Loop, Chicago, IL

Hi there, I'm Tom. Are you feeling stuck in your journey of development and improvement? I walk alongside men and women and provide thoughtful insights and an empathetic, non-judgemental ear to help identify and work through roadblocks to growth.

In over 35 years as a therapist and in writing my national column for 55,000 therapists about the latest ideas and research in therapy, I'm still convinced that good therapy comes down to this: listening as carefully as I can, trying to understand your world through your eyes, then using my knowledge and both our perspectives to help meet your goals, face your fears, grow and begin a process of learning that continues long after therapy's over. Everyone wants to connect; it begins with the first phone call in therapy and then continues outside my office.

As a psychologist, and a mental health professional providing counseling for over 15 years, I am committed to offering individuals and couples effective and compassionate psychotherapy and consultation services. My approach entails a relationship that is warm, empathic, and supportive with psychotherapy that is informed by the latest scientific findings on what contributes to lasting improvements in mental health and overall well-being. My work is empirically-informed, sensitive, and customized to the unique and diverse needs of my clients.

"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are" (Jung). As a bilingual (Spanish/English) and bi-cultural Jungian Psychoanalyst and psychotherapist, I help people to consciously reconnect with their inner life in order to heal themselves. While damage to such connection usually creates a variety of psychological difficulties, reverence to the inner wisdom is a contemplative stance of active listening to the interior music that heals and that connect us with the immensity of our inner life. The inner life has an intelligence that corrects and compensates the psychological imbalances that have created emotional challenges.

I utilize an integrative approach to help clients achieve their goals for treatment. I tend to work from a pastoral, psychodynamic, and interpersonal framework and I believe that all healing happens in the context of relationship.

Do you want to overcome depression or anxiety and feel confident? Are you struggling with relationships? Do you find yourself getting angry quickly? Sometimes life transitions get difficult to manage. I have been helping people with these problems for 20 years and we can work collaboratively and holistically. We will focus on physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of your personality. We will figure out your best qualities and strengths, your personal resources and virtues to realize your true potential that will help you heal.

In our contemporary society it is easy to be content and even glad for medications that soothe symptoms, but healing comes from working through our underlying inner conflicts in a textured human relationship in which we can feel what we truly feel and become who we truly are. I believe distressful symptoms, whether depression, anxiety, anger, hurt, a sense of meaninglessness, a sense of emptiness, addictions, or behavior problems are signs. They are signs that it is time to grow our mindfulness of our underlying needs, feelings, and thereby gain choices for living more contently within our communities and families.

I believe that as we evolve and grow, our connections with ourselves, others and the world around us can become deeper and more fulfilling. However, when we are under stress, in a relationship crisis, or feel anxious or depressed, our connections to our loved ones and to ourselves are limited. We may be unable to communicate, feel angry, lack energy and feel overwhelmed. In order to relieve life's pressures, it is important to slow down, and become more self-aware--reconnecting with ourselves once again. Counseling fosters trust, and is a process that promotes growth and change.

I believe that all people have dignity, worth, and the right to live life in a way that brings them joy. Our ability to live joyfully can be limited due to imbalances of power in our world (racism, sexism, homophobia). Because of this we often suffer, and suffering left unaddressed can lead to limiting beliefs and behaviors. These behaviors are usually adopted as a matter of necessity to survive, yet they can keep us from being the most authentic and happy version of ourselves. The therapeutic relationship can heal and transform our lives through affirmation, validation and sustained attention on our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors.

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.

Often we struggle with our thoughts or experiences, and that struggle gets in the way of us living a complete and fulfilling life. Learning new skills to better manage your depression, anxiety... whatever it is, can be very helpful, but treatment with me will also focus on accepting those parts of you for what they are. Instead of struggling and fighting against those thoughts, those feelings, I try to take a different approach.

I identify as a multi-racial, gender-nonconforming queer male. My work with all clients is informed by frameworks like antiracism, social justice, feminism, and anti-imperialism. I bring authenticity and genuine empathy to each client, pairing these with effective and approachable therapeutic interventions that research says work. I can help with micro-level goals like improving mood and reducing anxiety, on macro-level goals like recovering from trauma and coping with systemic oppression, and on relational goals like building intimacy. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are my personal and professional values.

I am effective with men and women, from their early 20's and beyond, who feel trapped in fears, emotional pain, and self-defeating patterns in work and relationships. Usually, when we are emotionally stuck, it is because of longstanding conflicts and problematic interaction patterns, often operating outside awareness. Sometimes we feel too ashamed or confused even to look at these parts of ourselves alone, and need the help of a careful and caring listener to help clarify our dilemmas and to help open more choices, more freedom in our lives.

Do you know what you need to do or think, but still can't do it? Do you understand how to move forward but find yourself stuck nonetheless? Maybe you have medically unexplained health problems, or doctors telling you it's in your head? These are some of the reasons people seek psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I have been practicing psychotherapy for over 20 years in various settings including a university student counseling center and public mental health clinics for the seriously mentally ill and have effectively worked with clients struggling with conditions ranging from adjustment disorders (reactions to stress) to schizophrenia.

Individuals come to me experiencing anxiety or depression, feeling that they have not been able to feel better or make progress on their own. They may be questioning decisions they make in their relationships, careers or family life. Many feel that they need to make a change but are unsure where to start or how to be the most effective. In therapy I can help you in explore and understand the unknown parts of yourself to help reveal and ultimately repair the inner road blocks you may experience.

There are times when balance feels lost. Challenges come from many angles and catch us off guard, even when we are prepared. We adjust as best as we can but, change can be difficult, whether its small change or traumatic things that happen in our lives. I work with clients to adjust to even the most difficult changes in a collaborative approach. Starting therapy should not have the stigma of weakness. I have many years of helping people with relationship issues and trauma and I provided a safe non judgmental environment to explore and be heard.

I specialize in helping people achieve lasting and meaningful change in their lives. My goal is to help you increase your understanding of yourself and your struggles, alleviate emotional pain, and help you lead a fulfilling and meaningful life. I frequently work with people who experience anxiety or depression, or feelings related to a life change or transition. I also work extensively with couples to re-establish intimacy and connection, and to communicate effectively.

As a long-time Clinical Psychologist, former president of the Illinois Psychological Association, and advocate within Chicago's GLBTQIA community, I can offer you expertise and peace of mind for whatever challenges you. For more than 25 years, I have worked with people from diverse groups-individual adults, couples, families, and children-and for many of those years, right here in Lakeview. My goal is to encourage growth and well-being, supporting you while being direct and gently challenging, and offering psychological and neuropsychological assessment that gives you answers and insight into what concerns you.

Therapy is a healthy resource. Everyone needs an objective, non-judgmental person to talk with in a confidential and warm environment. Sometimes you feel something is not quite right, but you can't put your finger on it. Other times, you know exactly what it is. Either way, telling your story can help figure things out by identifying your patterns of thought, behavior and emotions. Are any of them getting in the way? Together we discover the obstacles to achieving a stronger sense of well-being. Most importantly, we figure out how you can remove obstacles to leading a happier, more authentic life.