Psychodynamic Therapists in South Loop, Chicago, IL

Culturally Competent Therapy specializes in building trust and a therapeutic alliance with their clients, so they are prepared to do the work. Clients, often including licensed therapists, feel accepted to be themselves in a safe environment. Individualized tailored approaches include culturally sensitive cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic approaches to treatment that may challenge the client's belief system. I enjoy helping clients of all backgrounds discover the root of their problems and understanding the value of cultural factors such as family, race, socio-economic status, work/career demands, and integration of faith.

It’s okay not to have your life together all the time. Often, we convince ourselves that there is a linear path to our goals; we may find ourselves ruminating on the past or so apprehensive about our futures that we can begin to feel frozen and unable to live in the present. Our inner dialogue can brainwash us into believing there is something wrong with who we are and that we deserve to be alone. As your therapist, my goal is to hold space for these feelings and reassure you: it’s okay to not be okay; you are still worthy of healing.

There comes a point in all of our lives that we could use the help of a professional when we are lacking the proper tools for success. This is also true when seeking support for your mental health. Finding a mental health provider to assist you in finding better ways to cope and manage whatever you are struggling with is a brave move and this is the first big step in your journey toward mental wholeness.

I work with adults affected by anxiety, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal), grief/loss, Major Depressive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder, suicide of family member, co-worker or other, and women's issues. Experience: 30 + years in the psychiatry department of a major university clinic and 25 years of private practice. Wide range of therapies to offer the best "fit" for each client. My therapy approach is collaborative, interactive, strengths-based and focused on change. Former faculty member of The Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago (12 years.)

I work at SpringSource Psychological Center and am currently accepting new patients. I believe in connection as healing and will work to cocreate a space in which you feel seen and heard. I have a strong foundation in treating disordered eating and am committed to being a fat-positive, Health At Every Size informed clinician. As a queer-identified clinician, I am passionate about working in the LGBTQIA+ communities and helping folks explore their authentic selves. I am devoted to being keenly aware of the intersectionality of identity, and the systems of oppression that impact individual functioning.

At some point in our lives we all experience the full force of life’s challenges. Sometimes the distress, pain, alienation or isolation is too intense for us to traverse life’s path alone. Yet, for many of us, asking for help or inviting others into our private world is equally difficult. I hope to convince you that therapy can help us understand conflicts underlying these challenges. Through insight, self-empowerment and enhanced emotional regulation, we can become more adaptive and begin to heal and grow in the face of challenges or transitions. Therapy can also help to cultivate a greater sense of meaning and purpose in our live.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master's in Social Work from New York University with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health. In my clinical training and work, I have experience providing psychosocial services and therapy within both the New York City Public School and Public Hospital systems as well as a residential treatment school at the University of Chicago. I have years of experience working with clients ranging from early childhood to seniors and with a wide range of presenting problems including depression, anxiety, trauma, and psychosis symptoms.

I am offering both virtual and in-person counseling services. I specialize in treating the issues that arise from unresolved trauma, difficult early life experiences, and perinatal trauma, anxiety and mood disorders. My goal is to support and empower my clients by using an integrative and collaborative stance, incorporating my background in psychodynamic psychotherapy with body-centered and mindfulness-based techniques. It is my hope that by equipping my clients with the skills to develop their own self-awareness, self-compassion, clarity, and peace, they can go on to experience more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

As a therapist and storyteller, I strongly believe that we are all the experts of our own stories. That being said, stories aren’t linear and they don't exist in a vacuum, so it can feel like someone else has taken up the pen during times of stress or emotional upheaval. Systems of power, privilege, and oppression, intersecting identities, cultural values, relationships, and the pressure of social norms can greatly affect the way in which we move through the world. My goal is to help you pick the pen back up, create a safe space for you to look at your experiences, and decide what role they will continue to play in your story.

In searching for a psychotherapist, it is likely that you have a specific problem in mind. When these problems intensify or linger for long periods of time, they can lead to symptoms of anxiety and/or depression which interfere with your quality of life and sense of well-being. If you are seeking help in overcoming these difficulties, there are two important factors to consider when choosing a therapist. First, it is important that, after a few visits with the therapist, you feel that there is potential to form a strong working alliance.

**I have daytime availability Monday-Friday and morning availability on Fridays.** I practice in an integrative fashion, combining aspects of psychodynamic , relational, cognitive-behavioral and existential perspectives. I view therapy as a collaborative process and work with my clients to help create and maintain a safe space to explore and interact with one's thoughts and feelings. I seek to help my clients live fully and authentically and see therapy as an opportunity to learn new ways of walking in the world that bring happiness and fulfillment.

Are you experiencing depression or sadness, but you don't know the cause? Do you get anxious or scared? Are you having trouble in your relationship, and you're unsure how to cope? I understand and I can help. I have experience in providing individual, couples, and group psychotherapy services largely to minorities, LGBTQ individuals, adults, and at risk youth dealing with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. While this list is not all-inclusive, I also have extensive experience dealing with substance abuse/recovery, harm reduction, trauma, and chronic illnesses.

I believe in the enriching and transformative power of an authentically validating therapeutic relationship, one that is secure and trusting. My sincere goal is to create a connection with you that is collaborative, accepting, exploratory, honest and safe. Therapy has the ability to awaken us to be fully present in life. It helps us to know our stories, our patterns, our desires, our full and whole selves more deeply. This awareness inspires and creates growth, healing and change.

As a first generation American with a multifaceted cultural background and personal identity, I understand just how unique every individual is. For this reason, I find it important to meet clients where they are at and create a supportive and safe space where they can be their true authentic selves. I use an integrative approach to therapy based in multicultural, person-centered, and psychodynamic frameworks. I enjoy using a narrative approach to empower clients to re-author their life story, make more informed choices, and create positive change that will help them to live in a way that reflects their true goals and values.

I work with individuals navigating mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. I have experience working with a wide age range, spanning from adolescents to older adults. My clinical experience has included supporting people experiencing relationship issues, life-stage transitions, and negative self-talk. Being a daughter of immigrants, I have a special interest in working with individuals from diverse backgrounds within the BIPOC/AAPI communities. If you are truly willing to put in work to better yourself, I am willing to provide a space for your growth journey.