Psychodynamic Therapists in South Loop, Chicago, IL

Your personal experiences and emotional needs are unique. I offer sensitive, collaborative and structured therapy to address that individuality. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship conflicts or life transitions we will work together to implement new skills and change that will bring joy and acceptance into your life. I believe that truly successful therapy provides resolution of the negative mindset and redirection of energy into positive action and holistic balance.

What makes an impact? Is it your will? Your intentions? Your heritage? Your chemistry? My work is collaborative meaning we will discuss your reasons for seeking care and selecting goals.

Right now, my practice is full. Life can bring difficulties in many forms - daily stresses, significant transitions, major losses and conflicts in relationships. Especially in this time of the coronavirus pandemic, anxiety and grief feels overwhelming. We work together in a collaborative relationship where the goals are defined by your problem areas and desires for improvement. I use an interpersonal approach to therapy but also include cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic therapy. It's a privilege to be a part of this process with my clients. I look forward to working together.

Whether this is your first time seeking therapy or you have been here before, I am glad that you are taking this important step for your well-being. Maybe you want support during a difficult life transition, to build coping skills, to develop insight, to change behaviors, or to heal from emotional wounds. I have experience working with individuals on issues including depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, life transitions, being first generation, and relationship, family, and work stress. There are many reasons we come to therapy, and I am honored to support you on your journey.

I am a therapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Chicago, Illinois. In my therapy practice, I work with individuals of all ages including kids, adolescents, emerging and older adults as well as couples and families. Therapy can be a unique experience for deepening understandings of self, our relationships, and our life story. In navigating the therapeutic process in service of this aim, we’ll co-create the foundation necessary for our work: a genuine, trusting, relationship. My role is to help you clarify your inner struggles and challenges in the greater world with the hope of living a better, more fulfilling life.

Welcome! I believe that one of the essential ingredients of change and transformative psychotherapy is the relationship between the individual and the therapist. Feeling understood and comfortable only helps reduce one's symptoms, encouraging self-acceptance, but also leads toward deeper work which promotes lasting change and a deeper experience of one's whole self.

I specialize in working with individuals struggling with trauma, mood dysregulation, overwhelming anxiety, stress-induced somatic symptoms, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, complex grief, substance misuse, and maladaptive interpersonal behaviors. I also work with couples seeking help with relational well-being, communication, and conflict resolution.

You spend years looking for someone who gets you, someone who completes you in so many ways. Sometimes you just can't find that person. Or you always mess it up. Or you do make a life with someone, and then you discover that you're arguing all the time, hurt, and lonely. Maybe relationships are not your issue: It's a career thing, an illness or a loss that you can't bounce back from. As human beings, we seem to need to give ourselves to things, to love and be loved. So why is it so hard?

(I currently am unable to take new patients). I work with individuals who feel anxious, sad, or are having difficulty in relationships, work, creativity, or with their physical well-being. I have worked extensively with individuals of many ages and backgrounds, including young adult, adult, and older adult men and women whose concerns surround issues of identity, grief/loss, low self-confidence, and painful inhibitions in success or fulfillment. I also work with individuals who are struggling with the effects of medical illness.

Through research, education and clinical services, The Family Institute at Northwestern University is one of the nation's leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations committed to strengthening and healing the whole family system by bringing together the right partners to support children, adults, couples and families across the lifespan. As researchers, educators and therapists, we work with our clients and PARTNER TO SEE CHANGE. By weaving together 175 therapists and therapists-in-training, we create a high quality, collaborative system of behavioral health care. One that gets results.

I have over 25 years of clinical experience in psychodynamic psychoanalytic therapy. I have particular experience in working with adults who are experiencing relational difficulties as well as suffering from anxiety and depressive disorders.

I have had the privilege of working with adults of all ages and various identities. I am passionate about supporting my clients facing loss, identity development, anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Sometimes life catapults us into a new chapter - filled with both challenge and promise - that we may not have asked for. As these moments accumulate over time, we find meaning and change through fully experiencing the present and deliberately reflecting on the past. Therapy with me encourages both. My aim is for you to have a space to show up wholly as you, however that may shift from session to session.

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.

Compassion. Insight. Empowerment. I'm committed to blending clinical expertise with warmth and respect for each client's wisdom, to create a healing, growthful partnership. A hallmark of my approach is cultivating mindfulness: nonjudgmental, moment by moment awareness that promotes living more fully, less reactively, and making better use of one's resources. Whether addressing depression, anxiety, stress, past trauma or current relationships, I begin by creating a space of acceptance. Here, we cultivate insight: the ability to observe accurately, think clearly, and choose wisely. Together, we explore options, drawn from clinical scholarship, collective wisdom, and clients' evolving self-awareness.

My approach to therapy is collaborative and is aimed at helping you develop long-lasting health (both as an individual and in your relationships). I'll help you address individual concerns such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, panic, sleep issues, job fulfillment, and family stress. Initial sessions will involve a thorough intake so I can be sure I understand the breadth of your background and current problems. I will help you construct individualized goals for therapy, and we will agree on how to best work together. I utilize a variety of approaches and techniques including psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies.

As an empathic clinician, I place importance on establishing a safe and comfortable therapeutic environment. I encourage a collaborative and authentic relationship in which my clients feel understood and supported. Because individuals are unique, I emphasize fully understanding each client and their specific concerns. My interventions are based on this understanding as well as my clients' preferences. I have lived and worked in several countries in Europe, South America and Africa and have enjoyed working with individuals from diverse backgrounds on a wide range of concerns in my over 15 years of practice.

Are you the person you want to be? Are you having difficulty in your relationship or career? Feel like you are never good enough? Guy, do you avoid or deny your feelings? Are you stung by a recent breakup/divorce? Ask yourself a different question. Are you ready to feel empowered and thrive? My goal is to help you increase self-awareness & make positive lasting changes in thoughts and behavior. I provide integrated therapy and consulting customized to your unique situation, goals, personality, strengths, and history. To help you become a better version of yourself and reach your unlimited potential.

My approach to therapy is one of warmth, collaboration, mutual respect, and non-judgment. Whether you're undergoing a life transition, unsatisfied in your relationship(s), or just feeling down as a result of life's ebbs and flows, I am committed to helping you understand your experiences more deeply and ultimately find relief from your pain through self-exploration and meaning-making.

**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.