Therapists in Uptown, Chicago, IL

I strive to cultivate a culturally-informed, sex and kink-positive space for clients to process thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I’m affirming of all expressions of gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as non-traditional relationship structures. My background includes specific work with those who have experienced traumatic injuries, the sudden loss of a loved one, and interpersonal violence, as well as understanding and coping with complex medical diagnoses. I also work with folks experiencing distress related to anxiety, relationship concerns, and life transitions.

Welcome to my practice. I am a licensed clinical psychologist and bodyworker. I take a holistic, collaborative approach to helping clients heal by using a combination of psychotherapy, biofeedback, and craniosacral therapy to help clients move toward a sense of peace and balance in their lives. For many, this means that we will work together to heal from past traumas, overcome symptoms of depression and anxiety, learn to be more self-accepting, cultivate more fulfilling relationships, and find deeper meaning in life.

I enjoy working with clients grappling with disordered eating and body image issues. As someone with lived experience of once having an eating disorder, I understand the complex challenges of discovering what is best for your body while being immersed in societal pressures. It is easy to live life in extremes of all or nothing. Finding balance and nuance in life can be challenging, especially if that means creating boundaries and embracing the word "no". In my work, I hold space for all of the messiness that life can bring.

As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor my goal is to create a warm and compassionate space in which individuals, couples and families can develop and improve meaningful relationships.

Hi! I am Sierra Larson, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 6 years of clinical experience working with all age groups in areas such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, and stress. I use a variety of treatments such as CBT, DBT, TF-CBT, Play, Solution-Focused, and Strength-Based Practices to help you become who you want to become. I believe in growth, change, and that anyone is capable of making their life what they want it to be with some help.

One of my favorite song lyrics says, "I'm just a spirit trying to be human." There’s so much weight that lives inside those words: emotions, questions, uncertainty. For those of us who wander, question who we are, or wonder what our purpose is, we can stumble if life hasn’t met our expectations. The majority of my clients identify as misfits, empaths, spiritual beings, and highly sensitive people who have survived childhood trauma, harsh life transitions, and an occasional identity crisis.

It is not always easy to admit when we need help – and then to ask for it. Taking the step to seek therapy is an important one, and I want to help make it a positive experience for you. Sometimes our worlds on the inside and on the outside can leave us with overwhelming feelings that may not be easy to manage on our own, and you don’t have to. As you work with me, you will find that I am compassionate and easy to talk to. I support clients in a number of areas, including: trauma; questions around identity and expression; relationships; family of origin; life transitions; anxiety; and depression, to name a few.

Choosing to begin therapy shows incredible inner strength. Difficult situations can be managed with the strength of the individual along with the help of an external support system. My goal is to be a part of that support network and to cultivate a safe and supportive environment where we can identify, explore, and work through challenging issues. I work with clients towards change in areas including depression, anxiety, grief, relationship issues, self - esteem, trauma, and life transitions.

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.

Life is full of “shoulds.” Family, friends, and society often have a very clear idea of the path we’re supposed to be on, but we believe that peace and empowerment lie in finding your own path- worrying less about the expectations of others and more about what you want your life to look like. Taking an alternative path or changing route along the way is difficult. Therapy can help as you strive to be true to yourself on the journey. We offer a space where individuals learn to utilize their personal strengths to live their most meaningful lives and develop fulfilling relationships.

I view therapy as a journey to self-discovery, which is not always an easy one. Having someone that can join you on this journey can allow the process to be more enjoyable and less overwhelming. Receiving help for mental health struggles is not always easy, and as a Hispanic woman, I have seen first-hand how mental health crisis have affected our Hispanic community. My hope is that when we collaborate, you feel comfortable enough to bring all these unique parts of yourself such as culture, gender, sexual orientation, religion, spirituality, etc. My goal is to provide a safe space where you can feel heard, validated and respected.

My goal is to guide adult clients toward a greater sense of wholeness, authenticity, wellbeing, and presence to self and others. I help individuals develop healthy coping skills to quickly reduce emotional overwhelm, increase self-compassion, expand deep personal insight, and encourage them to take values-directed action in their lives that break self-destructive patterns.

Life is full of transitions and adjustments; in each of these, you deserve a safe and supportive space to talk about it in a relaxed, guided manner. I believe in the importance of language- how you talk to and about yourself and others- and in the power of stories that make life. I want to help you recognize which stories you wrote in alignment with your values, and which were imposed on you by society, culture, and the people close to you. In therapy, I utilize evidence-based techniques, while also recognizing that your mind is a vast universe to be approached from a philosophical and spiritual place.

While they are a vital part of our lives and can bring us so much joy - relationships are complex! Think about it - although people spend years learning and practicing most key skills, many people have had limited opportunity learning about relationships and emotional skills. I work with people who are often very successful in many aspects of their lives, but who get stuck in emotional or relational patterns. They know they desire for things to be different and more satisfying but are not quite sure how to get there. That's where therapy can be a powerful platform for change!

I have a wide range of expereince dealing with emotional difficulties and relationship difficulties. I want my clients to experience their "self" as good and true. I want them to learn to trust themselves, and to experience a sense of vitality and accomplishment in living.

Whether you are struggling with a life transition, anxious thoughts, or relationship uncertainty, I know we can collaborate to find your unique path forward. I provide psychotherapy to individuals that focuses on recovery & healing from past and present traumas as well as work around self-discovery, identity, and positive growth. I see my job as providing support, validation, & relational safety. You are an expert in your life and experience; therefore, my therapeutic approach is flexible so that each session can be client-centered and client-directed.

As a Queer/ Neurodivergent clinician, I work from a relational model that seeks to include both macro and micro aspects of life to co-create a better understanding of what is brought into sessions. In collaboration, I'm a firm believer in showing up authentically and welcome clients to do the same as we work together.

I approach therapy based upon the three core values: Curiosity, Compassion, and Community. I want to be curious about each client or couple that walks through my door. I want to know their unique problem and share some of my knowledge and skills to assist in meeting their goals. I want to be compassionate to each individual and explore what fosters their own sense of compassion. I also want to understand a person's community. Isolation is a painful state of being and I want to find how clients connect to others and build an environment of safety.