Blue Cross Therapists in Chicago, IL

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.

Healing can be a difficult journey. Finding a validating space where you can be your authentic self can make that journey a little less difficult. I try to create a space that is welcoming to your thoughts, feelings, and self-energy. It’s okay to express yourself in this space. In fact, it’s encouraged. I focus on working with people of marginalized communities, people who experience psychosis, and trauma survivors. My passions concentrate within the BIPoC, LGBTQ+, First-generation, and religious/spiritual communities. Additionally, I am engaged in supporting the kink/BDSM and visual arts communities.

My primary goal is to make you feel heard, seen, and understood. I help my clients tap into the resources and resiliency they already have to figure out how they can support themselves and ask for support from others. I work in a collaborative way with you to determine how you want to dig in with therapy and what works for you. You will learn to harness your existing strengths towards achieving your goals and lasting change. I help my clients give themselves permission to explore their identities and anxieties in a safe, affirming environment. I'm here to support you as you get curious about your past, present, and future.

I believe therapy should be a safe place for you to identify your innate strengths, deepen your sense of self, and find solutions for the things that challenge you in life. When I work with clients, I use a strengths-based and client-centered approach incorporated with empathy, acceptance and compassion. I whole-heartedly believe that sensitivity is power and being vulnerable is a form of strength.

Our focus is to help individuals heal, energize, and become aware of their inner strengths. We achieve this by providing a neutral safe space, listening to your concerns, and customizing a treatment plan.

I have a firm and foundational belief that every individual is inherently deserving of compassion, understanding and acceptance. Emotional and psychological suffering can feel confusing and intensely painful, but through psychodynamic-based therapy we can work towards identifying not only what that suffering means to you, but where and what it is rooted in. Through a process that includes safety and mindful intention, it is my goal to help you find a sense of liberation and clarity. I invite all parts of you to be present throughout the therapeutic process, including parts of you that may be ridden with shame and hidden as a result.

The ideal client is anyone with the courage it takes to ask for help whatever the issue I am in support of their goals. What a client wants and why are the focus of our healing/growing partnership.

I believe therapy is a powerful opportunity to invest in yourself; to heal, grow, to reduce current suffering, and increase the ability to experience joy. I hold a humanistic/existential viewpoint and utilize skill building, personal beliefs and values, humor, and creativity to make lasting life changes. I view the therapy process as a collaborative partnership between us and I am celebratory of your authentic identities.

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of clinical experience. I recently joined the team at SpringSource Psychological Center and therefore have immediate availability for new clients. I specialize in the treatment of mood, anxiety, personality and trauma-related disorders in adults, young adults, and families and have worked for many years in higher levels of care settings. I most recently served as a Clinical Director for Pathlight’s Mood and Anxiety Center in Chicago. I value the power of the therapeutic relationship to move clients towards sustained recovery.

I believe that the therapist and client are fellow travelers: while the client does the change work in and outside of session, it is the responsibility of the therapist to hold space and provide the necessary tools, support, and perspective during this process. We will work collaboratively and relationally while fostering mutual trust as you move through your journey of self-discovery and healing. I bring over 10 years of experience that has centered on a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety issues, grief, death and dying, chronic stress, as well as complex and acute trauma, gender identity, and life transitions.

I am a bilingual (English/Spanish) marriage and family therapist skilled in working with clients of all ages, particularly individual young adults and couples in middle age. I have experience addressing issues of ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, PTSD, relational conflicts, sexual dysfunctions, and personality disorders.

I believe it takes courage to know yourself deeply. I want to create a space where you can begin to know yourself better, uncover connections between past and present, and build out a life that makes you proud. I want to honor the strength and knowledge you already hold, and create a partnership where we can talk about what feels most tender, scary, and exciting. We can work together to explore ways in which you can feel safer in your body and more confident in your ability to handle life’s challenges.

Hey! I’m Rachel Nicholson a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and Psychotherapist, and I could not be more excited to work with you! I know what it feels like to be scared to take the first step; to go through the hard work in order to grow. Because of that, it makes me the therapist I am today. Empathetic, understanding, and compassionate. These qualities are what I bring into our sessions in order to support you in becoming the best version of yourself. I want you to feel comfortable enough to share anything that comes to mind without any fear or judgement–knowing that we are in this together.

Sometimes we struggle with unhealthy patterns, feel lost, or less able to cope. We need a safe place to process relationship problems, work on making changes, & grasp tools to deal with life's stressors. We store much of our emotional past within our physical bodies; together, we'll learn to release that energy using sound, movement, and Guided Imagery to become more present. My therapy style is warm, collaborative, sexuality and gender-affirming. Since 2009, I have helped many people take the steps to turn pain into growth and regain control of their lives.

I work with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, identity exploration, career development, and body image issues. I enjoy working with creatives, people exploring their gender or sexual identities, and adults in new life transitions, at any age. I take a relational, trauma-informed approach, and I use my dance and movement background to integrate embodied paths to healing. I will honor all of the experiences, values, and recalibrations that make you exactly who you are today: a nuanced, complex, unique individual who is worth knowing.

Are you stuck in a loop with your partner, friends, family, coworker, yourself? You find yourself repeating the same self-destructive behaviors only to find yourself feeling shame, pain, and confusion. This cycle can impact the way you interact with others, the way you perceive yourself, and the way you manage your life. What if you could break this pattern?

I use a collaborative treatment approach and different behavioral therapies to help clients develop skills to live more effective and meaningful lives. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is at the core of supporting clients to reach their goals. I focus on each client and their level of need and recognize what works with one individual may not work for another. I use evidence based treatment to best support each client to help navigate their journey. I am passionate about mental health issues and strongly believe that given the right tools and resources, anyone can improve their mental health.