Couples Counseling Therapists in Chicago, IL

I am passionate about working with adolescents, adults and couples looking to cultivate change. I believe each person seeking therapy is unique, and my approach is tailored to meet your individual needs. I use an integrative approach, drawing upon a variety of techniques including psychodynamic, existential, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches. I have experience working with an array of mental health issues including gender dysphoria, LGBTQIA+ issues, trauma, anxiety, and depression. I have a great deal of experience working with first responders, grief, and high conflict couples .

I work with clients who struggle with managing stress, anxiety, self-esteem or relationship issues. Common examples of issues these clients face are trouble setting boundaries, feeling overwhelmed, relationship issues, lack of self-esteem or difficulty managing their emotions. These clients are hoping to increase their coping skills in these areas and want resources to better navigate their symptoms or need a safe and nonjudgmental space to talk things through. Evaluating all aspects of life through a collaborative relationship , we can work to decide how my client can live a thriving, healthy life.

I am a therapist in private practice with a caseload consisting of adults, adolescents, and varied family and relationship groupings. My approach is client centered and collaborative, tailoring each therapy to the individual or family culture. I am most interested in helping people improve their lives and harnessing their own strengths and resources. My techniques emphasize cultural competency and are informed by many theoretical foundations including psychodynamic theory, family systems theory, and cognitive-behavioral theory. My practice is currently only virtual due to the pandemic.

Lakeisha Nowicki, LCPC is the ideal psychotherapist for those seeking to repair their relationships. Whether it is the relationship you have with yourself or with others, Lakeisha assists in recognizing maladaptive coping patterns while focusing on the freedom to choose better for yourself each and every day. Lakeisha’s strengths are healing through self-reflection, connectedness, laughter, and motivating others to step into their purpose.

Your relationship with yourself is your most valuable asset when building relationships with others. This relationship with self also serves as a compass when exploring different parts of yourself such as sexuality, attachment, and experiences of harm. Many of us struggle with this primary relationship , which complicates concerns we may have around our sexual and relational lives. Exploring sex and relationships can be a disorienting and overwhelming experience. It is important to find spaces that feel comfortable and empowering while sifting through the many layers that impact sexual and relational health and functioning.

Understanding one's uniqueness is key, along with the critical importance of being listened to and respected for who you are. My extensive clinical background has spanned across ages, gender, racial/ethnic groups, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and presenting concerns. I tailor my approach by using an array of techniques and interventions depending on what fits and helps you as you aim towards growth, reaching your potential, and resolving any problems. My style is best described as being open-minded, empathic, and non-judgemental.

Do you often find yourself feeling stuck within yourself, relationships, or within your environment? My ideal client is ready for change. They are open to creative ideas and new ways of thinking about themselves and the world. I work with clients to gain a stronger sense of self by exploring the ways past and present experiences prevent you from living the life you are meant to be living. I approach these struggles through a holistic and trauma informed approach, which incorporates body-based, anti-oppression, and harm reduction practices.

If you find yourself not feeling good enough, struggling to cope with worries, traumas, and pain from the past, or wanting to learn more about yourself and why you think and behave in the ways that you do, my therapeutic approach may be right for you. Depending on your goals/needs, we will work together to increase your insight and help you feel empowered to make different decisions in life to get you closer to who and where you want to be. My intention in our work together is to see you, understand you, and challenge you to grow. When necessary/needed, we will use humor along the way, as sometimes laughter is the best medicine!

My goal is to be a collaborative partner with clients seeking to make positive changes in their lives. Specializing in trauma, addictions, depression, and anxiety, I hope to help you successfully navigate life's journeys. Together we will work through uncertainty, confusion, and feeling "in between" life's roles, developing goals and selecting effective treatments to help you achieve these goals. In addition, I offer couples and family therapy to strengthen my client's relationships. Finally, I provide supervision, training, and therapy for health care providers.

If you're here, you're probably looking for a change--whether it's in your relationships, patterns, thoughts, feelings, or something else that's important to you. Life is full of challenges, but I firmly believe that people have fundamental inner-strengths that can help them cope. As a therapist, I warmly accept my clients as they are, and work alongside them to explore who they would like to become. I believe in the power of human connection, and strive to use that connection to help my clients access their strengths; to ultimately bring about meaningful change, healing, growth, and understanding.

My work focuses on our relationship and skills-building to provide relief for the symptoms that brought you into treatment in the first place while also exploring the powerful impact of early life experiences on the way you view the world and yourself in the present. I believe that the relationship developed between us provides the foundation on which to build insight and self-awareness to help you make the changes necessary to reach your unique potential and create the life you want to live. I approach therapy as a collaborative journey that asks both of us to bring our expertise into the room and use it to reach your goals!

"Therapy is like a car navigation system-the therapist is the GPS offering a number of directions to help reach your destination, but you are the driver! Often times we may need a little direction or help to deal with the excess baggage, wrong turns, and bumps along the way. Give me the opportunity to help you navigate the way to your best self."

When engaging in the therapy relationship , my work has been grounded in supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other intersectional identities. I strive to create a safe, nurturing, and welcoming therapy space that best fits the need of clients in their healing. This includes creating an inclusive space for gender-affirming, sex-positivity, and continual learning. By working together collaboratively, we can create a pathway towards improved wellness, growth, and understanding.

I am a researcher of sexual trauma in the Black community with a current emphasis of working with Black women with a history of sexual trauma who are looking to create a more fulfilling relationship with themselves, their bodies, and with others and are ready to lean in and do the work. I am looking to support motivated women as a "Clinical Companion" on their journey to wellness while guiding them through a framework I created specifically for this demographic, a therapeutic modality titled Self-Reconciliation Therapy (SRT).

Life can be a maze of decisions, but sometimes our emotions leave us overwhelmed and paralyzed, unable to take steps towards the life we want. Feeling tired or stressed? Operating like you are on auto-pilot? Anxious? Poor Confidence? Low-Self Esteem? Relationship /dating struggles? Work Issues? Going through a divorce? Emotional Trauma? I work with clients to challenge their inner critic, gain control over their lives, and get emotionally healthy. Your self-care is important! I offer in person & online therapy. Ask me about Clinical Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques, Yoga, & Meditation sessions!