Emotionally Focused Therapists in Chicago, IL

I have worked with individuals of all ages who are experiencing various stressors such as adults experiencing depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma, relationship issues, career discernment, struggles with identity and substance abuse problems. I have also worked with teenagers and adolescents who are having difficulties with school, peer pressure, and/or a history of trauma. I enjoy working with couples and families, as well. I am also interested in the intersection between physical health and mental health as I believe in a holistic therapeutic approach.

Are you looking to make a change in your life but feel overwhelmed or unsure where to begin? I support my clients through navigating the journey of personal growth and transformation, which can often feel confusing, difficult, and scary. As your therapist, I work to understand your struggles and strengths, so that we may walk step-by-step through your discomfort and toward your goals.

It takes great courage to live out our authentic selves, find wisdom underneath our emotions, and repair and transform relationships that are close to heart. I admire your strength and humanity. As a counseling psychologist, researcher, and professor, I received doctoral and postdoctoral training in individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy. As an immigrant, I witness life and culture in its nuances and complexities. I believe (and research shows) that, built upon a safe and trusting relationship, therapy can effectively support people to find clarity, authenticity, and resolution through the richness of our life journeys.

I strive to help my clients heal, rebuild their lives, and increase resiliency. I guide my clients to not only pay attention to what is showing up cognitively and emotionally but also within their body. Utilizing the wisdom of the body can help to release thoughts and emotions that leave people feeling stuck.

Here at According to Sykes, assistance and guidance is offered through Individual, Family and Group therapy as well as Professional Development and Training Opportunities. We recognize and understand the complicated and complex ways that trauma influences all parts of someone’s life, body, and brain, and make treatment decisions based on that framework. We realize that most people have lived through some type of trauma because trauma is so common and understand treatment through that lens.

It is not always easy to reach out to a stranger for help, yet you know you are ready to make a change in your life. My focus is on helping clients by understanding systemic or external factors that may impact your relationship with yourself and others. With that understanding we then work together to use that understanding to influence how we treat ourselves and engage the world around us.

Lucas specializes in working with individuals and couples who identify as part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer population. Within the LGBTQ population, he has further expertise in working with those who wish to address the implications of their trauma history, HIV/AIDS-related health and wellness, Depression, Anxiety, issues related to Aging and Substance Abuse and Dependance related disorders.

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.

I wonder if your life’s journey feels filled with twists and turns that manifest in countless ways. Perhaps you find yourself asking questions like, “Well, what now? Where to? How did I/we get here? How do I/we get there instead?”. Maybe your paths can seem never-ending, you experience unanticipated steep cliffs, and/or you revisit familiar, unfulfilling destinations. It's in these moments of struggle and feeling stuck that I ask clients to welcome me to support them. Where you have questions about the paths you experience and have not taken. When you are either upset or self-reflective. Let me help you figure out the next steps.

I see humans as multifaceted, expansive, and resilient; I am often in awe of the power of connection to heal and strengthen. I guide my clients to discover, explore, and rewrite the stories they may hold. I prioritize compassionate listening, humor, and insight to help my clients feel more confident, connected, and safe in their relationships/life. Additionally, I believe human experiences are best understood within the context of our social identities and offer an exploration of how intersectionality affects us and our relationships.

I am passionate about relational and sexual wellness, and I believe that our most intimate relationships reflect the overall quality of our lives. I work with clients who are entering parenthood; struggling with infertility; navigating mismatched desires; rebuilding intimacy; recovering from infidelity, healing sexual shame; coping with painful sex; grappling with conflict and communication issues. My therapeutic style is warm, authentic, collaborative, and finely attuned to your unique & personal goals. Through a curious and compassionate lens, I aim to help you reimagine what is possible for yourself and your relationships.

I am a psychotherapist with extensive experience in using Hypnosis, NLP, EMDR and EFT for medical procedures, weight loss, anxiety reduction, essential tremor, and other issues. Through hypnosis, I can help you shift into a new way of thinking and being by deleting old messages and old programmed behaviors. We can replace old behaviors that no longer serve you with new thoughts and actions and that will improve the quality of your life and give you the peace and comfort. I am a coauthor of Patient Sedation Without Medication.

You may want to make changes, yet feel beaten down by worry. A part of you may be aware that difficult experiences you’ve faced throughout your life could be connected to your current struggles. As an intuitive holistic counselor I believe we can change by healing from the inside out. What shows up in our outer life through negative thoughts, unwanted behaviors, body discomfort or difficult feelings can be a signal or sign we are ready for change. I believe the present symptoms or conditions give us clues to what is going on inside, possibly connected to past difficult experiences that need attention, understanding and healing.