Therapists in Chicago, IL

The Midwest Asian Health Association's Community Mental Health Clinic (CMHC) was established in 2015 with the vision to provide linguistically appropriate, culturally sensitive, and financially affordable mental health services to underserved Asian American & Pacific Islander, Asian immigrants, and other low-income minority populations in the Midwest. The counselors and staff at the CMHC are dedicated to creating community in which all people, regardless of language or ability to pay, will be able to access mental health services to improve their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

I collaborate with participants to plan creative solutions and positive coping behaviors in order to address a wide variety of experiences, including: anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationships, self-esteem and self-worth, stress, symptoms related to post-traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, being in relationship with a trauma survivor, substance use/ abuse, self-care, and addressing negative coping behaviors. I have worked extensively with survivors of sexual violence, people who have experienced domestic violence, combat Veterans, and other survivors of complex trauma.

I'm Dr. Ian Bonner, and I specialize in anxiety, depression, serving LGBTQ+ clients, substance use, and relationships. I also enjoy working with the kink community and supporting clients in open/poly relationships. As a counselor, I am challenging, collaborative, and compassionate in my approach to treatment. Clients who work with me understand from our first session that I work with more than just symptoms and problems; I treat the whole person. In sessions, I take great care to ensure that you feel understood, valued, and known and eagerly utilize your feedback about our work. I welcome you to contact me with any questions.

Therapy is a space for big feelings, hard conversations, and laughing at ourselves when we can. We like to form connections with folks that feel supportive, brave, and most of all, REAL. At Bespoke Healing, we know therapy is going well when we see folks begin to step out in new ways and take risks to develop deeper bonds. We find it fruitful to explore how past traumas show up in current relationships, and our therapists are active in session as part of our relational style. We also help folks befriend their bodies as an important resource.

I am a firm believer that you can heal what has stopped you, create new beginnings, and let go of what no longer serves you. I take a direct, yet sensitive therapeutic approach and offer a wide variety of tools that you can implement into your life. My clients have told me that I bring humor and clarity to what feels heavy, angry, anxious, and overwhelming. I love what I do and feel honored to partner with people as they create more fulfilling lives.

My experience working amongst a diverse cross-section of Chicago communities has shown me the intertwined nature of individual personal health and emotional well-being. It has also shown me the unique and complicated ways in which social forces affect people and the communities in which they live. The resulting anxiety, depression, and trauma become barriers to thrive. However, after witnessing the resilience of people who endure these many life challenges, I am passionate about working alongside them. Everyone deserves support. I believe in creating spaces and communities that provide this for us all.

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?

Throughout our lives we go through experiences that help us define who we are. These moments of connection and isolation, fulfillment and confusion are foundational events that make us, us. These can be life altering experiences; societal forces, traumatic events, difficult relationships, or a series of distressing events that we carry for the rest of our lives. Working through these experiences can be scary. Therapy can help us unpack these moments and lead more meaningful and fulfilling lives. In our sessions, we will explore who you are; your world, beliefs, and values.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, but I am often thought of as the friend who will listen. My clients experience me as compassionate and willing to give active feedback, which, when combined, creates a safe space and therapeutic environment. I strive to take the time to authentically engage with my clients to understand what they are experiencing from their perspective.

Finding the right therapist for you can be brutal - you're already going through it enough to want to go to therapy, and now even that is proving to be a challenge! I've been there before too, so I get it. I'm someone who will honor and validate your very real struggle, while also seeing the best in you and helping you reconnect to your own excellence. If I have the privilege of becoming your therapist, I'll be here as a fellow human being to accompany you on this leg of your journey - you won't be alone. I offer attentive listening, compassionate warmth, thoughtful insights, encouragement and professional guidance.

Anxious and depressive thoughts can often make us feel stuck in a cycle. I will help you gain a rich understanding of yourself and your past to take the first step toward processing any feelings of anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties, and more. I prioritize learning about you as a unique individual and I cater my approach to suit your specific needs and goals. Together we will explore your values, identity, attachment style, culture, and relationship history. We will use this insight to address current thought/behavior patterns. This will help you to interrupt the cycle, get un-stuck, and live the life you desire.

My field of expertise is working with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression or relationship challenges and working with couples. I enjoy working with young adults in transition who are feeling uncertain about employment, relationships or future- a quarter-life crisis. My other areas of interest include working with individuals who have experienced trauma and coping with the difficult emotions those experiences bring. When working with couples, I work with developing positive communication and relational skills to increase closeness, effectively adjust to life's challenges, and manage stress, anxiety and depression. I also enjoy working with adolescents and families to increase closeness and improve communication skills.

If you are looking for an experienced therapist who is compassionate, insightful, positive, supportive, humorous and directive, then contact me. In addition to teaching coping skills and parenting skills, I help clients to better understand themselves and to fully accept themselves so that true joy can be found. I specialize in eating disorders, substance abuse, behavioral disorders and am a trauma informed therapist. I see ages 7 upward for either individual or family counseling. These sessions can be remote or in-person at either the Ravenswood neighborhood office in Chicago or at another location in Lincolnwood, IL.

As a justice-oriented therapist, what matters to me is what works for you. I prioritize an intersectional, relational, and pluralistic approach by drawing from multiple frameworks, including but not limited to psychodynamics, parts work, attachment theory, and somatics. I seek to build authentic, accountable, transparent relationships based on your definitions of safety and respect. Centering and affirming your experiences in the world is most important to me. In our time together, I’ll regard you as the expert in your own lived experience as we both learn more about what it is like to be you.

I work with adults struggling with life transitions and those who are feeling stuck or hoping to create positive change in their lives. Some of my clinical areas of interest include mood troubles, anxiety, insomnia, trauma, relationships and career issues. I view therapy as a collaborative process where we work together to understand your goals, identify solutions, and establish healthier ways of coping. Growth and healing occurs by gaining insight into our thoughts, emotions, and behavior patterns. By providing a safe space to explore our internal lives, I support clients' journeys toward discovering their authentic selves.

As a psychotherapist, I recognize the intersectionality of the identities that we hold and its impact on how we move through the world. My work is rooted in affirming the experiences of individuals who identify as queer, transgender/GNC, sex workers, non-monogamous/polyamorous, and disabled. Body neutrality, Health At Every Size (HAES), and sex positivity are core values of my clinical practice. I specialize in working with folks who have experienced trauma, depression, and anxiety, with a focus on religious and sexual trauma; as well as individuals exploring their gender identity and sexuality.

Now accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield Community (Medicaid) Is the person in the mirror becoming a stranger? It is normal for work, finances, relationships, love, friendships, family, loss, and/or health to generate intense feelings of emotional distress. You are not alone. You are not going crazy. Our motto is this: We will meet you where you are and take you where you want to be. There is hope. You can be YOU again. Getting out of bed can feel good again. When you need to look at something painful, a safe space is waiting for you with empathy and compassion.

So many factors are involved in how we feel on a day to day basis that it can be difficult to figure out where to begin. Seeking therapy and finding a therapist that works for you can be the first step in this process. While seeking change, we come to find that it is a complex process involving mind, body, and spirit. Balancing these components of our selves is what the therapeutic process is about. Whether it seems to be a practical problem or a more diffuse concern, your hard work can result in the balance and fulfillment you desire.

As we grow and develop as humans, we often find ourselves confronted by issues from the past – issues we may have thought long-resolved. These issues can manifest in our relationship dynamics, our perceptions about ourselves, and our means of coping with our environment. My role is to join you in confronting these things so that you can integrate and learn the lessons these past experiences are meant to teach you. In our work together, you are the expert. You decide what your experiences mean and how they impact the person you are.