Therapists in Chicago, IL

I have provided individual, couples, and family therapy to adults and adolescents for over 18 years. I have experience working with individuals and families from varied ethnic/cultural/sexual orientation backgrounds. My therapeutic orientation includes cognitive behavioral, strengths-based and person-centered approaches. I am a strong believer in "one size does not fit all" and adapt my approach based on client's needs and belief systems. I am supportive but can be directive when the clinical need arises. Currently, I only see clients on Wednesdays. I conduct therapy in Spanish as well.

I frequently work with individuals in transition, from emerging adulthood through retirement. Following loss or change, long-standing perceptions and patterns can hold us back from a next phase of life that's fulfilling and meaningful. My approach may be particularly helpful with issues related to grief, workplace conflict, interpersonal trauma, relationship concerns, and other issues where anxiety and depression often lurk. In addition to psychotherapy, I offer neuropsychological assessment and personality testing services, an opportunity to understand how your emotions and cognition work together, with an eye to what might enhance life satisfaction and success.

My name is Emily Deaver and I am a warm, compassionate counselor who believes in a holistic and integrative approach that meets your unique needs and the needs of your family. I specialize in working with young people utilizing a multifaceted, developmentally appropriate plan to address a wide range of challenges. I work in partnership with my clients to increase healthy coping mechanisms and to improve their overall quality of life.

I work from a client-centered lens and am passionate about working with individuals and relationships navigating: anxiety, depression, acute and complex trauma, relationship conflict and disconnection, communication issues, trust repair, sex and intimacy issues, identity exploration, unaddressed family of origin attachment wounds, inner child healing, and challenges with self-esteem and self-confidence. I attend to being a culturally competent therapist that considers the contexts and identities of my clients, and foster a therapeutic space that is identity-affirming, sex-positive, anti-racist, and polyamorous- and kink-friendly.

Therapy is a unique experience and journey for every individual. My goal is to provide you with a genuine, warm, and non-judgmental environment where you can explore your lived experiences and find empowerment and healing. As an integrative clinician, I draw from CBT, DBT, humanistic, and person-centered orientations in order to cater to each individual’s needs.

I work with folks experiencing a variety of issues, including anxiety, major life transitions, depression, and relationship issues. I also enjoy working with client's who are looking to establish healthy boundaries in their life and looking to increase their level of self-understanding. I will work to understand your unique goals, your strengths, your values, your relationships, and your thought patterns. I have a passion for working with folks who are either coming to therapy for the first time or looking for a restorative therapeutic experience. I take the time to explain the therapy process to each client.

Many of us are not taught to prioritize mental health and end up unsure of what to do when faced with difficult feelings. Therapy does not need to be scary or intimidating. My style is warm and deeply collaborative. Together, we will set goals, continually make sure we're moving in the right direction, and maybe even have a laugh or two along the way. I am a lifelong learner. In therapy, I draw upon the latest neurobiology research to help you understand how what's going on in your brain and nervous system can affect your mood and behavior.

As an individual, family and couple therapist I work with clients who struggle with a range of symptoms that impact their daily functioning in relationships with themselves and others. I value a relational perspective and understand that the human experience is not meant for isolation. Maladaptive coping can leave us feeling disconnected and lonely. We are a part of many systems in our lives and struggling in one area can bleed into others. I work with clients to create connection and meaning in the human experience in order to show up in their relationships as the most authentic version of themselves.

Explore. Understand. Grow. These three words best explain my approach to therapy. Through the establishment of a trusted therapeutic relationship, together, we will embark on the process of psychological change. We will explore what is preventing you from reaching your full potential. You will develop a greater understanding of yourself, which will facilitate your growth into the person you want to become. I am a licensed clinical psychologist offering counseling to adults, adolescents, children, and families. I have extensive experience treating clients with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, low self-esteem, eating disorders, parenting issues, behavioral problems and career concerns.

I am aware the path to healing can be a bumpy and uncomfortable one. I provide a compassionate and empathetic approach to this healing process. My approach looks at our internal wounds that left untreated, continue to cause pain. I like to ask, in the words of Dr. Gabor Mate’, ‘why the pain, not why the addiction?' We know using a substance or behavior is how we cope with the pain that feels unmanageable. Our pain, ‘dis-ease’, and dis-comfort often stems from unresolved grief & loss and are the result of 'what happened to us'. Let's look at what happened to us instead of what is wrong with us. I believe this approach decreases shame

Looking for help? Everyone goes through times when they need support - some problems are too difficult to solve alone. The MTS Counseling Center offers high-quality and affordable mental health care to individuals, couples, and families in the Chicago area. We are located in the heart of downtown and offer free parking. We are able to treat a number of issues such as depression/anxiety, anger, grief, addiction, family and relational issues, self-esteem, and spiritual brokenness.

I understand that making the decision to begin therapy can be as daunting as it is positive. I will provide a warm, supportive space to begin to sort out life's challenges. I believe that everyone has the resilient capacity to create change and will help guide clients toward healthy goals by letting go of past issues, negative thoughts, and/or unwanted behaviors. As an experienced, licensed psychotherapist with a masters degree in clinical social work from the University of Chicago, I have been a practicing social worker since 2004 and a psychotherapist since 2011.

Choosing the right therapist is important. I am committed to assisting you confront old and new obstacles and make meaningful changes in your life. I have the highest respect for someone who comes through my door. Together, we create a path for personal healing and growth.

I am the owner of InnerBloom Therapy Practice. I work with adults, children, and teens. I also work with parents to help them learn how to support their child and facilitate change at home by implementing strategies worked on during sessions. I help clients who experience stress and anxiety, life transitions, loss, mood disorders, problems at school, behavior issues, and difficulty regulating their emotions and developing connections with others. My fifteen years of experience as a school social worker have provided me with an understanding of the daily stressors and mental health needs of children and teens.

Trust. Acceptance. Safety. Room to grow. Encouragement. Hope. Compassion. Respect. Are you feeling lost, overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed? Looking for someone who can help you understand yourself better, like and trust yourself more, or be more confident in your decisions? Facing the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, a sense of normalcy? Plagued by worries, fears, or negative thoughts about yourself or others? Looking for a therapist is a courageous step. Being willing to make a change when things are not working out for you is a sign of strength.

You might look for individual therapy because you experience obstacles that happen again and again; you are trying to figure out who you are and what you want in life. You might be looking for couples therapy because you feel disconnected from your partner or have difficulty communicating; you fight or have difficulty with being intimate. You might be looking for family therapy because you don’t know how to connect with your kids; there is conflict in your family and you don’t know how to resolve it. You might be a person of color, immigrant or second generation and struggle with issues mentioned above.

Successful treatment within my practice is achieved through customizing therapeutic needs for each individual client. Creating a deepened sense of self awareness allows for life transformations resulting in an overall increase in one's contentment and satisfaction. My work is grounded in an advanced education within a psychodynamic practice and is utilized in combination with recent brain research regarding the ability to systematically alter brain function through therapeutic techniques to create overall improved well being.

There are times in life where we all feel overwhelmed. Whether the day to day grind is wearing you down or overwhelming anxiety is making it difficult for you to leave the house, I am here to be on your side. I am a big believer that effective therapy is a collaborative effort between the client and the therapist and that healing is achieved by working together. I take an integrative approach to therapy, where I tailor the therapy to fit the needs of the client. I am also trained in EMDR therapy for trauma treatment and Gottman level 3 certified for couples work.

Therapy is about providing professional support to help you work through whatever prevents you from experiencing the freedom of emotion and choice. There are times our cultural, familial, and social experiences cause us pain we don’t know how to process, which stops us from living fully and freely. Sometimes our patterns and ways of responding interfere with making sense of our experiences. We need help sifting through our thoughts and emotions to get clarity. Recovery from depression is a healing process, whether from a chemical imbalance or in reaction to life.