Therapists in Chicago, IL

Life is full of challenges and changes! If you are feeling anxious, depressed, struggling with self-identity, experiencing grief and loss, or other feelings/emotions/thoughts and feel ready to talk about it, I am here for you. I will provide you, with a safe space and support by actively listening to your needs. We will walk through your struggles together. You will find a way to cope, overcome, and process with a correct approach that fits YOUR needs and the resources you need.

I believe that the therapeutic relationship is foremost in creating a safe space for clients to explore issues, identify patterns of relating, resolve conflicts, find meaning and seek answers. I believe strongly that this relationship coupled with each client's unique history, needs and strengths will help serve as a guide to treatment. I have nearly 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families.

Sometimes life can get rough. Relationships can feel disconnected or heavy with resentment and distrust. Sex and intimacy can get lost in the shuffle of every day. Babies can come along making life feel completely out of control. Through it all, maybe you feel like you just don’t have what it takes, or you feel stuck in cycles of worry, sadness or loneliness. Here’s the good news: CHANGE IS POSSIBLE. Better yet, you have within you what it takes to make it happen. Together through therapy we can work to identify, challenge and reimagine the undesirable aspects of your life and relationships, making space for something better.

Throughout life, we are faced with many challenges...some more severe than others, some harder to overcome, and some which we ignore for the moment. When we choose not to face our challenges, it can negatively impact our true being. My experience includes working with those struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship issues, grief and loss, substance abuse, trauma, parent-child relationships, crisis intervention, just to name a few.

I offer insight-oriented psychotherapy that is highly attuned to the effects of trauma, stigma, and shame. I focus on creating an environment of acceptance and affirmation, promoting authentic self expression and facilitating emotional healing. I believe in helping clients understand how past experiences impact their current behaviors and relationships, and I utilize the therapeutic relationship to foster self-awareness and interpersonal skills.

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is the time and space for healing and growth. In therapy, my goal is to help you find and nurture your authentic nature, and to honor the wisdom gained from your lived experiences. Our work will consider the various intersecting aspects of your identity and the social, professional, and other cultural contexts in which you exist. I believe that as you experience yourself holistically, on your own and with guidance, you can naturally open yourself to more opportunities for healing, connection, growth, and other meaningful change.

-Individual, Couple, & Family Therapy. Trained at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Kansas State University's School of Family Studies, and The University of Chicago School of Medicine, Clinic Founder Rob Gellman has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 14 years, and was a professor at Adler University from 2008-2011. He is a regularly invited speaker with local mental health agencies and national conferences. A recognized expert on families coping with chronic illness, infidelity, and the training of therapists and physicians, Rob's clinical practice is diverse, helping adults, children, couples and families on the path to wellness. ***Specializing in Anxiety Disorders, Relationship Distress, Infidelity, Sex Therapy, Young Couples, Depression, Chronic Illness, Grief and Loss, Family Conflict, and Lifecycle Transitions.

How do you treat yourself? Can you say you treat yourself with the same compassion and care you show your family? Your friends? Your partner? Are you your best supporter or your biggest critic? We should talk! My passion is working with adults who are not satisfied with their relationships - with friends, family, or significant others. You deserve to feel loved and important, I want to help you identify and remove the barriers keeping you from realizing the life you want.

Now offering online sessions! Welcome to Pusateri Counseling. Let me tell you what to expect in your sessions. My approach to counseling is client based, collaborative and creative. I meet you where you are and I listen deeply to access solutions that you design. I do this by focusing on your strengths and your unique skills. This creative collaborative can be fun and exciting and often surprising. You are able to set goals and create a working plan on our first visit.

My practice as an art therapist and counselor is founded on an eclectic theoretical foundation. I believe the most successful way to achieve personal goals in therapy is by developing a trusting relationship. Taking the time to learn a client’s strengths and aspirations, as well as their personal and family history with curiosity and compassion is imperative. The foundation of my practice is strengths-based - I approach our work together with the understanding that everyone experiences challenges and has many abilities that may be utilized to reduce symptoms, navigate challenges, and improve relationships.

As therapists, we work to build a genuine relationship with each client, create a safe space for discovery, and aim to understand that individual. This allows clients to safely explore alongside the therapist, and begin to see themselves with greater clarity, depth, and honesty. Good, effective therapy will likely not happen overnight (though exciting and wonderful eureka moments certainly occur along the way), and trust, honesty, and humor are invaluable to a beneficial therapeutic relationship. We believe that laughter and tears are equally powerful but that therapeutic change is measured in neither.

*****IMPORTANT-I currently have NO availability and cannot accept new patients at this time, I will update this message when availability opens****** I am a firm believer that seeking wellness is the first step in gaining control over your life and achieving your goals. I serve as a passenger alongside clients in their journey and we collaborate on ways to address concerns and ways to improve and grow. I embrace diversity of all kinds and believe that our unique differences are what makes the world interesting and vibrant.

Derek is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and respected expert in his field. He is also fully trained in EMDR Therapy. In addition to two bachelor degrees, one from Kalamazoo College and the other from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Derek also holds a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Roosevelt University. Derek has worked extensively with people suffering from all types of addictions as well as depression, anxiety and dual diagnosis. He believes in collaborating with his clients and "It all works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it's not the end"

Today’s environment makes many assumptions about the nature of psychological health, oftentimes seeing depression, anxiety, or other psychological concerns as only problems to be avoided and eradicated. However, there is much that our symptoms can teach us about ourselves and our world. In fact, they may even hold the key to our psychological well-being.

My practice is geared to assist individuals who, in their day to day lives, feel misunderstood, alienated or in other ways feel pressured to ascribe to interpersonal, social, familial or professional "norms" that are in contradiction to their unique personal needs or desires. By honoring each person's individual truth in order to support them in moving forward in an authentic and long-lasting way. Through supported exploration of their past experiences my clients discover how their unique personal history, not only informs how they feel today, but also what they need to change in order to feel better tomorrow.

I use a collaborative model, where sessions feel like two people having a conversation in my living room, versus a stereotypical doctor/patient interaction. I don't view your issues as coming from an abnormal psychopathology, but instead as a reaction to living in a stressful, complex, and contradictory world. I seek to understand your issues in the context of your unique experience rather than viewing you as having something wrong or being broken. My focus is on what you need from me....I take my lead from you.

My name is Liz. I am an experienced mental health practitioner with extensive expertise in helping adults cope with anxiety, depression, personal crisis, and substance abuse issues. I am a practical, compassionate therapist who understands that the decision to seek professional help is rarely an easy one. I am committed to the belief that even short term therapy can be immensely valuable. We can work together to develop strategies and solutions that will help you feel more effective, relaxed and mindful.

I received my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University along with an additional certifications in substance use counseling, trauma, advanced grief, and integrative sex therapy. I use a person-centered orientation to treat adults with a variety of mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, panic, life/relationship/education/career transitions, grief, issues with attachment and relationships, self-esteem and self image, chronic mental health challenges, and maladaptive coping including challenges with substance use, avoidance, codependence, self-harm, isolation, and people-pleasing.

** ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. EVENINGS & WEEKENDS AVAILABLE** Your experiences have forged lifelong crucial connections and skills that may be hard to see right now. Overwhelming burdens, loss, pain, self-doubt and disappointment can overshadow strengths and relationships. You and I will use your strengths, improve your relationships and develop new skills to build positive ways of thinking and living that can help you reach your goals. My practice areas include anxiety and OCD, complex trauma/PTSD, grief and loss, LGBTQIA issues and chronic pain.