Marriage Counseling Therapists in Chicago, IL

Bailey Kraft graduated from Purdue University with a Masters Degree in Child Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Illinois (license no. 166.001459) and Indiana (license no. 35002245A). Bailey is a LGBTQ-affirmative therapist and has worked with a variety of clients, including children, adolescents, families, and couples. She utilizes a solution-focused approach with an emphasis on how our lives are affected by the many different intersectional aspects of ourselves, our relationships, and our world.

There are many stresses in life that catch us by surprise. Whether they are lingering self issues, spiritual frustrations, unresolved marital issues or you just need a check up, I want to help you improve the quality of your emotional health as best as possible. You don't have to feel frustrated by these issues. I have over 20 years of helping individuals and couples work through, understand and gain insight for navigating life's challenges.

As a therapist, I create a safe and supportive environment in which a collaborative and goal-oriented relationship can develop. Through this safe and supportive relationship I assist people in increasing awareness of themselves and begin the journey of healing, growth, and change.

I am a bilingual (English/Spanish) marriage and family therapist skilled in working with clients of all ages, particularly individual young adults and couples in middle age. I have experience addressing issues of ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, PTSD, relational conflicts, sexual dysfunctions, and personality disorders.

You deserve to be unapologetically happy! If you were writing a letter to your 12-year-old self, you would likely include a similar statement. Yet, when was the last time you absolutely owned that statement when describing your personal life, marriage , relationships, or career? Somewhere along the way, have you become caught up in simply keeping up and forgotten which way you were headed? In this fast-paced, demanding world, sometimes we overlook ourselves. We forget to honor our hopes and dreams, and nurture ourselves with the basic necessities of joy, love, compassion, and forgiveness.

Do you feel your life doesn't reflect your hopes and dreams? Do your relationships lack the satisfaction & warmth you wish and deserve? Are you finding it challenging to be the spouse or parent you want to be? Have you been diagnosed with a medical condition and struggling to adjust? Are you caring for a loved one with an illness and feeling the stress? As your partner and guide, I can help you remove unhealthy patterns and develop more constructive ways of coping. I can assist you in feeling happier, more resilient in the face of life challenges, developing stronger relationships and achieving your full potential.

I offer engaged, purposeful therapy on relationships, work and school-related issues, life transitions, and stress management. I specialize in working with adults as they navigate increasing responsibilities at work, while also managing life transitions such as dating, marriage , parenthood, and losses. Many of my clients describe feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed. I integrate current research and traditional approaches: many benefit by learning skills for emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness; others explore bigger-picture issues related to values and sense of purpose.

Takisha is an associate Marriage and Family Therapist. Her clinical interest includes working with couples/family systems and empowering clients from culturally diverse backgrounds to work on communication, parenting, and intimacy. She has an empathetic and energetic personality, which helps clients find and understand their voices, regain trust, and have more fun together in their relationship. Takisha uses a narrative and solution-focused systemic approach in therapy. She believes in the power of stories to help strengthen the core aspects of familial relationships, and she affirms collaboration and creativity in all of sessions.

Navigating relationships can be challenging. Whether it is a relationship with a spouse, partner, sibling, parent, etc., relationships can feel difficult. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I use my systemic training to work with the presenting problem, in relation to the overall system. Every relationship and partnership looks different. I am here to work with you to build and sustain the type of relationship that YOU want to have. We will work on the goals that you want to set by pulling from various therapeutic models and by building a genuine relationship with one another so that you get the outcomes that are important to you.

My Philosophy Strength based therapy - resolve your problems based on your ;strengths. Empower yourself, and gain back your personal self. Balance between independence and togetherness. Effectively communicate. Free yourself from the oppression of your problems; You, and not your problems, are in charge.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over a decade of experience working with individuals, couples and families facing the challenges life presents when dealing with change and transition. Psychotherapy offers a safe place to explore difficult emotions, gain new perspective and heal from painful losses. My approach combines elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, family systems theory, narrative therapy and psychodynamics. I place great emphasis on the therapeutic relationship with my clients and believe that the right personal "fit" is crucial to a successful therapeutic relationship and, in turn, to facilitating greater self-awareness and personal growth.

There is power in seeking the help of others along our journey, and it is my hope that therapy can represent a unique healing environment, focused on your reality and your needs. The change that we all seek lies within our stories being validated and understood. As we witness the power of our stories in light of culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, and other intersections of identity through therapy, we partner in using your strengths to lessen your limitations. By developing your self-awareness, we can work to heal from past wounds, develop more understanding of your Self and those around you, and create better relationships.

This is difficult; I get it. Searching for a therapist, placing the initial call, scheduling then attending the first session can truly be overwhelming. I commend you for deciding to make a positive change in your life or the life of a loved one. My goal as a therapist is to help individuals and couples clarify the type of lives they want to live, recognize strengths, identify obstacles, discover realistic solutions, and devise a plan to reach established goals. Our collaborative relationship will increase self-awareness to foster growth and healing.

I passionately and compassionately care for the emotional well-being and behavioral health of my individual, couple, family and group clients for over 20 years. I draw upon unique combinations of clinical principals and innovative methods to best support all people within our vastly diverse community. I draw upon my deep understanding of culture, age, gender, race, class, family structure, and the type of or the lack of a support system can have on most all situations. I always provide a totally non-judgmental, safe, and confidential space to help my clients deal with their problems, issues or crisis.

My special expertise is working with people who want to feel better. People who want to explore themselves, who want help in figuring out why they feel bad, and what they can do in order to feel better. I create space where you can feel comfortable to talk about uncomfortable things. I help people dealing with depression, anxiety, loneliness, grief, substance abuse; those having relationship issues, that would include couples/ marital , parent-child, brothers-sisters, coworkers, or friends. You'll find out that you're not so different from everyone else; we all struggle.