Teletherapy for Chicago, IL

I specialize in working with people who have experienced trauma. Trauma can leave a person feeling numb, disconnected as if your life has been turned upside down. I would like to assist you with your healing journey. My focus is a Holistic approach to helping people recover and heal after a traumatic event and learn new ways of coping and managing their traumatic responses. When someone does not heal from a traumatic event, they can develop Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) depression, and/or anxiety.

Here at According to Sykes, assistance and guidance is offered through individual, family and group therapy, couples therapy, as well as Professional Development and Training Opportunities. As a group of healing practitioners, 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. View our therapist profiles at www.accordingtosykes.com.

I practice interpersonal psychoanalytic psychotherapy, which means I learn about you by examining your relationships while gaining insight as to how you relate to the world and yourself. My approach to therapy is rooted in harm reduction, intersectionality, and awareness of systemic oppression. I like to work with adults and have special interest working with the LGBTQIA2S+ population, trauma survivors, religious trauma survivors, couples, neurodivergent individuals, and those who are struggling with substance misuse.

I work with individuals and couples (straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans) who are dealing with a range of issues in their lives. A meaningful, authentic client-therapist relationship is of utmost importance to me, and I strive to create safe and welcoming spaces for all by fostering an environment of empathy, openness and honesty. Clients who see me receive compassionate care without negative judgment, creating opportunities to make meaning of the events of their lives.

O2 Counseling is group of therapists specializing in relationship therapy for individuals, couples and adult families. All of our therapists are whole-heartedly dedicated to your progress and invested in your well-being. Our Marriage and Family Therapists help couples understand triggers, communicate more effectively and change unhealthy patterns. All therapists also work with individuals who are struggling with anxiety, stress, depression, low self-worth and life transitions such as divorce, job loss or parenthood.

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.

Shame and stigma can permeate every aspect of our lives and make pleasure, love and work challenging, painful and sometimes impossible. Shame and stigma often mask something special and remarkable about a person; talents, identities, ways of living or loving that are unappreciated, misunderstood and even repudiated. Deviance and difference should not be requisites for pain and failure; those qualities can be empowering and liberating. Often, it is a dominant culture that pulls the veil of shame over our eyes and hearts. Our stories and ourselves are worthy of dignity and care, regardless of what we learn from the dominant discourse.

One of the bravest things you can do is begin to understand your own story! I believe that everyone should feel seen, heard, and affirmed! It is incredibly natural to feel overwhelmed in our present world. Yet, life is way too short to surrender to unhealthy relationships, self-esteem issues, rough life transitions, trauma, grief, anger, depression, or anxiety… to name a few. I strive to help you achieve whatever solutions and life change you are looking for while finding purpose in all your life areas and experiencing yourself in new ways. I am dedicated to keeping couples healthy, relationships loving, and individuals balanced.

I view therapy as a safe and sacred space for processing life experiences, emotions, thoughts, and trauma in order to achieve one’s goals and necessary growth. My goal as a therapist is to collaborate with clients to understand their thought processes, address barriers to wellness, and identify ways in which they can achieve their goals. I believe that clients are the experts of their own lives: however, sometimes we need an outside perspective to help re-frame our thinking. I’m here to work with you to increase self-awareness and empower you to approach life in a way that enhances health and well-being.

Offering a client-focused practice style that emphasizes the well-being and autonomy of patients in the areas of anxiety, depression and trauma. Offering Individual, group, and couples sessions, members of the BIPOC and Queer communities. Specializing in sport-focused performance interventions and life transition. As a therapist and mental health professional, I am dedicated to cultivating an inclusive and welcoming space for clients as I work with treating issues related to trauma, sports performance anxiety, crisis care, and family dysfunction that encompasses healing in the mind, body, and spirit.

Finding balance is often hard. I specialize in individual and couples therapy with a focus on marital and couples, sex therapy, and alternative lifestyle issues, such as non-monogamy. I have over 16 years of experience with LGBTQIA+ concerns, ethical non monogamy, and marital and couples work with communication and conflict issues. I bring a warm, honest, and open approach to therapy while helping you feel and find hope. I truly work to meet you where you are and create a space where you are not only safe but with a friend. This step is hard and I have been in your shoes so I will never judge.

Are you ready to make a change? "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." Instead of ignoring problems, work with me to explore your challenges, set goals, and build on your strengths. Learn how to gain innovative ways of coping with life stressors. I incorporate approaches that will be most beneficial to the individual, couple, or family. I take a direct interactive collaborative approach. I believe our counseling relationship is important to your growth. The goal is to lead you to a more satisfied and balanced life.

There comes a time in each of our lives where we feel inadequate, anxious, depressed, heartbroken, lonely, confused, and in need of a helping hand. If your ultimate goal is to strengthen your emotional wellbeing, find peace with your past, and live the life you always wanted, you have found the right Therapist. Whatever is overwhelming you today, whether it’s a tough breakup, grief, abuse, work related stress, relationship issues, past trauma, or simply finding the motivation to get out of bed and have a productive day, help is a phone call away. My role is to listen, empower growth, and help you become the best version of yourself.

As a trauma-informed therapist, I believe developing trust and safety within the therapeutic relationship is crucial to doing meaningful work together. For this reason, I strive to bring warmth and authenticity to my sessions with the goal of supporting clients in feeling truly seen and heard. In graduate school, I trained in feminist therapy which has informed my belief that clients are experts of their own experience and given me a deep understanding of how identity and oppression relate to one’s mental health. I am particularly interested in working with my clients around trauma, grief/loss, and relationships.

My specialties include working with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, self-esteem and self-image issues, social difficulties, and issues surrounding gender and sexual identity. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I am passionate about working with LGBTQ clients and clients in consensually nonmonogamous relationships. I strive to be aware of how all individuals I work with are impacted by their social contexts, such as personal relationships, family systems, and systems of oppression.

Accepting New Clients! Email me today! You're ready, now let's get started. The process of therapy allows you to to have guidance, validation, and accountability in your journey towards a more balanced and healthy life. Don't turn back now, let today be the day that your life changes. I strive to create a comfortable and safe environment for my clients so that they can access the vulnerable parts of themselves and manifest the lives they desire.

Welcome, you have just taken a step closer to living the life that you want for yourself! When life challenges are greater than the skills and support that we have, personal problems erupt. I believe that human suffering is an inherent part of life. I am committed to helping people overcome life challenges and achieve greater life satisfaction.

Is there something holding you back from living the life you want? Do you feel anxious, depressed, uncertain, fearful or confused as to how to move forward? Do you hope to change an aspect of your life but you don’t know where to start? The journey of therapy can be a powerful tool to help you move through and uncover some of these obstacles and propel you towards the life that you have imagined. While I commonly see people facing life adjustments, anxiety, or depression, some other common themes include grief, self-acceptance, relationship concerns, chronic illness, and perinatal/ postpartum mental health concerns.

Do life’s challenges feel all-consuming? Or maybe how you've been coping just isn’t working anymore? I get it. Anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, and transition can feel overwhelming or impossible to navigate. I approach the therapeutic relationship as a fellow human, showing up with warmth, affirmation, and support. I fully believe that YOU are the expert in your own life, and I aim to uplift and celebrate your unique strengths while accounting for the identities and systems that impact your world. We will work in collaboration to establish openness and safety as you build towards greater healing.