Psychodynamic Therapists in Chicago, IL

I am drawn to working with people who want to be more present in their lives–people striving, and perhaps struggling, to move toward connection and vulnerability with others (and oneself) and away from self-judgment and critique. I work with people college-age and older, and my areas of interest are anxiety, depression, life transitions, sleep disorders/insomnia, chronic health issues, relationships, dating, ADHD, and issues related to family-of-origin.

It can be difficult to ask for help in today's society, and even more difficult to find the best fit in a therapist. As a trauma-informed queer biracial therapist, I strive to create a therapeutic environment that is safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental. My clinical background includes work with individuals managing co-occurring disorders, difficulties related to identity (e.g. racial, cultural, gender, spirituality), Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, ADHD, Autism, Trauma, PTSD, and grief. I work with individuals and couples at any point in their lifespan, though my background has primarily focused on young adults and families.

I believe in a holistic approach to healing understanding the connection of mind, body and spirit. Using a strengths-based perspective, I focus on building resilience and identifying barriers to the healing process in order to achieve desired goals. My background is in community mental health, women's issues, substance abuse, trauma, self-empowerment and coaching. My goal is to help individuals on their journey to find purpose, equanimity, and more joy.

There are numerous reasons why an individual makes a decision to seek therapy. From my perspective, the key factor in being able to examine your individual reasons is based upon the relationship between yourself and your therapist. I offer a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment in order to explore your individual needs with a commitment to placing the highest priority on your care. We will work collaboratively to identify and address your concerns in order to foster meaningful change in your life. My clinical experience has included working not only with individuals but couples, families and groups.

Stefani Kozlowski, MSW, is a Licensed Social Worker who specializes in working with adolescents and adults with varying mental health concerns including mood and anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, adjustment disorders, and trauma-related disorders. Stefani earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Roosevelt University and obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Simmons University.

If I had to pick three core elements to describe my therapeutic approach, they would be warmth, cultural humility, and honesty. When meeting clients initially, I endeavor to establish comfort and ease. With a foundation of emotional safety, we can explore issues more deeply and understand their origins. I primarily use a trauma-informed psychodynamic lens, which means increasing insight into our unconscious experiences while honoring individual uniqueness, cultural nuances, and complexity. We may also explore and process dynamics in our therapeutic relationship to improve your other relationships, including the one with yourself.

Opening up and being vulnerable to someone can be very intimidating. It is a normal feeling to have. I welcome any questions that you may have about the therapy process and would enjoy exploring any fears that may arise in taking the first step to opening up to someone. My hope is that by creating a safe space we can establish a connection that fosters a collaborative relationship. I am a strong believer in meeting you where you are at and seeing every client as unique. After all, everyone’s process is different and we all have a story.

I am thrilled to bring a unique blend of warmth, passion, reliability, and enthusiasm to my practice. My clients consistently commend my dependability, insightfulness, relatability, and compassion, which foster an open, honest, and safe environment where they can comfortably address the uncomfortable and tap into their innate strengths.

Hello, my name is Elisa and I help individuals who have tried everything to manage complex situations (such as anxiety, trauma or despair) and who usually feel burdened by emotions, tense all the time, unsure about what to do or keep avoiding difficult and painful memories. Here you’ll find a warm, professional, and safe environment where you can rediscover your true self, explore your emotions, and learn to navigate experiences and obstacles with newfound clarity. Together we can connect and explore at your pace in a caring, empathic space with honest feedback, strategies for change, and a little humor.

Now accepting new clients for Fall 2023, please be in touch soon. The world can feel very uncertain, discordant, unjust, and sometimes unbearable; in my approach I aim to look with you both internally and externally to find moments of reflection, validation, accountability, clarity, and care. I use a warm, relational approach to my work with clients. Most importantly I strive to uphold anti-racist, liberatory, and LGBTQIA+ affirming scaffolding in my practice and I am always learning more in this respect. Therapy should feel safe, empowering, collaborative, and be a place where communication is transparent.

I am offering both virtual and in-person counseling services. I specialize in treating the issues that arise from unresolved trauma, difficult early life experiences, and perinatal trauma, anxiety and mood disorders. My goal is to support and empower my clients by using an integrative and collaborative stance, incorporating my background in psychodynamic psychotherapy with body-centered and mindfulness-based techniques. It is my hope that by equipping my clients with the skills to develop their own self-awareness, self-compassion, clarity, and peace, they can go on to experience more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

I work with adults affected by anxiety, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal), grief/loss, Major Depressive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder, suicide of family member, co-worker or other, and women's issues. Experience: 30 + years in the psychiatry department of a major university clinic and 25 years of private practice. Wide range of therapies to offer the best "fit" for each client. My therapy approach is collaborative, interactive, strengths-based and focused on change. Former faculty member of The Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago (12 years.)

I partner with clients to create lasting change, by examining their strengths, challenges, and obstacles. My clientele spans across race, ethnicity, culture, age, sexual orientation, and spiritual beliefs. I work with individuals, couples, and families. People often come to therapy because they feel a gap in being understood- by a friend, by a partner, someone at work, or even by themselves. In our work, we explore new ways of thinking, communicating, reducing stress, and improving relationships.

My belief in the psychotherapeutic process is experiential and interpersonal at the core. I practice from an integrative clinical perspective with an emphasis on psychodynamic psychology. I believe the relationship between therapist and client is an essential condition of the work, as this is the connection that allows for empathy and the mutual understanding of experience. In addition to the centrality of the therapeutic relationship, I aim to facilitate the co-construction of a creative space relative to each person that is safe, open and meaningful in which to explore whatever is on one's mind or heart.

What makes an impact? Is it your will? Your intentions? Your heritage? Your chemistry? My work is collaborative meaning we will discuss your reasons for seeking care and selecting goals.