Trauma Focused Therapists in Chicago, IL

"I see your fear, and it's big. I also see your courage, and it's bigger. We can do hard things." My practice specializes in providing individual therapy to women of all ages who are struggling with attachment trauma, anxiety, divorce, motherhood, and relationship conflict. With specializations in perinatal mental health, insecure attachment, anxiety, and trauma, our treatment course can help you realize all the answers you’ve ever needed come from within you. Sometimes what we need most is for someone to show up and authentically bear witness to our struggle. That is how I view my role as a therapist.

Welcome! I believe the path to growth and healing is unique to everyone, and that individuals are the ultimate experts on their lives. I am passionate about working collaboratively with teens and adults struggling with a range of challenges such as depression, anxiety, trauma, peer/relational difficulties, life adjustment/transitions, and identity exploration. I am committed to building safe and trusting relationships with clients, while providing an accepting environment for individuals to begin working towards positive change.

LET US TAKE THE FIRST STEP ON YOUR JOURNEY TOGETHER. Meeting with a therapist does not have to cause more anxiety and stress in your everyday life, it can help you overcome any mountain you may face. Let me be your partner to support you in moving forward. Life can be stressful and overwhelming, I aim to help ease that burden by teaching coping skills that easily translate into the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Creating a safe and welcoming place for everyone to come process and explore their thoughts.

I am a licensed clinical social worker and received my BSW from Central Michigan University and my MSW from the University of Michigan, where I specialized in mental health and interpersonal practice. My experience has primarily been school-based, working with immigrant and refugee students and their families in Detroit and now Chicago. During my school based experience I also serviced students with disabilities and their families.

I help my clients including adults, adolescents, and families, to find healthy perceptions of themselves and strengthen their relationships so they can know themselves as peaceful, complete, whole, and safe

I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Board Certified Registered Art Therapist, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I've had the privilege to work in various settings such as community work with grief and loss, adult inpatient substance use treatment, adolescent & young adult residential, and therapeutic day school setting. I have experience working with a wide range of client concerns such as emotional dysregulation, interpersonal skills, distress tolerance, mindfulness, anxiety/depression, identity development, life transitions, trauma, gender identity, LGBTQIA+ issues, as well as grounding & coping skill building.

I enjoy working with adults and teens who need help coping with life stressors. I have worked 20+ years as a therapist in Chicago. I see individuals, couples, families and groups. I see many adults who deal with Recovery Issues. I use creative modalities to help build on self awareness and growth. My focus now is on helping people find their inner resources to grow and become more of who they truly are. I am certified in EMDR Therapy and use Ego State Therapy in trauma-focused work. I am in training to be a NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) practitioner which helps people who suffered from early developmental trauma.

Do you struggle with setting boundaries or prioritizing your needs in relationships? Do feelings of guilt or shame keep you from being vulnerable? Do you ever find yourself feeling anxious or depressed but can’t understand why? Trauma can often play a role in how we think, feel, and act. As a trauma-focused therapist I have a thorough understanding of not only the impact trauma can have on a person’s life but also a person’s capacity to heal from trauma. I practice within a relational approach to therapy based on the mutuality, respect, and collaboration within the therapeutic relationship.

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.

I am passionate about taking time to consider the overall well-being of my clients and strive to empower my clients to manage symptoms and live their fullest life possible. Let's talk about what goals you have in mind and how we can work toward those goals. Your therapy is your time - we can cater sessions to your needs and what feels most important to work on. I have helped clients reach positive outcomes using a mix of insight building, solution and strength focused interventions in practice.

Offering Video Telehealth Sessions. Are you having trouble communicating effectively with your partner? We work with you and your partner in the creation of a safe, collaborative space to address the roadblocks interfering with your relationship. Together we explore new, effective ways to work through familiar tensions, strengthen intimacy and communication, and create a path toward revitalizing your relationship. Our therapists provide a platform to practice new relationship skills, gain a greater sense of self-acceptance and self-awareness as you begin to eliminate communication patterns interfering with trust and intimacy.

*I AM NOT currently accepting new telehealth appointments - email me or check my Zen Care profile for my updated availability and more details about scheduling, my treatment offerings, and billing. Thank you for reviewing my profile, I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the owner of Psychological Assessment and Treatment Services, and offer a more individualized, specialized, evidence-based approach to mental health while balancing interpersonal processes and relationships. I offer advanced treatment for trauma/PTSD, addiction, anxiety, panic, depression, grief, and ADHD.

Psychotherapy is an opportunity to look at your deepest fears and face them with the support of an experienced and trusted therapist. At the Healing Journey Psychotherapy, I am committed to work with you and support you through a style that is relational, inquisitive, compassionate and challenging. My areas of expertise include surviving sexual abuse, domestic violence, chronic pain and the after effects of traumatic experiences in relationships.

Do you walk around feeling that something’s not quite right, even though everything on paper is fine? Do you experience anxiety, stress, phobias, or issues with communication or intimacy? Do you find it difficult to be kind and loving to yourself, or to prioritize your needs? Have you experienced trauma or abuse? Do you feel like you’re moving through life, but not really living? Let’s talk. I combine evidence-based methods with feminist and queer theories in order to provide strengths based, holistic care for each of my clients. I have advanced training in Trauma Focused CBT, EMDR, and also utilize Acceptance & Commitment Therapy.

As a first-generation Asian immigrant myself, I dedicate my practice to Asian, multicultural individuals, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. I am passionate about working with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, exploring how complex identities and unique personal experiences have shaped us into who we are. I specialize in addressing and healing from: anxiety, complex trauma, relationship issues, pregnancy/prenatal/postpartum issues, stress, cultural identity, cultural/intergenerational conflicts, family conflicts, grief, and other issues.

I am the Director of Compass Health Center's Trauma Program (Chicago), where I offer specialty care and supervise a team of psychologists, professional counselors, and clinical social workers. I strive for more than patient “functioning” as an end goal; I support my patients toward self-actualization and greater inner connection. If you feel stuck, consider a depth psychological approach. Many patients have only experienced supportive or solution-focused therapies, not realizing how these approaches inadvertently maintained their unhelpful patterns. Together, we will strive to find the right answer, not just the quick one.

It’s been a little while now, hasn’t it? Since you’ve begun wondering about how you might do things differently. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I can tell you that it’s not for lack of effort that you may find your mind going back to a particular time, event, or person. Through client-centered and trauma-informed collaboration, I hope to create a space in which your lived experiences and inherent wisdom guide our process in strengthening your skills, insight and self-compassion, in pursuit of living your most value—aligned life.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by your thoughts and feelings? Seeking therapy can be difficult and it takes strength and courage to take the first step. I am here to create a safe space to process your experiences, and I consider it a privilege to be able to take part in this journey with you. I am a bilingual Spanish speaking therapist who uses an integrative approach incorporating mindfulness, trauma focused -cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), solution-focused, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and strengths perspectives. I consider you the expert in your own life and I will provide support as you work towards healing.

I’m passionate about working with individuals to address issues such as emotional regulation, complex trauma, self-esteem issues, intergenerational conflicts. Partially because of my own cultural background of growing up in China and having lived in the US for 6 years, I work mostly with different generations of Asian immigrants, multicultural individuals, and other marginalized communities. If you are having trouble managing the challenges in life, or if you have had difficult life experiences that still affect your emotional well-being today, I’m here to support you to break through the barriers and re-discover your potential.

I have expertise in the following: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship difficulties, self-identity exploration, ADHD and disruptive behavioral disorders, school concerns, effective parenting, and strengthening parent-child relationships. I also help people navigate life transitions, such as early adulthood, career choices, grief and loss, and retirement, in addition to other life transitions. I provide an individualized treatment approach, utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy, insight-oriented therapy, play therapy, and a variety of family therapy treatments. I am fluent in Spanish.