Therapists in Cicero, IL

Nilsa is a culturally competent bilingual clinician with a passionate focus on helping individuals, couples, adolescents, and families in overcoming generational trauma and destructive Mental Health related issues. As a Latina, Nilsa understands the barriers and stigma around Mental Health Services in marginalized communities and the effects it has in black and brown communities. She believes in the power of understanding her client’s story, experience, and social factors that has shaped them in who they are today regardless, of their race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion or any other status.

My experience has allowed me to work with people from all over the world with both chronic and minor mental health concerns. As a clinician I have worked with people who have depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, (PTSD)trauma and a history of family violence. My approach is primarily cognitive behavioral with a significant emphasis on the person's present. Those who would benefit are people who are looking at moving forward with their life with more deliberation and direction. Moving away from seeing themselves as the result of their circumstances but as the master of their being.

I start with a thorough assessment of your current concerns. I take a broad-minded, non-judgmental approach to understanding what you are looking for help with. I try to be helpful by offering feedback and new perspectives and insights. I understand that you have probably already attempted several ways to address your concerns and by now you are most likely frustrated and worried. I will take a proactive and positive approach to your participation by helping you identify your personal strengths and assets that you can then use to develop a new and better response to your concerns.

I am bilingual in English/Spanish and bi-cultural in the Latino/American Culture. As a warm, empathetic and a non-judgmental therapist, I seek to help individuals to find solutions, relief, balance and insight in their own ability to cope with life's problems. Soy bilingüe en inglés /español y bi-cultural en la cultura latina. Como terapeuta cálido, empático y sin prejuicios, busco ayudar a las personas a encontrar soluciones, alivio, equilibrio y comprensión de su propia capacidad para hacer frente a los problemas de la vida.

I am an experienced psychotherapist and I work with clients from diverse backgrounds. I have extensive experience working with clients who are adult children of alcoholics and helping clients who have suffered a loss(es) and seek bereavement counseling. I also work with adults and youths who have both depression and anxiety, including panic attacks and phobias. I offer specific strategies to combat anxiety and panic attacks. My particular expertise has been working with parents and their children. Other areas of practice are sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Sometimes in life we need a little extra help. Family and friends mean well, but talking with a professional about your concerns can make all the difference in the world. If you are struggling, or simply need a warm and gentle environment in which to rest, I am here for you.

Our life's work is helping clients achieve a better sense of self and happiness...more recently we've recognized that without good mental health providers, finding this balance in life can be more difficult and stressful. As a result, we tend toward an Integrative approach and help our clients transform into the people they want to be. We see each client as an individual with many parts to their identity. Utilizing a holistic and systemic approach we help clients reintegrate the parts of themselves to function better as individuals and within their systems. Our focus tends toward a systems based approach using behavior methods.

In periods of overwhelming feelings and emotions, we might find ourselves consumed by the noise in our minds. Whether the noise is negative thoughts of the past, present, or future, it all can become so loud that we lose sight of what’s important to us. We lose sight of our resilience, values, present moment, others around us, or even ourselves. We might even find ourselves feeling and behaving inconsistently to who we are or want to be during these periods that we might call anxiety or depression. As your therapist, I will support you in understanding and learning how to respond to these experiences.