Spirituality Therapists in Evanston, IL

I am a licensed psychologist, a Jungian psychoanalyst and a certified addictions counselor. I also have training in recovery work, Gestalt therapy and am a certified yoga instructor. I use these perspectives appropriately for the unique benefit of the client who sits in front of me. I try to meet each person with freshness each session. I advocate for change in the power dynamic between people and within the psyche and support my clients to become their most authentic and fullest self.

It's all about connection. We all have such a unique cluster of life experiences, and I am here to aid in the facilitation of integration, self-acceptance, and relationship building. You may not know where to begin, or you may have specific therapeutic goals. No matter where you are right now in relation to yourself, I am here as a radically accepting, nonjudgmental, empathic practitioner to be with you in all parts of your journey. I am a deep nature and animal lover, traveler, and have a deep understanding of religious and spiritual communities while not being affiliated with any denomination or religion.

I have spent most of my life as a spiritual guide, teacher and psychotherapist. I have worked in Ireland, England, Wales and Nigeria over the past four decades. I have been very fortunate to have great teachers but my best teachers are those people that I have been most privileged to companion through their life challenges. What I am learning from all of my own life experiences is that each moment is filled with magnificence of the Divine and learning to attune to these great unfolding Divine moments is my continued life ambition.

It’s no mistake that you’ve landed here. You deserve to live a life with more ease, flow, and presence. As someone who has tried various paths, you may find yourself stuck, yearning for a connection to purpose and meaning. Maybe you’re going through major life transitions, experiencing grief, loss, and despair. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in patterns that no longer serve you. Growth and transformation are not an intellectual-only experience. The way we hold tension, maintain posture, and move are intimately connected to our thoughts and emotional well-being. The key to wholeness lives within your inner landscape.

I am Dr. Sylvia Kobe, and I am a Licensed Clinical psychologist. My associate Dr. Mary-Zitta Muabe and I collaborate to cover a broad counseling spectrum. Together Dr. Muabe and I specialize in marriage, family therapy, and spiritual maturity. We also work with teens, young adults, and individuals battling anxiety, depression, or struggles to cope with every-life issues. We believe in empowering our clients, encouraging them to see that life is all about second chances, and with the right kind of intervention, the best is yet to come.

Maybe you are reading this because you want something to change in your life. It’s a daring step to reach out to a stranger and trust them. I know therapy can help. It has helped me in my life, and it has helped many of my clients over the years. I offer free consultations with clients before we begin because a good fit is important. Although I have worked in agencies, hospitals and group practices, I think some of my best training has come from navigating a 24 year marriage, raising kids, and launching them into adulthood. I enjoy helping people work through anxiety and depression and get their life back.

Through individualized care and a strong therapeutic relationship, I believe clients can better understand their unique strengths and feel empowered in their lives. Using trauma-informed care and harm reduction strategies, I want clients to feel safe, affirmed, and well-informed when making the best choices for themselves.

As a body-inclusive psychotherapist, I am passionate about a collaborative and holistic approach to therapy. I believe the integration of mind, body, and spirit in a safe, therapeutic setting can provide profound opportunities for healing. I have experience working with those desiring help with issues related to trauma and abuse, stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, parenting, mood management, and grief/loss. I enjoy working with a diverse clientele including adolescents and emerging adults.

Welcome! I specialize in addressing mood concerns (e.g., anxiety, depression), family-of-origin difficulties, and relational traumas. I have over a decade of experience working in different settings, including community and hospital clinics, three university counseling centers, and private practice. I work with individuals and couples across the lifespan, and I have particular expertise in supporting undergraduate and graduate students, as well as early career professionals. Given my research and clinical training in career development, I frequently work with clients navigating work transitions and high-stress occupations.

The C. G. Jung Center offers affordable, Jungian oriented psychotherapy. This type of psychotherapy not only addresses one's immediate personal problems, but explores the underlying psychological and spiritual issues which might be contributing to those problems.

My mission is helping people with their problems. I customize my therapy to my clients' needs and goals. I will work with you to find out what is the best way for you to achieve your goals and accomplish your dreams. I take a practical approach to therapy because I understand that you want results. Whether you are unsatisfied in your relationships or struggle in your everyday life, you don't need to suffer alone. I am here to help.

An ideal client is one seeking inner and outer change to reach a more meaningful life. Exploring the inner world through cognitive approaches, mindfulness and dream work can help with the exploration of blocks stopping the process of change. Those seeking help in improving their marriage and family conflicts would benefit from being in a context where they can be heard as well as being exposed to the perspective of others. Clients having difficulties facing a new culture can benefit working with a bicultural therapist who lived in other countries and experienced those challenges.

I’m here to help. We all experience stress, loss and pain in so many ways. But we are resilient and, with help, can overcome and enjoy life again. Using a trauma informed and culturally informed focus, I use a combination of compassionate talk therapy, mindfulness and body-based tools as your partner to wellness. In my 20+ years as a clinical psychologist I have been privileged to work with folks from all walks of life especially those in marginalized groups. If you need to sort things out in a safe place, you’ve come to the right place.

To "know thyself" - to wake up to yourself, is the most worthy of quests. I work with mind, body, and spirit to bring you back to yourself. The body never lies. When we tune into the body we find our own truth, wisdom, and guidance. This happens when we calm down, relax, and pay attention. There are often emotions or experiences that have waited years to be acknowledged and expressed. It doesn't work to close the door on the past. Until we review, process, and open to healing we tend to re-capitulate the events in our past.

My role as your therapist is to empower you with compassion and care that allows for healing. I guide you back to your inner voice to cultivate meaningful relationships. We are continually evolving because life is a creative process. I provide insight so that you better understand your relationship dynamics, allowing for the creation of new habits and patterns. Connection is essential, and it begins with the relationship to self. Increasing self-awareness, self-understanding, and establishing healthy tools for self-care empowers and equips you in navigating life's stressors.

When we lose that connection to our self, all other connections in our life suffer. Suddenly, it is a struggle to be fully present with the ones with love and care for. We become blocked from experiences in life and career that used to bring us fulfillment. We lack the motivation to participate in the communities in which we have a vested interest. When faced with these disconnections we start to wonder: What is my meaning? What is my purpose? What’s the point?

All of us -- women and men, young and old, poor, middle class and upscale folks, minorities and majorities -- have to deal with complexity. As a therapist I help heal hurts from the past, assist clients in managing present challenges, and work collaboratively to create more satisfying future lives. The people who see me for individual, couples and family therapy represent a culturally diverse group. Their difficulties range from anxiety and depression, to stress disorders, OCD/OCPD, relationship problems, employment issues, and bereavement. Many of these women and men report quick progress in better managing their personal, family, academic, and work lives.

I work with individuals, couples, and families challenged by anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, addiction and the changes of everyday life. While grounded in traditional psychodynamic psychotherapy, I also integrate interpersonal neurobiology and body-based therapies, including Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM) for developmental trauma, Somatic Experiencing and EMDR. Often, insight alone is not enough to shift patterns we find ourselves stuck in and repeating in ourselves and our relationships.

If you're feeling like you need a new beginning, are looking to grow, and want to take initiative in your treatment, I am the therapist for you. You don't have to have all of the answers because figuring out the difficult parts will be what we do together. As long as you come into therapy open to the process and willing to try new things, we can work towards the change that you want to see for yourself and/or your relationships. This could look like gaining new coping skills to use throughout your daily life, healing from past traumas, and achieving deeper levels of self-awareness, self-compassion, and positive self-esteem.