Therapists in Chicago, IL

Seeking therapy is often a difficult process for many individuals of diverse backgrounds due to cultural stigmas and stereotypes around mental health. Trying to then find the "right" therapist can feel impossible whether it's your first time exploring or the umpteenth attempt following another not-so-great experience. I believe a safe therapeutic relationship can create unique opportunities for minority populations who are seeking to better understand and cope with their mental health, especially when approached with multicultural and feminist perspectives that allow for a level of empathy that is often unavailable in other spaces.

My clinical approach is authentic and integrative, resulting in a collaborative treatment plan based on client’s culture and values, the best available clinical research, and clinical expertise for my clients to thrive in their lives. I enjoy working with children, adolescents and adults in individual, family and group settings. I specialize in the treatment of anxiety, ADHD, OCD, Executive Functioning (EF) skills, complex trauma/PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, racial/cultural identities, academic performance, family conflicts, relationship issues, grief, life transitions, stress and other life concerns. I also speak Korean.

Do you find yourself caught in a cycle of self-criticism, leading to persistent feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness? Do your emotions sometimes overwhelm you, resulting in reactions that feel disproportionate to the situation? Navigating relationships can become even more challenging when affected by family dynamics. Maybe you have been having concerns with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/ loss, life transitions, career/school stress, self-harm, and relationship challenges. Perhaps you’ve become discouraged by your attempts to help yourself. That’s what I’m here for.

Sungsim believes that all human beings are born with spirituality that can be expressed in religious or non-religious ways. Discovering, recovering, and nurturing spiritual capacity related to finding meaning, purpose, connection, and well-being is a primary goal with her clients. She is committed to spiritually sensitive practice and education for developing human potential and social justice.

Welcome! As a mental health counselor, I wholeheartedly believe in the inherent power of every individual, including yourself, to embark on a transformative journey toward well-being and personal growth. I have been offering mental health support since earning my Master of Arts in Art Therapy & Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017. As a Christian, I also offer faith-based assistance to those seeking it. I provide treatment in English and Korean

I am passionate about supporting adolescents, young adults, and adults who are experiencing life transitions, mood dysregulation, anxiety, trauma, and depression. I offer bilingual counseling in English and Korean. 한국어 상담 가능합니다.

Do you feel burdened by others’ expectations of you? Perhaps you’ve followed a path until now, but feel lost or empty despite having done everything right. Others might describe you as successful, but you don’t feel successful or, more importantly, satisfied? You thought that if you chose the right career or started your own family and worked hard at it, that you would find happiness at the end of that arduous road… only to find yourself feeling more lost and confused. I can help you parse out what beliefs are yours and what aren't to assist you in leading a life that aligns with your values, bringing more internal harmony.

Are you struggling with depression, fear, loneliness, or a sense of being trapped in life? Are you living with painful memories and emotions which cause you to feel insecure? Or, like me, are you a native of a different country and facing cross-cultural realities that only immigrants understand? If you are hoping to transform your hardships into empowerment, I will be able to create the space and provide the expertise into helping you find internal strength to re-write your life story.

Dr. Young Ok Kim enjoys helping those facing diverse challenges such as: anxiety and depression, trauma (including growing up in an abusive family), self-esteem, attachment issues, struggles with loss and grief, relationship and family conflict, and spiritual struggles related to mental health. Particularly, she has a special heart for 1.5 and 2nd generation Asians and their parents who face difficulties related to the unique generational differences stemming from language and cultural barriers. She provides therapy in both English and Korean and she is licensed in California and Illinois.

Struggling to stay positive or feeling especially anxious and irritable can have a profound impact on the quality of your life. Together we explore and practice constructive ways of coping with challenging emotions. My goal is to create a safe space that allows clients to identify with themselves and reach potential through modifying thoughts and behaviors. Also, I have a heart in multicultural work, which includes helping people adjusting to generational differences.

My working model is positioned from a trauma informed, holistic, strength-based approach to understanding how we are able to cope with life and grow to be resilient. I base my clinical interventions in art therapy principles and both traditional / non-traditional approaches to understand clients' inner world and foster self-expression and trauma processing.

As a queer, Asian-American who was raised in a religious immigrant home, I empathize with the struggles of reconciling cultural conflicts and diverging identities. My therapeutic space offers safety and support for exploring your inner self, thoughts, feelings, and relationships. I'll guide you to a deeper self-awareness, helping you understand how your identities and values shape your realities. My role is to create a secure environment for you to navigate your discomforts, challenge negative thoughts, and reshape old narratives. I want you to walk away feeling empowered to overcome life's challenges with strength and resilience.

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.

Do you need an affordable psychological evaluation for your immigration case? We understand these services can be expensive and that is why we offer affordable fees. We specialize in conducting Immigration Evaluations for Hardship Waiver, VAWA, U Visa, T Visa, Cancellation, and N-648 cases. Our evaluations are completed in a timely fashion by a bilingual (Chinese)Licensed Therapist. We also work with clients who speak other languages, including Spanish, Russian, French, Arabic, Cambodian, Urdu, Telugu, Gujarati, Vietnamese, Kirundi, and Farsi through professional interpreters.

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.

We're a trauma-informed, culturally-sensitive mental health counseling group for multicultural, Asian, BIPOC, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. We're passionate about working with individuals, couples and families from different cultural backgrounds, exploring how complex identities and unique personal experiences have shaped us into who we are. We specialize in healing from anxiety, complex trauma, relationship issues, perinatal issues, ADHD, adoption, OCD, stress, cultural identity, cultural/intergenerational conflicts, family conflicts, grief, and other issues.

I passionately and compassionately care for the emotional well-being and behavioral health of my individual, couple, family and group clients for over 20 years. I draw upon unique combinations of clinical principals and innovative methods to best support all people within our vastly diverse community. I draw upon my deep understanding of culture, age, gender, race, class, family structure, and the type of or the lack of a support system can have on most all situations. I always provide a totally non-judgmental, safe, and confidential space to help my clients deal with their problems, issues or crisis.

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.

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.