Therapists in River Forest, IL

Seeking, entering into, and staying in therapy take a lot of courage. I believe therapy helps us reconnect more deeply with who we are and who we are becoming. Therapy gives us opportunities to explore what matters in our lives, how we affect one another individually or collectively, how we serve or support one another in our multi-layered environments, and how to cultivate meaningful relationships with people whom we encounter. Therapy offers opportunities to learn where we may be stuck emotionally and spiritually. In this process, we can find a “home” or a “safe and sacred” place within ourselves.

All of us yearn for a sense of belonging, and it is human to feel lonely due to issues we may be facing in life. Feeling alone can have a detrimental impact not only to our mental/emotional health, but also physical health. I'm here to support you in your mental health journey and working towards a better quality of life. I strive for social justice and am attuned to the impacts and influences of society and culture. I approach therapy from a trauma-informed and harm reduction lens, meaning I’m sensitive to the past experiences that have shaped you into who you are today while working in a collaborative approach.

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.

My interest includes cross-cultural issues with couples, individual therapy, and group therapy. I have extensive experience working with adults who are coping with trauma, domestic violence, struggle with depression, anxiety and addiction. My earlier work focused on immigrants and refugees who have experienced trauma. The therapeutic relationship gives clients a chance to safely explore new effective coping mechanisms to improve the quality of their lives. I have significant clinical experience working with the Latino and Native American communities.Clients have the power to infuse new meaning into their lives and experience fulfillment

I partner with clients to create lasting change, by examining their strengths, challenges, and obstacles. My clients span 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.

Maybe you have tried traditional talk therapy, yoga, or self-help apps but you haven't found that sense relief from stress, anxiety, depression or grief. Grounded in the use of mindfulness and the creative arts therapies - art, movement, music, and drama - we believe the steps towards clarity, growth, and empowerment are about much more than talking. We are constantly thinking, feeling, sensing, expressing, interpreting, and responding to daily experiences. Your sessions will holistically explore all of these parts of your experience while gaining new skills to cope with stress, trauma, relationships, loss, or a new life change.

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.

Hello. All of us experience challenges and hardships in our lives. These challenges could make you feel disconnected from people around you, sad, overwhelmed, or alone. You may be reacting to hardships that are happening in your current life or in the past. Whether the issues are current or past, it affects your emotional well-being today. I believe therapy helps us understand our emotions, especially how these emotional struggles happen at the particular time in our lives.

私たちは生まれつき優れていると信じています。ただ、他人に及ばない自分に羞恥心を感じるべき、他人の期待に応えない自分は無価値や出来損ないの人間、また「悪い」と「間違い」という概念を教われました。こういう認識を習った私たちは焦慮や自責に落ちり、自分を否定し続けている。 私は非評価の環境を提供したいです。依頼者を支援して、彼らの苦境を理解し、彼らが理想的な変化を達成することに取り組んでいます。あなたの気持ちに耳を傾けて理解し、過去と現在の経歴を分析し、懸念、悩みや挑戦などを処理するのに役立つ情報と新たな対処方略を提供します。あなたをサポートし、どんな事も一緒に向き合ってみましょう。

In the chaos of day-to-day life we tend to forget how much our innate strengths can help us deal with and manage what ever turmoil we encounter. In therapy we will work together to help you recognize and develop your skills, strengths, and values to help you through some of your toughest situations. I am passionate about working with teens and adults in the LGBTQ+ community and empowering individuals to live according to their values.

I have been honored to work with individuals and families since 1999. Life can at times be a bumpy ride, and sometimes we might feel stuck not knowing how to handle certain situations, but my core belief is that we all have the inner ability to make each life experience a growing opportunity. I support clients by using collaborative, compassionate, and culturally-sensitive approaches. I also incorporate mindfulness and gratitude and strive to offer clients a safe and caring space throughout their journey.

My practice is multicultural, multilingual (Japanese, Spanish, and English), and multidisciplinary (as a former teacher). My approach is flexible and practical. I work with clients to identify major issues and develop treatment goals. Clients are empowered through access to reliable psycho-educational tools and materials to better prepare them to advocate for themselves and others. We then work together to (1) develop individual coping skills, and (2) cultivate social/environmental supports (e.g., linkage to support groups, strengthening of community or family ties). My goal is to enable clients to resolve issues/manage symptoms independently (without professional help) in future.