Teletherapy for Loop - Chicago, IL

I'm a relational, trauma informed, inclusive, Body Positive therapist. I have received advanced training in the treatment of trauma, Anxiety & Mood Disorders, OCD, personality disorders, & eating disorders. I work individually with clients struggling with life transitions, divorce/breakup, perfectionism, navigating EMN/Polyamory, self-esteem, & identity. My approach to therapy is highly collaborative & relational. I believe a safe & nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship is central to helping create change (NOTE for quicker reply use contact form/email vs voicemail; Scheduling Note: Limited AM appts available only! NO evenings.

Welcome! I am so happy you are here. Therapy can be a scary and daunting step. Taking the time to address your needs, big or small, shows strength and courage and I will be right by your side with empathy and compassion. I strongly believe prioritizing yourself and being the healthiest version of you impacts not only yourself but also those around you. Exploring the things that make us who we are creates opportunities for change. Delving into our thoughts, feelings, and actions can generate transformation and growth. I value looking inward and outward in order to develop a healthy relationship with yourself and others.

We all encounter periods of disconnection and unhappiness in life. Difficult relationships, unsatisfying careers, and adjusting to life’s transitions can contribute to these feelings. For many, harmful coping mechanisms develop in response to these challenges, exacerbating feelings of despair and loss of control. However, times of suffering can also serve as invitations to let go of limiting beliefs and ineffective coping strategies in order to become the person we aspire to be.

What's your definition of birthright? As we grow, family, culture, and society can assign meaning that does not serve our best interest but theirs. Devastatingly, we're often taught to point the finger back at ourselves when things go wrong. But I believe we heal and thrive when we nurture healthy intrinsic (fundamental to who we are) connection to ourselves and others. This work creates a safety net allowing us to build self-esteem and adapt without losing our personal power. Pursuing the arts with a former career as a performer, choreographer, and artistic director, I strongly relate to "fitting-in while trying to stand-out".

Perhaps you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or hopeless. But you're also feeling ready for change, which is why you're here. It's common to feel like our thoughts and emotions are in a confusing and tangled knot, whether we have experienced trauma, challenging family dynamics, relationship issues, depression, anxiety, and/or other mental health challenges. What I can do is help you untangle the knot one thread at a time, make sense of these parts, and understand their origins and connections. Most importantly, together we can start to weave a new pattern that suits you, so you feel empowered to live an authentic and fulfilling life.

The world can feel very uncertain, discordant, unjust, and sometimes unbearable; in my approach I aim to look with you both internally and externally to find moments of reflection, validation, empowerment, clarity, and care. I use a warm, relational approach to my work with clients. Most importantly I strive to uphold anti-racist, liberatory, and LGBTQIA+ affirming scaffolding in my practice and I am always learning more in this respect. Therapy should feel safe, empowering, collaborative, and be a place where communication is transparent.

Whether you are searching for meaning, clarity, increased fulfillment, or relief from specific symptoms or stressors, I consider it a privilege to support those I work with in their processes of healing and growth. Above all, I privilege authenticity, transparency, and a sense of agency in the therapeutic process. I am deeply passionate about challenging commonly held assumptions about therapy, namely that it involves a relationship between a “sick” person and a “healthy” one.

Maya Angelou – “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” I believe everyone has a story, and sometimes it is hard to know where to begin. The feeling of not being able to express oneself is difficult to endure. I consider therapy a safe and supportive space to share unspoken thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings that can be a source of life’s challenges. Therapy can instill hope with which your story begins to be seen and heard. I strive to cultivate a validating and non-judgmental space to empower you and your voice to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

I have had the privilege of working with early to mid-adults of various backgrounds and identities. I am passionate about supporting my clients facing loss, identity development, anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions. Sometimes life catapults us into a new chapter, a new milestone, a new relationship status - filled with both challenge and promise - that we may not have asked for or are finding ourselves struggling with. Together in therapy, I collaborate with my clients to find meaning, awareness, and growth through experiencing the present and deliberately reflecting on patterns of the past.

We live in a culture that has specific ideas of who we should be, how we should look, how we should feel, and how we should behave. Deviating from this cultural standard (especially due to race, class, ability, gender, and sexual orientation) gives us messages that we are wrong, bad, or broken; we can become disconnected from our bodies, cultures, and loved ones, and end up feeling unsafe, anxious, and depressed. Therapy is a practice that works to heal this trauma by creating a safe space where you can reconnect to yourself, your community, and the world.

Amy is a Psychotherapist who is passionate about empowering clients to pursue lives of meaning, connection, and joy. Her approach to therapy is relational, drawing primarily from psychodynamic and behavioral models. She is committed to anti-oppressive practice and believes in challenging all forms of systemic injustice.

If you find yourself struggling as you care for your new baby, navigate a difficult fertility journey, or wrestle with the impact of past trauma, I am here to help. Many people don’t anticipate the grief and loss that can come with parenthood, or how parenting can trigger wounds from the past. Whatever challenges you may be facing, I provide a supportive space where you can be wholly you, with all the mess, pain, beauty, and absurdity life brings. I will work with you to better understand your experiences and emotions so you can heal and make the changes you are seeking in your life.

Practicing vulnerability is hard, but having someone with whom you can talk openly, question freely, and collaborate makes it easier. I believe that therapeutic change is nurtured through a relationship that is supportive, compassionate, and non-judgmental. Everyone comes to therapy with unique perspectives and experiences. Together, we can honor the unique lens through which you see the world and collaborate to decide what meaningful change looks like for you.

The decision to seek therapy can be difficult and overwhelming, and we recognize how hard it is to reach out for help. LifePath therapists have particular expertise in leveraging client's strengths to heal fractured relationships and to prosper individually. Our goal is to make therapy feel less overwhelming by developing a collaborative partnership where you will identify your challenges and develop healthy coping skills. We also share a deep commitment to a relational therapeutic process that is approachable and client centered. We use empirically supported interventions to empower you to deal with a wide array of issues.

Life can be hard and having a counselor who truly hears you is life changing. You deserve to feel amazing and we're experts at making that a reality. As a niche based practice we have counselors that can help you navigate challenges in life & love. We have expertise in break-ups/divorce recovery, anxiety/stress, grief & loss, post-college transitions, trauma, relational discord, self-esteem, ADHD, non-traditional relationships and LGBTQ+. Our strength lies in walking with you through difficult transitions quicker and with more ease, insight and coping. We love supporting our clients because our life's work is to improve yours.

I see my role in therapy as empowering and supporting you in identifying and using your unique identities, stories, and strengths to navigate life stressors, build self-esteem, and feel better in your mind and body; I center my work from a social justice lens to explore how our communities and systems have shaped these identities and stories. My experience includes supporting young to older adults navigating a variety of life transitions, including college, career, relationships, sober curiosity, and grief & loss experiences. The core of my work is relationship building and partnering with you to work towards your wellness goals.

We may at times wonder who we are, what it all means, and what it's all for, and that's okay. Your thoughts and emotions are a valid part of being human, but sometimes we need support, and that's okay, too. You deserve to find joy, empowerment, and self-insight with curiosity and non-judgment. I work with clients exploring identity, existential concerns, anxiety, ancestral trauma & healing, spirituality, sexuality, and navigating alt & expansive spaces, structures, identities. Whatever you're working through, let's collaborate to best serve your process and purpose!

I believe that individuals possess the knowledge and strength needed to create the changes they want in their lives. Clarity about new choices in our lives begins with accepting the feelings we are experiencing today. I focus on facilitating a supportive and collaborative relationship with my client to promote their insight about the feelings and events in their life. Clients are empowered to control the direction of their lives with new choices based out of the insights gained in treatment. I provide psychotherapy to individuals and couples motivated to the improvement of their self, their relationships, or their careers.

Accepting NEW clients! Informed by my own journey and experiences, I am deeply committed to providing support to individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. I appreciate working with adults, young adults, and professionals who are navigating feelings of otherness and their intersectional identities, with a specialization in Black and Muslim mental health. I am dedicated to creating a nurturing and understanding environment. Therapy with me offers a compassionate approach tailored to your specific needs, whether you're grappling with relationship dynamics, processing trauma, or seeking guidance for anxiety and depression.