Therapists in Evanston, IL

The decision to engage in psychotherapy is deeply personal to each of us. Many of us find ourselves repeating interpersonal patterns within relationships and thinking, "why does this keep happening?" Or battling feelings of self doubt and curious how the past shapes our current experiences. Maybe you are a new parent or currently pregnant, overwhelmed with this tremendous life transition or the intensity of your emotions.

Life can be full of transitions, challenge, and change. Sometimes it helps to have a safe and nonjudgmental place to work through what’s been on your mind. I strive to provide a caring, compassionate environment for that process. I’ll partner with you to help you come to your own insights, and we’ll work on noticing patterns and what is behind them. We’ll also work on identifying your unique strengths and how those can help you move toward positive change.

My name is Marie. I am a social worker and psychotherapist. I consider it a privilege to come alongside individuals and their families as they courageously navigate the challenges in their lives. As a trauma-informed yoga instructor and mental health clinician, I strive to consider the needs of the whole person: mind, body and spirit. My approach to therapy focuses on building on the client's individual strengths as we work together to achieve treatment goals. I create a safe and inviting space that encourages emotional exploration, curiosity and healing.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois and a certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician (PMH-C). I have a background in school social work and the treatment of trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and much more in the inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition to my work at Crescent Moon, I also work at Northwestern Medicine in a nationally-renowned program that specializes in maternal mental health. I provide mental health services and coordinate care with OBGYN's and other mental health providers for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

I'm passionate about supporting multicultural individuals, immigrants, and other marginalized populations to deal with life challenges associated with acculturation, life transitions, and trauma. I have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, students, adults, and their families who have been going through life transitions and stresses together. I’m specialized in working with individuals to address depression, anxiety, ADHD, perinatal issues, grief, stress management, intergenerational conflicts, complex trauma, communication, relationship issues, etc. I incorporate multiculturalism into my practice.

I believe that therapy is an opportunity for growth and healing. I offer a safe, responsive environment that builds on the coping methods, survival strategies, and the inner wisdom that you have already implemented in your life. I place an emphasis on assisting people in advocating for themselves, which sometimes comes in the shape of creating healthier boundaries or learning how to better communicate your needs. We all deserve to move through life being loved for who we are.

Life can be stressful. We are constantly bombarded with news, both good and bad: requests from family and friends, work deadlines, and living with the unknown. Taking time to talk through our worries, fears, and learn more about ourselves can be endlessly rewarding. How do we learn to have boundaries? How do we learn that self-compassion does not mean selfish? How do we learn to start recognizing patterns and making positive change in our lives? How do we build connection? Therapy can help us achieve these goals while processing our fears, traumas, and doubts, as well as cheering on our accomplishments, no matter their size.

Are you looking for a space to work through life's challenges? I would love to help! I am not your traditional therapist--I like to make therapy a fun and creative place! Because everyone is unique, I have an eclectic approach to therapy. We will work together to create a safe space for you, where we utilize things that you're interested in, while also integrating evidence based treatment approaches like EMDR and body based approaches.

I work with adults, adolescents and couples who are experiencing relationship issues, life transitions, anxiety and mood disorders, career issues, or a general feeling of being lost or stuck in life. I believe therapy is a powerful tool that can reveal and illuminate the workings of your inner world to help you better navigate your outer world. If you are willing to be brave and do the work, therapy can inspire and empower you to create the positive changes you need in order to live a life that is more aligned with your values and feels more in tune with your authentic self.

I welcome all kinds of clients to my practice, and I'm lucky to work with clients from 19-89 (so far!). My clients are often focused on feeling and functioning better through an exploration of their identities, histories, current situations and goals for the future. I particularly enjoy working with people on issues of depression and/or anxiety, changes in body size and/or ability, chronic pain, trauma, gender and sexuality issues, work and life transitions, aging, stress management, and parenting challenges. My work centers around fostering awareness of and compassion for yourself in moving through everyday life.

Difficult times in life are opportunities for growth and change. I specialize in exploring identity, relationships, and transitions, mindful of the interplay between our formative experiences and current ways of being in the world. Through the therapeutic process, we understand and address anxious and depressed feelings; recover from losses and addictions, and manage work and family related stresses. I facilitate my clients' innate movement toward healing and authenticity.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the effects of trauma, by challenging circumstances, or just feeling stuck in life? Do you have a hard time expressing or describing your feeling in words?  My therapy is rooted in care and trust. With compassion, understanding and guidance, I assist my clients to increase their self-esteem, confidence, and self-awareness and reconnect with their own inner strength to overcome the hardships in their lives. With my background as a clinical trauma specialist, an expressive artist and a Japanese immigrant, I am uniquely positioned to help guide you towards a more positive and empowered life journey.

Have you been feeling 'crowded out', like there is no room for you to feel, to slow down and sort out what's right for you, and to enjoy your life? Perhaps self-critique, anger, sadness, physical tension and pain, or fear get so big on the inside that you feel crowded out that way? Perhaps you are so used to deferring to the wants, needs and ideas of others in your external life that it's hard to hear your own internal compass.

During life's challenging moments, most of us benefit from the support of a non judgmental guide. People have told me they feel safe with me. Whether you are dealing with work/school stress, struggling with anxiety or depression, coping with parenting, experiencing loss, or are looking for support with a relationship, I can help you to better understand stuck areas in your life. I see individuals, couples, adolescents and families. I have an interactive, supportive, and open approach. When working with individuals, we will work together to gain greater self understanding and discover workable solutions.

Trauma-informed therapy to learn to let go and be present in your own life. Identity development for millennials and new parents. There are no cookie-cutters in therapy- I will meet you where you are today and work collaboratively with you to uncover what is holding you back from embracing your best self. Discover freedom from anxiety and confusion and move through your life with confidence.

(She/Her/Hers) Over the years, I have built a practice devoted to improving the lives of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, struggling with a number of different issues. More recently, I have shifted my focus from clinical practice to the training of pre-licensed and early career therapists. I very much enjoy mentoring as it gives me the opportunity to share all that I have learned in my two decades of providing psychotherapy.

Here at According to Sykes, assistance and guidance is offered through individual, family and group therapy, couples therapy, as well as Professional Development and Training Opportunities. As a group of healing practitioners, we recognize and understand the complicated and complex ways that trauma influences all parts of someone’s life, body, and brain, and make treatment decisions based on that framework. We realize that most people have lived through some type of trauma because trauma is so common and understand treatment through that lens. View our therapist profiles at www.accordingtosykes.com.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or a mood disorder such as bipolar disorder? These are areas I specialize in and will collaborate with you to facilitate healing. If you woke up tomorrow and your life was exactly the way you wanted it, what would your life look or feel like? Let's see how close to that vision we can get. Clients I work best with are those who are motivated to change and looking to evolve their perspectives and life. We will work together to get you to that place where you are confident, full of self-love and attract fruitful opportunities to your life..

Are you struggling to navigate having a higher or lower sexual desire than your partner? Maybe you would like to enjoy sex more than you do, but you aren’t sure where to start. If we aren’t in tune with our bodies or our pleasure, sex might feel like just another task on our never-ending to-do list. Perhaps the experience of sex become ridden with performance anxiety and you’re never quite sure if it’s going to be “successful”. You might feel shame about your own sexual behaviors, porn consumption, or masturbation habits. These are all common concerns that I help clients with.