Psychodynamic Therapists in 60626

People seek therapy for many reasons. Maybe you’ve experienced a recent life change or event that is causing distress or discomfort. Maybe you’ve struggled with issues for a long time and have decided you have the desire and capacity to deal with it now. Maybe you’re looking for a place to process and reflect on the stressors that are part of daily life. Whatever your motivation for seeking support at this time, I’m glad you’re here and eager to learn more about how I can help.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Lee Jackson, and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over 14 years of clinical experience working with clients living with depression, anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, Excoriation Disorder, addiction, unhelpful thinking styles, low self-esteem, codependency, poor boundary setting, PMDD, and trauma. I am an eclectic therapist who uses Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical, Eclectic, Psychodynamic, and Couples Therapy during treatment with my clients. I believe in creating an egalitarian relationship with you to foster a safe and empowering environment for long-term recovery and stability.

Whether you wish to gain clarity about a life challenge or seek to resolve a deeper change from within, our work together will present an opportunity to rework the patterns that may be disrupting your relationships or preventing you from fulfilling your life goals. I have advanced training in psychodynamic psychotherapy, viewing our therapeutic relationship as central to the change process while helping you understand how past conflicts affect how you feel in the present. I approach our work together from a genuine, empathetic stance with openness, humor, and curiosity. It is important that we are partners in your healing process.

Therapy is a way of approaching those life challenges that sometimes appear overwhelming or confusing. By putting words to those feelings, you can begin to unravel patterns of behavior, relationship dynamics and decision making processes, thus allowing for meaningful change. Therapy takes place in a supportive, non-judgmental space where you are able to reflect on your concerns by exploring the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing. Treatment is based on your singular circumstances, utiliziing a psychodynamic, trauma informed approach.

Together we will focus on reaching new understandings in your life to support your goals, well-being and agency. We will explore your personal and environmental challenges, while discovering helpful meanings and solutions thru our conversations - often casual and comfortable in style. We will process the root of your anxiety, unhappiness and/or discontent, while taking a fresh look at your needs and coping style - working to empower your strengths. Together here we consider the reasons that bring you to therapy.

I offer a holistic, individualized approach to therapy centered around the client-therapist relationship. My training is in relational psychodynamic psychotherapy; however, I use a variety of therapeutic interventions including art therapy, breathwork, yoga for trauma, meditation and mindfulness. I believe in empowering each individual through psychoeducation around sleep and diet, attachment styles, the mind-body connection, etc. I have extensive experience in working with trauma, including survivors of domestic violence, emotional & sexual abuse as well as complex childhood trauma. I see adults, adolescents and families.

I am a general practitioner whose personal style is warm and interactive. I utilize a psychodynamic approach informed by acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and cognitive-behavioral (CBT) principles. Psychotherapy at Third Wave Wellness provides a unique opportunity to transform one’s suffering. Learning to be more present, create space for discomfort, and mine for greater meaning allows us to take new actions to find joy, calm and purpose. Therapy and coaching are highly collaborative, we work together toward your goals.

Counseling can strengthen your ability to recognize and make choices in your life that align with the person you want to be. I can help you cope with difficult emotions and develop a strong sense of self-compassion and acceptance. I am most passionate about addressing concerns related to anxiety, depression, trauma, and sexual health. A significant portion of my career has been focused on serving LGBTQ+ people and communities, and I pay close attention to cultural factors and the ways in which they impact a person's vantage point in this world.

When difficult emotions or experiences interfere with our ability to enjoy life, it can be hard to figure out what to do. You might feel stuck in patterns of thoughts or behaviors that are stopping you from fully engaging in the life you want to live. I work with you to process what may be contributing to your pain and to recognize your many strengths within. We each deserve to be seen for all that we are by someone who cares. Honoring your unique personality and needs, we will determine how the therapeutic relationship can best serve you.

I work with clients around anxiety, depression, grief and loss, PTSD, childhood and adult sexual trauma, gender and identity concerns, and chronic substance use. My journey as a therapist is deeply rooted in a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive space for individuals from all walks of life. I strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where clients can explore their inner selves and navigate life's complexities. My dedication to anti-oppressive work and self-improvement reflects my aspiration to be a more effective therapist and a positive force for change in the lives of my clients and our community as a whole.

Do you ever wonder is there more to life, more happiness, fulfillment? I have worked with a variety of populations including children and adults that are in crisis in the community, involved with the foster care system of Illinois (DCFS), struggle with self-esteem, confidence and feelings of loneliness. I’m known for cultivating self development, self care and determination; specializing in helping you connect with your fullest potential. As a team we will begin shifting your paradigm, developing a new attitude with new results, you desire.

To me, therapy is a team sport. I'm there to help create a space and relationship where you feel safe exploring the things that are happening in your life. Maybe that thing is identity exploration, depression or anxiety that just won't quit, or figuring out how survive and then thrive after a big trauma. All of this is big stuff. I'm here to help you hold it and find a way through it. I have plenty of tools that I can bring to bear (questions, coping skills training, identifying patterns, and reframing situations), but ultimately, my approach centers around you and what you need to be successful, however you define success.

Do you find yourself struggling to navigate the uncertainty of our time? Are you feeling helpless, or even hopeless, about the future? Have past experiences halted your ability to move forward? You are not alone. I am a licensed therapist providing humanistic and psychodynamic therapy for adults, integrating a systems framework to not only meet you where you’re at but also to recognize the systemic and societal context that applies to your individual experience. I acknowledge the complexities of power dynamics while working on colonized land and am affirming of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

Throughout life, there are many challenges and decisions to navigate while we process and learn from our own experiences. How we make sense of them and give experiences meaning is crucial in moving from feeling stuck towards being fully authentic and present in life. Together, we can work through barriers and move towards a place of self-compassion. I work with adults experiencing life transitions, chronic pain, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and self esteem concerns. My own background as a musician informs my approach to working with performance anxiety as well as my interest in working with other creatives and performing artists.

My approach is rooted in the practices of mindfulness and self-compassion. I integrate a variety of mindfulness techniques to psychology to help people nurture their lives with kindness and awareness, and connect with their natural well-being. My practice is informed by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic techniques, client-centered approach and Buddhist psychology. My clinical experience includes a range of concerns, including depression, anxiety, trauma, relationships, sexuality, addiction and grief.

Often, people come to us without having explored psychological concerns in a sophisticated way. If they had past therapy, they were at times disappointed that it did not go deeper, as it left the greater meaning (the "roots") of their symptoms unexplored. As psychodynamic therapists, however, our goal is to see comprehensively, with thoughtful attention to the subtle depths and intricacies of your experience. In so doing, we can help to both resolve symptoms and impart meaning to your experiences, even those thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are often deemed painful or meaningless.

You matter. I seek to highlight & build upon your unique strengths with a focus on overall wellness in mind, body, spirit & community. I believe we all have the tools to reach our highest potential. I aim to understand what might be getting in the way of you being your most authentic, talented self. I specialize in helping others access & heal their pain by engaging the nervous system to unlock trauma & emotions to release them. Body integration allows us to feel alive & open to get more of life. I blend evidenced-based practices such as somatic, breathwork, mindfulness, EMDR, CBT, & EFT under a psychodynamic therapy lens.

Chicago Pride Center offers a breadth of specializations and training to tailor the therapeutic experience to the needs and preferences of each client, serving children and adults throughout the life-course. We bring a depth of experience in work with LGBTQ+, Gender Expansive folx, Allys, non-monogamous relationships as well as veterans through trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, transformative justice and empowerment-based frameworks.

My primary focus is adults presenting with histories of early and/or chronic trauma (Complex or Developmental Trauma). I work with persons experiencing depression, anxiety, self-harm, difficulties with developmental life transitions, difficulties with mood/emotional dysregulation, issues of separation and loss, abuse (sexual, physical, domestic), relationship issues, grief and loss, as well as difficulties launching into emerging adulthood.