Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Verified by Psychology Today Verified by Psychology Today

Aurora, IL 60504

(630) 349-7715

Let's Connect (630) 349-7715

Our ideal client is done performing. They’re tired of being quiet, agreeable, polite—and ended up invisible, dismissed, and carrying everyone else’s weight while their own wounds deepened. They may face trauma, depression, addiction, or identity struggles, but underneath it all, they’re exhausted by silence and shame. What they want isn’t complicated: Freedom. Freedom from lies about who they are. Freedom from survival strategies that once saved them but now destroy them. Freedom to live loud, reclaim joy, build real relationships, and finally believe that healing belongs to them.

We tell the truth. We cut through lies—colonial, cultural, and personal—that keep people stuck. We work at the intersections of trauma, addiction, race, culture, and LGBTQ+ identity, guiding clients to unlearn survival patterns, confront generational wounds, and reclaim joy. We don’t fix—We witness, challenge, and walk with you until you stand in your power.

If you’re reading this, you’ve already carried more than your share—and you don’t need to carry it alone anymore. We know the weight of survival, the silence it demands, and the toll it takes. We also know healing is possible. With us, you’ll have space to be seen, heard, and challenged. If you’re ready to reclaim your life, We're ready to walk beside you.

Call or Email Sankofa Tree Counseling now for a free 15 minute consultation - (630) 349-7715

Practice at a Glance

Available both in-person and online

Aurora, IL 60504

(630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

151 North 4th Street

Suite 2

Dekalb, IL 60115 map

Hybrid. No excuses about distance or time—We're here 7 days a week. If you're ready to show up, we'll meet you where you are, every time.

$200 Per Session, I accept insurance

I see individuals, couples and families

Let's Connect (630) 349-7715

Practice at a Glance

Available both in-person and online

Aurora, IL 60504

(630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

151 North 4th Street

Suite 2

Dekalb, IL 60115 map

Hybrid. No excuses about distance or time—We're here 7 days a week. If you're ready to show up, we'll meet you where you are, every time.

$200 Per Session, I accept insurance

I see individuals, couples and families

Finances

Fees

Individual Sessions $200
Couple Sessions $250

Payment Methods

Cash, Check, Discover, Health Savings Account, Mastercard, Paypal, Venmo, Visa, Zelle

Insurance

Aetna
Ambetter
Anthem
BlueCross and BlueShield
Humana
Magellan
Optum
UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH

We are credentialed (or in the process of) most major insurances. We believe in professional relationships and responsible parties, as this is a 'professional' relationship, but can often feel personal. Payments are due at the time of service.

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Qualifications

Counselor: Joel Marc Filmore

Verified by Psychology Today Licensed by State of Illinois / 180008698 Joel Marc Filmore

Education and Years In Practice

In Practice for 15 years

Attended Northern Illinois University, Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, Graduated 2014

Additional Credentials

Degree/Diploma from Roosevelt University Master of Arts in Clinical Professional Psychology / 2010

HEALING is our credential. If your therapist is not helping you heal, then what exactly ARE they doing? Therapy is about healing, NOT about validating your feelings. That is dangerous, neo-bullsh-t! True healing begins with authenticity and never ends. If healing were easy, everyone would do it!

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Specialties and Expertise

Expertise

Addiction
Anxiety
Bisexual
Depression
Divorce
Drug Abuse
Family Conflict
Grief
Lesbian
LGBTQ+
Life Coaching
Life Transitions
Marital and Premarital
Men's Issues
Mood Disorders
Multicultural/Culturally-Focused Therapy
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Racial Identity
Sex-Positive, Kink Allied
Sexual Abuse
Substance Use
Thinking Disorders
Transgender
Trauma and PTSD

The main issues we can help you with include: trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, identity struggles, and the lies you've been taught to believe about yourself. Integrative therapy: We'll identify toxic thought patterns, challenge the scripts that keep you stuck, and replace them with truth. Expect clarity, coping skills, freedom, and the ability to finally breathe again. Time To Wake Up.

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Client Focus

Age

Children (6 to 10) ,

Preteen ,

Teen ,

Adults ,

Elders (65+)

Participants

Individuals ,

Couples ,

Family

Communities

Bisexual Allied ,

Gay Allied ,

HIV / AIDS Allied ,

Lesbian Allied ,

Non-Binary Allied ,

Queer Allied ,

Racial Justice Allied ,

Sex Worker Allied ,

Transgender Allied

Ethnicity

Black and African American ,

Other Racial or Ethnic Background

Age

Children (6 to 10) ,

Preteen ,

Teen ,

Adults ,

Elders (65+)

Participants

Individuals ,

Couples ,

Family

Communities

Bisexual Allied ,

Gay Allied ,

HIV / AIDS Allied ,

Lesbian Allied ,

Non-Binary Allied ,

Queer Allied ,

Racial Justice Allied ,

Sex Worker Allied ,

Transgender Allied

Ethnicity

Black and African American ,

Other Racial or Ethnic Background

Treatment Approach

Types of Therapy

Clinical Supervision and Licensed Supervisors
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Experiential Therapy
Multicultural
Rational Emotive Behavior (REBT)
Reality Therapy
Trauma Focused

At Sankofa Tree Counseling, we don't place emphasis on how you feel as the primary focus, because feelings may be real but they aren't always true. What does that mean? Well, if you believe a lie then your feelings will align with that lie. That does not make the feelings true (as they are based on a lie) but merely real. If you learn to control your thinking then you control your feelings.

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call or Email us for a free 15 minute consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Groups

It's Not You, It's My Anxiety

Hosted by

Joel Marc Filmore

Anxiety isn’t just “nerves.” It’s the constant spiraling, endless what-ifs, and racing mind that won’t shut up no matter how exhausted you are. This group isn’t about coddling, sugarcoating, "positive thinking.” It’s about cutting through the noise, calling anxiety what it is, and learning how to stop letting it run your life. Over 8 weeks, you’ll get real tools to challenge anxious thoughts, calm your body, and take back your peace of mind. If you’re ready to do the work and face anxiety head-on, this group is for you.

Expertise

Anxiety

Types of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Age

Adults

Session Cost

$50-$400

Email Joel Marc Filmore about this group or call - (630) 349-7715

The Break Room: Black Professionals’ Support Space

Hosted by

Joel Marc Filmore

Being a Black professional means carrying more than a job title — it often means carrying unspoken weight. Microaggressions, code-switching, isolation, and pressure to prove yourself twice over can leave you drained. This 8-week support group offers a space to drop the mask and exhale. Here, we name the stress, share the truth, and build strategies to stay grounded without losing ourselves. The Break Room is about community, clarity, and healing. If you’re tired of just surviving the workplace grind, this is where you come to reclaim your balance.

Expertise

Peer Relationships

Types of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Session Cost

$50-$400

Email Joel Marc Filmore about this group or call - (630) 349-7715

More Than Mad: Healing the Hurt Beneath the Anger

Hosted by

Joel Marc Filmore

Anger is never the whole story. It’s a shield covering pain, fear, disappointment, and unmet needs. This 8-week group isn’t about suppressing anger or pretending it doesn’t exist. It’s about facing it, digging beneath it, and naming what’s really driving it. We’ll explore how old wounds and unresolved emotions show up in your present, challenge the thoughts that fuel your fire, and learn healthier ways to respond. Together, we’ll turn anger into clarity, awareness, and strength. If you’re ready to stop being controlled by rage and heal, this groups for you.

Expertise

Anger Management

Types of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Age

Adults

Session Cost

$50-$400

Email Joel Marc Filmore about this group or call - (630) 349-7715

Location

Primary Location

Aurora, IL 60504

(630) 349-7715

Email us

Website

Additional Location

Sankofa Tree Counseling

151 North 4th Street

Suite 2

Dekalb, IL 60115

(630) 349-7715

Nearby Areas

Cities

Counties

Zips

Neighborhoods

Hybrid. No excuses about distance or time—We're here 7 days a week. If you're ready to show up, we'll meet you where you are, every time.

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call for a free consultation now - (630) 349-7715

Hybrid. No excuses about distance or time—We're here 7 days a week. If you're ready to show up, we'll meet you where you are, every time.

Sankofa Tree Counseling

Counselor, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LCSW, LSW

Call for a free consultation now - (630) 349-7715

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