Therapists in Chicago, IL

Our you struggling with addiction, porn, sexual addiction, personality disorders? I believe in providing therapy that works. I believe in reducing/eliminating the problem. So many times, I hear of clients that's been in therapy for years. I believe that in 8 -12 sessions there should be at the minimum a reduction in symptoms or complete elimination, or a referral out should be recommended. I practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Value Based Therapy, and Interpersonal therapy to conceptualize a client's issues to reduce and eliminate the problem.

I'm a Mental Health Clinician with over 20yrs experience, and also a Certified Sex Therapist. I work with LGBTQ+ and heterosexual people on a variety of relational and mental health issues, as well as sexual and intimacy concerns. I approach my work from a sexual health model and values driven perspective. I work with clients on consensual non-monogamy/polyam, kink, BDSM, as well as sexual health challenges such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, desire discrepancies, etc. I continue to work with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as navigating life!

I have experience in the treatment of addictions, anxiety, and depression. I am also experienced working with trauma, bipolar and borderline personality disorders. I graduated from Colorado Christian University in 2020 with my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am currently working on my CSAT certification. Prior to gaining my Master's in Clinical Mental Health, I worked in non-profit outreach providing services such as psychoeducation in anger management to marginalized population groups and people operations providing recruiting, career development, and human resources support.

My ideal client might struggle to claim who they are and express themselves. This client might be accustomed to running away from themselves and life, numbing out with behaviors like restricting/binging food, substances, sexual acting out, pornography, compulsive spending, excessive exercise or seeking a partner to be the solution. I would love to help you stop avoiding yourself and release the illusion of control that these behaviors offer, to shift gracefully into the swing of life as an authentic you. I work well with those who are seeking spirituality, improved connections, body acceptance and relief from trauma symptoms.

You are not alone. Perhaps you feel anxious or depressed or addicted or lonely or filled with shame. You want to change your behavior, negative thoughts, and understand your emotions in order to gain balance and wholeness in life, but you feel stuck. There is hope. Tomorrow does not have to be like today. Change is actually possible. Each of us needs someone to bear witness to the core stories of our lives, and to help us make sense of why our life looks and feels the way it does. I can partner with you on your journey toward true transformation, healing, and wholeness as we explore all that is going on within you.

Do you feel like no one truly knows you? Do you feel like if people knew the REAL you that you wouldn't be accepted or loved? Depression, shame, and anxiety are all common experiences as we reflect on our unwanted behavior, relational discord, past trauma, and family of origin. The motivation to change becomes all that much harder when you seek it out alone. You want to believe there is hope for a brighter day. Let's work together as we honor your resiliency and work towards healing because the question "what would you prefer?" is worth asking. You want to live a life of freedom. Let's boldly walk into that freedom together.

My practice works with a diverse population. I specialize in addiction, both Sex Addiction and a range of other addictions. I run groups for sex addicts and for the partners of sex addicts. I also specialize in trauma and work with adolescent and adult trauma survivors, both male and female. The practice also works with the LGBTQ community.

The ideal client is seeking out reassurance and support in times of calm as well as crisis. The goal is to help clients with the issues facing them every day to treat the entire person, not just the pinpointed issue. A therapist is only as strong as the relationship with each client. Each client is unique, collaboratively we find an approach to therapy that fits to your specific needs and goals then we re-evaluate to bring about the best self. Whether it be LGBTQIA+ issues, sex/intimacy, relationships, depression, anxiety, OCD, substance use, kink and/or other issues, you aren't alone. Together we can get you where you want to go.

"Have you come to a point in your life where you know things need to change but you are not sure how to make that happen? I can help you through a process of change and guide you to a more satisyfying peaceful way of living. I offer a warm safe enviroment where you can take the time and energy to only focus on yourself.

My focus is on encouraging the process of recovery, whether it is recovery from mental illness, sex addiction (including pornography, masturbation, compulsive infidelity), betrayal trauma, substance abuse or other types of addictions. I believe that recovery is made possible by a willingness to change, courage to commit, and the help of supportive people. I am dedicated to providing a safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate space for clients to express themselves, process their experiences, and work on removing what is blocking their path to success and contentment.

Life can be scary. When you feel that there is an emptiness in your soul that can't be filled or that life is spiraling out of control and suffer from sadness, anxiety, worry, addiction, or trauma, understand there is hope for the future and a solution. You will find a sense of safety, support, and personal power to live a rich fulfilled life as we work together. You will have the tools to resolve problems, overcome urges and cravings, and create healthy alternatives. You will discover your authentic self and develop skills to rebuild relationships and increase intimacy in a confidential, nonjudgmental atmosphere of acceptance.

Maybe you or someone you care about seems to have lost control of your ability to drink, take medication, eat, gamble, have sex, use the internet, play video games in a way that is not disruptive or harmful to you or the ones you love. Is someone telling you that your behavior is a problem? Are you unable to consistently predict whether or not you can stop once you start? Do you find yourself planning, thinking about or engaging in the behavior when you need to be attending to other things in your life like relationships, work or school?

Do you find yourself constantly asking for your needs to be met? Are you concerned that your partner may emotionally or verbally manipulate you? Has infidelity been an issue in your relationship? Do you ever wonder, ‘will we ever be the same’? I am passionate about working with individuals struggling with relationship issues, including partner betrayal trauma, with a particular interest in infidelity & narcissistic (verbal/emotional) abuse recovery. I am here to listen, assist, and share skills with you to be where you want to be and live the life you desire and deserve, all coming from a life-lived and trauma-informed lens.

Living with an unresolved or unprocessed trauma, whether it be physical, sexual, emotional, or even relational, can make life seem heavy. Yet, there's hope to transform yourself from a victim to a survivor. Our therapeutic journey will explore the interweaves between negative/deviant compulsive behaviors, unhealthy attachments, as well as general life areas where you find yourself highly anxious or stuck. The goal is to ultimately be able to look yourself in the mirror, smile and say, "I'm OK." You won't be alone in this journey to a healthier more positive life. I will be supporting you as you get to a more satisfying place.

Are you out of control with sexual behaviors, destructive relationships, or inability to develop intimacy? If you need a safe place to discuss your issues I can help you.

So many of us suffer from feelings of shame, despair, and worthlessness. Never feeling quite "enough," we seek various and sometimes maladaptive ways of dealing with our pain and discomfort. Perhaps you sense you are more than what you are living and can't quite access your deepest self. If you are seeking a therapist, there is a good chance you are looking for a new way to make changes and differences in your life.

There are a few golden threads tying us together, serving as reminders of our most universal experience; a desire to be truly seen and heard by others, and to understand ourselves. To pursue these ideals, often, means you may be feeling lost, as if you're constantly performing for others or on display, lonesome, a lack of authenticity, as if there's a disconnect between you and "them", an inability to form or maintain meaningful, stable relationships, frustration, shame, self-hatred, self-sabotaging patterns of behavior. The connection between these is the healing in-between. One requires the other and you don't have to go it alone.

I work with individuals, couples, and families struggling with a wide range of concerns including anxiety, depression, addiction issues (substance abuse), troubled teens, school failure, LGBTQ+, and trauma and identity issues. As a lifelong allied and friend to the LGBTQ+ community, I work very hard to remain current to concerns that are specific to marginalized communities. I tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique needs. I will work with you to think outside of the box and build strength through our therapeutic relationship.

It takes great courage to acknowledge and embrace the things that challenge us. I understand this strength and the importance of starting the journey to change the things that no longer serve you. I am compassionate therapist trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities. I have served in the field of social services for over 10 years, having worked in various capacities from medical social worker to therapist.