Therapists in Chicago, IL

Have you felt invisible, misunderstood, and tired of showing up for everyone else? Maybe you've reached out and haven't found someone to lean on or trust. Have you gone to coping mechanisms like eating disorders or drinking to find a sense of control? Are you having relational issues in your family, with friends, or with your partner? Have you experienced seasons of anxiety or depression? Have you ever been exposed to or experienced sexism or spiritual abuse? Are you experiencing betrayal trauma from your partner because of sex addiction? If any of these resonate with you, I'd love to meet you.

You don’t have to do it alone! Maybe there is a challenging relationship, work, school, or life is just simply overwhelming you. Perhaps you are a parent, or soon-to-be parent who is struggling. Or maybe you are tired of feeling anxious or depressed all the time. Therapy can help! It can be hard to call a therapist, yet you have an inner strength that has led you this far. I look forward to hearing from you!

I work with singles, individuals, and couples and can help you with a variety of areas such as: communicating effectively, conflict resolution, understanding your attachment bond to your partner, managing your emotions, handling your anxiety and depression, and relationship and life stressors. These stressors include infidelity, deciding if you want to stay or leave your relationship, different attachment styles, cultural and religious differences, and general life unhappiness.

The step to enter into counseling is a courageous one, it encompasses your willingness to connect, to be vulnerable, and to seek hope in healing. I see counseling as a way for clients to make change, to liberate one’s self from patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that may not be serving you effectively. These patterns are often imposed by society, family, and ones' own culture and/or gender. Counseling is a space to help navigate all that comes with life’s changes. In practice, I specialize in anxiety, depression, grief/loss, OCD, infertility, postpartum, relationships, job change/loss, and other adjustment related stressors.

Now Accepting New Clients! Telehealth Only - I believe that all humans possess a drive to be the very best that they can be, but it is not easy being human! As we walk along our path, we can experience obstacles that make it difficult to know our next move; sometimes we need a new perspective to help us find our way again. My areas of expertise include intimacy, interpersonal and marital relationships, anxiety, life transitions, and women’s issues. I work with individuals and couples from all walks of life. LGBTQ-allied & non-monogamy allied.

Can I walk with you on this journey? I am here to help you navigate choices and values that are meaningful in your life. I firmly believe that personal growth results from flexibility, insight, action, and encouragement. I offer clients an open, safe space where they feel understood and validated while giving them the guidance they need to experience a higher level of consciousness, belonging, and control. I empower clients to find their voice and feel they can re-direct their focus and efforts into meeting goals that positively affect their well-being.

My approach to therapy is collaborative and is aimed at helping you develop long-lasting health (both as an individual and in your relationships). I'll help you address individual concerns such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, panic, sleep issues, job fulfillment, and family stress. Initial sessions will involve a thorough intake so I can be sure I understand the breadth of your background and current problems. I will help you construct individualized goals for therapy, and we will agree on how to best work together. I utilize a variety of approaches and techniques including psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies.

*Specializes in teletherapy* Shanelle is a mental health therapist, trainer, author, and life coach. Having experienced a multitude of obstacles, Shanelle decided at a young age to spend her life's purpose learning to heal and helping others to heal. Shanelle is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, practicing mental health counseling since 2016. Shanelle enjoys family, painting, gardening, and self-development. Shanelle's ideal client is a person in the Action phase of change, and a person who is willing to try new skills inside and outside of sessions.

Hello! Hola! I’m Dr. Vanesa Cervantes, and I’m a Family and Child Psychologist. I specialize in working with children, adolescents, and adults. I believe that every person has the potential to thrive and overcome challenges they may be currently facing. My treatment approach is collaborative, by working together we can develop healthy coping skills, strengthen your social and emotional health and empower you to understand and manage your emotions, behaviors, and social relationships. Through our work together you can expect to also learn effective coping strategies to manage life challenges.

My belief is the foundation of therapy is a safe, trusting, and authentic therapeutic relationship. I walk alongside my clients throughout the process of self-exploration and healing. Although therapy can be hard, scary, and extremely messy, my hope is that we can muddle through it together!

Supported by compassionate guidance, your well-being takes center stage in our therapy sessions. With me as your therapist, you will be provided a safe space to freely express yourself, knowing you’re met with genuine empathy and unwavering support. In our sessions, you can expect a high level of care, confidentiality and the development of a collaborative relationship where we can work together to identify goals, and craft personalized strategies for growth and healing. Drawing from a blend of therapeutic modalities, I tailor my approach to suit your unique needs.

I am a thoughtful, warm, seasoned therapist who combines a relational approach to counseling with sound clinical judgement. I have had the privilege to work with clients who are courageous, hardworking, introspective, and some of the most wonderful people I have met. I am inspired by my clients daily. I greatly enjoy walking alongside individuals and partnering with them as they pursue wholeness. Most frequently, I see clients facing challenges with anxiety, trauma, and spiritual concerns.

I am a license-eligible psychologist practicing in the Chicagoland area, working primarily with individuals and couples in non-traditional, ethically non-monogamous, intercultural, and/or interracial relationships. I specialized in traumatic stress psychology during my clinical training and education, which provided the framework for the compassion-based and holistic approach I take when working with clients who have experienced difficult and stressful events in their lives. I also hold a certification in Primary Care Psychology, adding insight and knowledge about the way in which our bodies and minds interact in reaction to stress.

Do you feel stuck in a certain stage or aspect of your life? I use these “stuck” feelings to explore inconsistencies in an effort to move back in alignment towards a more authentic self. Within our fast paced world, there is a theme of inadequacy; not being enough, not doing enough. I work collaboratively with my clients to create realistic goals that align with their own values. These goals expand beyond the self to include work, family, and relationships. Without the overwhelming pressure from the universal “shoulds” and societal timelines, my clients gain better insight into their own selves and how to live in service of that.

My approach to therapy is thoughtful, collaborative, and relationship based. I work to facilitate a safe and supportive space where I can assist you in improving your emotional well-being and help create impactful change towards improving your mental health and interpersonal relationships. My integrative therapy style is interactive and explores various aspects of identity, culture, and how one’s past and present selves intersect and interact within their world. I work by acknowledging your strengths and help to guide further internal skills as well as cultivate new ones in a non-judgmental and supportive environment.

I have a passion for working with adolescents and young adults. My specialities include anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, grief, executive functioning, and relationship concerns. I truly believe that therapy is an integral tool for maintaining good mental health. Therapy helps us develop a strong sense of self, encourages us to gain new perspectives, helps steady our mood and improves our relationships. Therapy also helps process trauma, reduces anxiety, manage stress and unlearn bad habits. Through empathy, active listening and unconditional positive regard we will work together to meet your goals!

Asking for help can be hard, but therapy can help you find yourself, and learn how to cope with life and life changes. I believe that it is essential to develop trust between the therapist and client, and that the therapist should provide a safe space for each client. My goal as a therapist is to provide you with a safe space where you can feel comfortable enough to open up and share your story, and in the process find who you are.

I work with adult individuals and couples. Common topics I can support you with include: navigating relationships, communication, high conflict with your partner, fighting over the same issues, family conflict and trauma, attachment and different attachment styles in your relationship, infidelity, dating, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, stress management, role of spirituality and religion in your relationship, and increasing self-awareness. I also work from a culturally sensitive stance and can help you if you're faced with racism, classism, sexism, colorism, and more.

Do things in your life not seem to be working anymore? Are you feeling more disconnected, down and isolated, and unwilling to engage in the things you used to enjoy? Or are you feeling so anxious about life that it no longer seems manageable? Maybe you're drinking more, eating less (or more), or finding it difficult to get out of bed. Perhaps you find the meaningful relationships in your life lacking. Sometimes life throws us curveballs that we don't believe we can recover from. And you know what? That's okay. Because you can get through this.