Therapists for college students near 60614
Do you often feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck in cycles of overthinking and self-doubt? You may be navigating academic or career pressure, family expectations, or the emotional complexity of living between cultures. Many of my clients struggle with anxiety, depression, burnout, perfectionism, and feeling “never good enough,” even when they appear capable on the outside. Therapy can be a space where you slow down, feel understood, and move forward with greater clarity, emotional balance, and self-trust. As a bilingual therapist fluent in Mandarin and English, I bring both professional training and lived experience into my work. Having studied abroad since high school, I understand the challenges of living between cultures and am deeply attuned to the invisible pressures related to identity, family expectations and adapting to new environment. My approach is client-centered and trauma-informed, grounded in empathy, authenticity, and empowerment. I believe that healing begins with understanding—and that every small step toward self-acceptance is a powerful act of growth. I look forward to walking with you on this journey of healing and rediscovery.
We face struggles in this life and through introspection, humor, and support, we persevere. From the development and focus on our individual resources, we gain the momentum to overcome. It is my belief that supportive relationships tend to be of utmost value to us when we are faced with struggle. Through these relationships, we find direction. It is my desire to support you in finding that very direction. My approach is purposeful, collaborative, and authentic. I will work hard to develop a strong therapeutic alliance with you. I see the client-therapist relationship as the foundation of the change-making journey. I am warm, welcoming, and validating while also direct and goal-focused. I operate from a strength-based approach and am devoted to helping you to explore the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I am committed to helping you to increase self-awareness and to develop resources to better cope. My areas of expertise include working with adolescents and young adults who present with challenges that may include anxiety, depression, and trauma. In addition, I am skilled in helping clients to manage urban stress, navigate life transitions, and enhance their self-worth. We will begin exactly where you are at, and I will be honored to assist you in creating that life that you so desire.
Our lives' narratives sometimes may not be pleasant nor self-fulling. Nonetheless, the therapeutic space can serve as a starting point to reflect and create new beginnings. It can also be a space where we revisit past narratives that may have marked you significantly or try to embrace our fears for the future. In our work together, I aim to connect with you in a way that not only allows for safety, trust and vulnerability but instills a sense of empowerment that affirms your ability to endure uncertainty. I view therapy as a space where both you and I can help each other to co-narrate your life experiences. My philosophy of life is- we all experience the world differently and are the experts on our may need support with processing and reflecting. For these reasons, I work from an integrative relational, humanistic, trans-affirmative, multicultural and liberating perspective. As a queer therapist of color, I value liberation, social justice and intersectionality. In creating a therapeutic space rooted in multiculturalism, I aim to instill a sense of safety for all clients, especially those with marginalized identities such as LGBTQ+, trans and non-binary, Kinks+, immigrants, and POC'S. I make a point to show up authentically in session as a compassionate, empathic, energetic, reflective, nerdy/geeky, and a bilingual person.
Hi! I'm Eleanor. I love working with both queer and neurodivergent individuals, especially individuals who are just beginning to explore or understand their identities or may have doubts about if their experiences are “enough.” Many of my clients experience anxiety and struggle to trust themselves or express their needs and are ready to start exploring what is most important to them and how to build a value-aligned life. Additionally, I have a specialty in treating OCD and use a mix of exposure therapy as well as non-exposure based therapies. I am warm, collaborative, and transparent with my clients. In sessions, you can expect me to ask questions, provide education and resources, and add a little humor into the mix. My main goal when working with clients is to help them understand themselves and their patterns better and practice responding flexibly and compassionate to the difficulties that inevitably rise in life. This is often a mix of exploring past experiences and relationships to understand how this shows up in the present as well as learning new coping skills. It can be hard and scary to start therapy! If you're feeling ready, feel free to reach out to me to learn more about my style and see if we might be a good fit.
You may feeling like you are not supported, seen or heard by others. You could be feeling alone, frustrated or hurt. Perhaps you’ve been putting others’ needs first and allowing no space for yourself. This could lead to burnout, frustration or even depression. You deserve to have someone listen to you, and someone to talk to who is not judging you, your feelings or your situation. You can have space and time for yourself. I have always been drawn to helping people since I was a very young age. I know what it is like to feel frustrated with your everyday reality and fumbling to figure out what is the next best step forward. Through my own experience and work environment, I can firsthand confirm how helpful it is to lean on someone. I provide a warm, understanding, and grounded presence. I strongly encourage people to have self-love and acceptance as we begin to talk through problems and concerns. I'm dedicated to helping people shift towards the changes they want to see. I understand how difficult it is not to feel like yourself or be understood by others. You are not alone and deserve to be heard. I am dedicated to creating a healing space where we can explore your unique experiences, perspectives, and obstacles. I am here to support you no matter what you are coping with. Let’s work through things together.
Sage Therapy Chicago specializes in working with college-aged students who might be experiencing stress, worry, anxiety, depression, stressors surrounding life transitions, trauma & PTSD. We offer in-person and virtual sessions and together we can help you increase your self awareness, support you in finding the best answers to life- changing questions, and guide you to a more enjoyable life. If you're looking to see things in a different way, feel free to get in touch!
I understand how overwhelming change can feel. As a relationship therapist, I believe you are not broken or damaged. I am here to help you make sense of who you are based off your life experiences and relationships. When you come to session, we’ll work together to help you see and celebrate your value as an individual, partner, and friend creating lasting, positive change for yourself and relationships. With years of experience in therapeutic classrooms, daycare centers, housing shelters for at-risk youth and families, and as a prevention specialist in middle and high school settings, I bring a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to my practice. I specialize in working with young adults and women, focusing on self-esteem, identity, societal expectations, and gender roles in relationships. I also address family of origin issues, including attachment wounds and intergenerational trauma, while integrating anxiety management, mindfulness, and emotion-focused therapy. I earned my B.A. in Family and Human Services, along with Spanish, from the University of Oregon and my M.A. in Couple and Family Therapy at Adler University. I also hold a certification in Trauma-Informed Care from St. Vincent DePaul and am a proud member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). My supervisor is Brittney Brooks, AMFT.
I want to help people feel a sense of belonging even if they don't feel like they belong anywhere else. This includes people who are part of the LGBTQ+/queer community, people who are autistic, AuDHD, or have ADHD, and people who have experienced relational trauma and/or religious trauma. If any of this reflects your experience, you may carry deep shame and feel disconnected from those around you. You might be putting on a happy face on the outside while things feel like they are falling apart inside. I want to come alongside you and help you clean out some of the rubble inside. You might be surprised by the "you" that you uncover. My approach is relational, experiential, and collaborative. I make space for what clients bring into session while guiding them to a point of focus and greater clarity. I primarily use internal family systems (IFS) therapy and also incorporate sandtray therapy. When meeting with clients virtually, I use Minecraft or Simply Sand Play for sandtray therapy. Using these types of therapy, I will help you access emotions and experiences that you can't access with words alone. This will help you unload some of that weight you've been carrying and live a more free and authentic life. If you are interested in working with me, contact me to book a free 15-minute consultation. I look forward to getting to know you!
Do you feel overwhelmed by the roles you are juggling? Do you feel drained or that you're simply getting by, that life is slipping through your fingers? This time is your life is one where you are existing in multiple roles - student, worker, sibling, friend, roommate, caretaker, and/or more; this can bring up so many different emotions, reactions, and struggles. This may even be a time in your life when you are discovering new parts of yourself. I work to provide a safe, secure environment for you to process, hold, and learn this new version of you, in all our messy imperfections. Hey, my name is Nithya (nith-ya) and I am a cat (and dog) lover, a ttrpg enthusiast, and a licensed therapist who is trauma-informed and queer-affirming. As someone who spent half their life in another country, I've learned a lot about myself over the years and I know the difficulties and stresses that come with it. I bring my authentic self into sessions and work with you on discovering beliefs and habits that no longer work for you and understanding and processing past experiences to foster change and bring clarity to your life. I studied at UIC and NEIU for my Bachelor's and Master's, and worked at NPU as a clinical intern. I have experience working with trauma and complex trauma, identity exploration, anxiety/depression, relationship and friendship concerns, complex family dynamics, assimilating to a new culture, ADHD, and career counseling. Most importantly, I believe in your ability to change your life and move through difficult circumstances and I would be delighted to support you in your growth. Email me at nithya@chicagocounselingservices.com to set up an appointment.
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As a Syrian living in Chicago, I am sensitive to issues of race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, and religion and their influence on mental health. Therapy is one of the rare safe spaces to explore sensitive cultural identity topics. Where you can explore your sense of belonging and recreate your place in this world and how you want to be in it. We cannot change the past but we can change our relationship with the past, which ultimately shifts our present and future.
Having worked in college counseling centers for over 15 years in Chicago and New York, and serving as the Associate Director for DePaul University Counseling Center for 8 years, I am deeply committed to and well acquainted with college student mental health. Whether this is your first time seeking therapy or you have a history of treatment and are looking towards a next chapter of work, I am delighted to begin a conversation to see how I might be of help.
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Do you struggle with stress or negativity? Effectively managing stressors and self-compassion for a greater sense of fulfillment is a very important investment for a brighter future. I'm a board certified psychotherapist and practice an eclectic blend of psychotherapy with adult individuals and couples, respecting the uniqueness of each person and their ability to correct self-defeating patterns for a clearer path to personal growth, understanding, mindfulness, and happiness. My interactive, compassionate therapeutic approach facilitates a process of effective self discovery by examining matters close enough to be of help, yet far enough away to see the whole person. Assessing different points of view in the therapeutic process empowers you to make more self-affirming, grounded choices in your life.
Alexandra obtained her Masters of Art Therapy and Counseling from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Throughout her career, Alexandra has worked with clients in all stages of life from childhood to older adulthood. She has worked in continuing care communities as well as residential and private practice settings. During her time working in residential level-of-care, she led groups based in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (CBT). She is particularly passionate about working with grief & loss, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. Alexandra’s therapeutic style is integrative through the use of a person-centered lens that can incorporate DBT, CBT, and ACT modalities. She approaches sessions with clients through collaboration to develop interventions that meet the needs and interests of each individual while highlighting each client’s strengths. Alexandra uses ACT through an existential perspective, supporting client’s actions and decisions in connection with each individual’s values to create meaningful experiences throughout life. In the therapeutic relationship, she utilizes a relational approach while also finding moments to incorporate humor. One of her favorite parts of being a mental health professional is to witness growth in clients and celebrating their successes. Throughout her career Alexandra has specialized in working with clients experiencing anxiety and depression through the use of interventions such as Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), Behavioral Activations (BA), developing coping skills, and managing critical thoughts. She assists clients navigate perfectionism and build self-esteem while addressing concerns in relationships to build communication and boundary-setting. Alexandra’s path to becoming a therapist began with explorations in the benefits of artmaking in mental health through art therapy. She has developed extensive knowledge of art materials and methods such as painting, fiber arts, and ceramics. Alexandra can use art therapy with clients as a form of communication, self-expression, or assist in emotional regulation. She previously developed an art therapy curriculum when working in a residential setting to assist clients in continuing to build skills as well as creating further opportunities for creative expression.
Shu Hudson is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. She received her Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from North Park University. Shu thrives in providing a compassionate, client-centered space where individuals feel seen, heard, and supported in their healing journey. Her approach integrates evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a deep focus on uncovering and understanding core emotions—those powerful, often hidden feelings that drive our thoughts, behaviors, and relational patterns. Shu has specialized training in yoga and mindfulness, that enables her to bring a somatic awareness to therapy, helping clients reconnect with their bodies as a source of wisdom, grounding, and emotional regulation. Shu focuses on navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, or life transitions, working collaboratively to explore underlying emotional truths, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and fostering meaningful, sustainable change. Shu’s goal is to guide each client toward greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and a more empowered relationship with themselves and others.
Gabi is a board-certified, licensed clinical counselor and a Registered Art Therapist. She holds a masters degree in Counseling & Art Therapy from Adler University. Rooted in a passion for fostering community, connection, understanding, and belonging, Gabi is committed to guiding clients through their unique journeys, holding space for their truths and experiences. Through a blend of talk therapy, art therapy, mindfulness, body-centric work, and play, she fosters trust and belonging. Her art therapy encourages intuitive expression, allowing clients to authentically explore emotions, memories, and body-felt experiences, creating a safer inner space for self-discovery. Outside of private practice, Gabi worked as a therapist and clinical supervisor within community mental health, as well as an art therapist with marginalized Chicago youth. She has experience working with the spectrum of age, from as young as 5 into adulthood, as well as families. Gabi has experience working with a wide range of presenting concerns, but specifically has a passion for working with 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, those navigating past and present trauma, those experiencing significant life transitions (transitioning into adulthood, college, becoming a parent) as well as those wanting to further connect with the experiences of their body.
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