Therapists for college students near University of Chicago
As we shift from summer into fall, many of us are reminded that life is full of seasons of change. Sometimes these transitions feel exciting and grounding, but other times they can feel uncertain, overwhelming or even unsafe. It can be hard to feel steady when the world itself feels unpredictable. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you don't have to hold those feelings alone. Together, we can explore your experiences, identify your strengths, and create a path forward that helps you feel more grounded and empowered. My goal is to walk alongside you with compassion as you navigate depression, anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions. You deserve a place where your voice is heard. I invite you to begin the inner work that can foster, healing, resilience and self acceptance. Even in uncertain times, you can move toward your best life.
In my sessions, I strive for that comfy, familiar feeling, like wrapping yourself in your favorite sweater—warm, cozy, and uniquely tailored to you. I'm all about building genuine connections, where you feel truly seen, heard, and supported. My therapy approach is a blend of warmth, authenticity, and teamwork, creating a safe, non-judgmental space where we can navigate life's challenges together with compassion and understanding. I believe in being direct yet gentle, sprinkling in a dose of humor and lightness when it fits, to craft an experience that's supportive and transformative, just like you deserve. I offer support across various areas, with a particular passion for guiding individuals and couples through grief & loss, trauma, relationship dynamics, cultural differences, body image issues, anxiety, and depression. Your journey is unique, and my commitment is to create a therapeutic experience that meets your specific needs, empowering you to thrive. I view therapy as a collaborative journey, where we navigate life's complexities together. I understand that reaching out can be hard, but I believe that you deserve this space—to be heard, to be seen, and to explore without judgment. It would be an honor for me to hold space for you and support you in your journey.
Are you a person of faith who also identifies as gay (LGBTQ+) or same-sex attracted? Are you looking for a trauma therapist who's passionate about working with teens and young adults who have experienced trauma? My life's work is focused on teens and young adults who are exploring their faith and sexual identity and who are recovering from past trauma. Common symptoms are anxiety, depression, and PTSD. My goal is always to walk with my clients to find freedom, fulfillment, and an integrated identity. I love getting to know my clients - being entrusted with your story is an honor to me. Treatment Areas and Competencies: Teen therapy, Trauma Processing, Faith and Spirituality, Sexuality and Gender, Relationship Challenges, Emotion Regulation, Sexual Trauma, and Exposure to Violence. Reaching out to a therapist is a big step and I am on your team.
I am a queer, neurodivergent, South Asian adoptee and first-gen immigrant who is dedicated to social justice and equitable care. I take a collaborative, compassionate approach, creating a safe and open space to explore your identities, experiences, and goals. I know finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming—particularly when navigating complex and marginalized identities. My priority is building an authentic, warm relationship where you feel truly seen and heard. Together, we’ll customize our work to support your growth and healing at a pace that feels right for you. I’m passionate about working with marginalized communities, including LGBTQIA+ folks, immigrants, adoptees, neurodiverse people, and people of color. I have a particular interest in autistic adults and ADHD, and also have experience working with mood disorders, anxiety, complex PTSD, and substance use concerns. I use trauma-informed applications of Client-Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Video Game Therapy (ask me about it!). I believe that you’re the person who knows yourself best. It’s my hope that in our work together, we can find ways for you to implement compassion, kindness, and empathy in your life. A little about me: I am a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) with a master’s in social work from the University of Chicago. Outside of therapy, I enjoy playing video games, learning about herbalism, and engaging in artistic expression. If you’re interested in working together, I’d love to hear from you!
Ali King, LCPC, earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She went on to work as a behavioral therapist for children with Autism at the Minnesota Autism Center before moving to Chicago and earning her master’s degree in Community Counseling from DePaul University. After graduate school, Ali worked as a therapist at Insight Behavioral Health Center’s residential facility for people struggling with eating disorders, as well as mood disorders. She led groups and supported people with everyday living tasks, as well as general skills coaching and meal management. Ali recently stepped down as the Director of the Young Adult PHP and IOP programs at Compass Health Center where she worked for 8 years in many different roles helping to build the Young Adult program and support the growth of the organization. While at Compass, Ali provided supervision and mentorship to newer clinicians and helped establish the group curriculum they currently use, as well as instituting effective policies and protocols. While at Compass, she received the award for Continuous Improvement, which highlights her drive and dedication to learning and growth. For over a decade, she has been providing person-centered, solution-focused, skills-based care. Her direct though nurturing, fun, and empathetic approach, is well received and has shown tangible results for her clients. With consistent encouragement and support, clients feel safe to explore their values and to learn successful coping strategies to improve their lives. While Ali has a passion for working with young adults through the tough transitions they face, she also appreciates working with adolescents and adults. She is well-versed in helping people manage struggles with self-esteem, relationships, low motivation, and simply feeling “stuck”. Ali is adept at working with clients with anxiety disorders, mood disorders, adjustment disorders, personality disorders, psychosis and substance use struggles. She has extensive experience working with DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and often incorporates these modalities into her eclectic therapeutic approach. Ali is currently accepting new clients virtually and at the downtown Chicago location.
Hello, I'm Mili Kuriakose, and I work at The Family Institute. As a therapist, I believe in meeting you exactly where you are on your journey. My approach is centered on collaboration — together, we’ll build a therapeutic path that highlights your strengths and addresses your unique needs. By understanding your personal history and the ways it intersects with society, I strive to embrace the complexities of your experiences. My goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where you can feel comfortable exploring your thoughts, feelings, and goals.
I am passionate about working with students experiencing grief, trauma, OCD, life transitions, depression, anxiety, panic, ADHD, identity exploration, relationship difficulties, suicidality, and more. I work specifically with young adults, college and graduate students, and athletes. I provide a safe, judgment-free space to share, explore, and find solutions to your struggles. I believe in exploring, not explaining, and provide clients with the agency to determine how they want sessions to look and feel. I bring authenticity, humor, transparency, and cultural humility to my work. I appreciate the courage required to book a session and look forward to meeting you.
Grey Area Therapy is a small, private practice conveniently located in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood with easy access to public transportation and an emphasis on building meaningful, authentic connections with clients. As a therapist with Grey Area Therapy, I work with clients on needs related to anxiety, depression, OCD, vocational stress, and life transitions. I have a special interest in working with individuals who identify in the LGBTQ+ community. I offer both in-person and virtual appointments. I accept Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Cigna insurance and offer free 15-minute phone consultations to help you find a therapist that works for you!
I am a Registered Dietitian working to help people improve their relationship with food. I work with people with eating disorders, disordered eating, or chronic dieters lookin to ditch the diet for good. In our work together, I will utilize principles from Intuitive Eating and Health At Every Size to help you learn how to let go of food rules and fuel yourself in a way that works for you. I believe all foods fit. I will never tell you that you need to eliminate any foods! I also work with recreational athletes to help them determine fueling plans to perform their best and also feel their best outside of sport. I also use Intuitive Eating and HAES principles in this work as well. I believe fueling for sport can be done while eating intuitively and does not need to have rigid rules. Whether you are struggling with an eating disorder, looking to stop dieting and let go of food rules, or looking to dial in your nutrition to improve your sport, I would love to work with you on your journey!
Perhaps you’re tired of not feeling good. Your relationships or career may be draining you and there could be a felt sense that there is more to life or something better for you out there. You might even be carrying a deep, nagging pain that needs release and yet, when the tears come, you hold them back in. Your struggles could leave you feeling unable to think clearly, experiencing tightness in your chest or your body, or even feeling like you weigh a million pounds. Over time, you could find yourself completely numb and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. Whether these feelings are coming from the distant past or from something happening currently, this does not need to be your “normal”. With support, you can find relief and have greater peace in your life. I know what it’s like to feel empty or to question “how did my life get here?”. My experience with various mind body therapies, blended with traditional counseling, taught me that with compassion and determination, we can find our way out. I believe when we can openly share about ourselves without pressure and with knowing that everything is welcome, we are able to take small steps towards lasting change. From a young age, I had been fascinated with human behavior, introspection, and understanding our inner world. I became a therapist to help people explore all of the crevices where we hold our pain, not only to help connect the dots, but to expand awareness in both the mind and body. I believe this helps us to allow our tears to flow and hold our messiness with tenderness and grace. Working at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, showed me firsthand that change begins when we let go of labeling our thoughts, feelings, or sensations as “good/bad”, “right/wrong”, or “should/shouldn’t”. I am dedicated to helping people step away from these rigid beliefs and approach themselves with a gentle curiosity. I believe when we let go of the labels, we can learn to accept and integrate all parts of ourselves and our experiences with greater compassion. I also learned how important it is to blend a sense of lightheartedness and tough love during my role at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. I know change is not easy, and although we may never feel ready, it’s in doing it anyway and taking the first small steps that we begin to uncover our true nature. I understand how difficult it is to hold the uncertainty or pain in your life. You have the innate ability to regain a sense of balance and create internal space for any emotional experience. You deserve more and there is more for you out there. I am here to help you uncover and discover how big and free your life can be. Let’s connect now.
"I help adults navigate through their depression and anxiety by using humor and authenticity, so that they can successfully cope with whatever life throws at them." Part of the MQA family since 2020 Presenting Concerns; Categorized under the following core areas of concern and title: – Adults; ADHD, Anxiety, Behavioral Issues, Depression, Grief/Loss, Life Transitions, OCD, Peer Issues – Social Skills, PTSD/Trauma Presenting Concerns – - Children: Anxiety, Behavioral Issues, Depression, Peer Issues, Social Skills I earned my Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lewis University in 2018, and completed my clinical practicum and internship at Family Behavioral Health Clinic in Des Plaines, IL. I have had the privilege of working with children, adolescents,and adults of all backgrounds, who were coping with a wide range of concerns ranging from depression and anxiety, to trauma and PTSD. I believe that one of the most powerful approaches to overcoming life’s tricky obstacles is resilience, and that working with my clients from a genuine and supportive place of connection is the key to overcoming even the most difficult of times. I gravitate towards a humanistic style of counseling while utilizing cognitive-behavioral tools in order to give clients research-supported, “take-home” coping strategies. I enjoy incorporating aspects of mindfulness, humor and art into my therapeutic work. Outside of work, I enjoy riding roller coasters, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends. I also love to travel! I have traveled to over 10 different states and four countries. One of my life goals is to visit all 50 states as well as many more countries that our world has to offer. Culture is a big aspect in the work that we do as counselors, and I strive to experience as much of it as I possibly can. I am fluent in Greek and I enjoy learning new languages whenever I get the chance! Please feel free to contact me via email at dstathopoulos@mqatherapy.com with any questions and inquires for scheduling appointments. Thank you and I look forward to working with you!
Our team of licensed clinicians, social workers and supervised counseling students offers individual, couples and group therapies. To request counseling services, please call a member of our Social Services team at 773-525-1777 ext. 244 or email mentalhealth@nourishinghopechi.org. We will make every effort to get you scheduled for an appointment as soon as possible. Certain times of year are busier than others and a short wait may be necessary. The only residency requirement for our mental health program is that you live in the city of Chicago. As a free, private resource, your goals and hopes determine our course of action.
The decision to seek therapy is a very important decision, but choosing the right therapist is even more important since one of the best predictors of a positive therapy outcome is the fit between client and therapist. I strive to provide the people with whom I work an environment that is comfortable, nonjudgmental, and genuinely validating. My job is to provide a space for you to access your strengths and attributes, and with this I can provide psychological approaches to help you address the concerns that brought you in for therapy. I have extensive experience in treating anxiety disorders, (GAD, phobias, panic). I also have extensive experience in treating mood disorders, such as depression. I also have extensive experience in treating trauma. Additionally, I treat academic challenges, such as procrastination and perfectionism. Finally, I also treat psychosis, anger management issues, relationship problems, and tough life decisions, and a host of other issues. Initially, my job is to listen and help us understand the problem. Also during this time, I'll share diagnostic and other relevant information, and then give options on how we might address the problem. We will also periodically evaluate our progress in therapy to ensure that your goals are being met.
Cognitive Solutions Learning Center in Chicago, Illinois offers a staff composed of highly educated trained specialists from a variety of disciplines. Our focus is on proper diagnosis and research based treatment for individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia), Autism, Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression. In addition to comprehensive psychoeducational and neuropsychological testing, our programs include EEG neurofeedback, educational therapy, psychotherapy, tutoring, and executive functioning skills training.
Hi, I’m Stephanie, a bilingual, bicultural Latina therapist and second-generation Mexican American. I specialize in supporting LGBTQIA2S+, Latinx, and BIPOC communities, with a focus on reducing mental health stigma. Growing up, I witnessed barriers to therapy, which drives my mission to create a safe, inclusive space for healing. I offer compassionate therapy and mental health education to help you thrive on your wellness journey. I take a collaborative approach to therapy, empowering clients to actively shape their goals and treatment. I use a blend of DBT, CBT, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, and Psychoanalytic Therapy to meet each client’s unique needs. Trust and authenticity are at the core of our work, creating a safe and supportive space for healing.
If you've ever felt misunderstood, struggled with recognizing your worth, grappled with questions about your identity, or faced challenges in relationships, we're here to listen to you. If you find yourself weighed down by deep-seated emotional experiences, memories that are confusing, unclear, conflicted, or downright painful, we can help you. We understand the importance of processing and unpacking trauma. Sometimes you need to explore the deepest and darkest aspects of your experiences in order to find the inner strength that will push you forward. These moments can produce actual healing and growth which occurs most often in a safe therapeutic relationship with a therapist who listens carefully and responds with genuine acceptance and empathic understanding. Our approach centers on you, providing a nurturing environment where you can delve not only into topics like self-image, self-esteem, sexual and gender identity, and relationship difficulties, but also into those complex emotions and memories that might be lurking beneath the surface. Those who find our approach most beneficial often seek a space where they're free to be themselves without fear of judgment, a place to sift through their emotional landscapes with care and attention. If you're looking for a therapeutic experience where you feel heard, valued, and empowered to explore your emotions, memories, and challenges at your own pace, then our client-centered approach might just be the right fit for you. Our psychologists offer individual, family, relationship and sex therapy that is affirming and sensitive to all aspects of diversity. We also offer affordable neuropsychological assessment and evaluations for attention, memory, learning, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and Autism. If you are uninsured or paying out of pocket, please ask us about sliding scale fee options for students so we can accommodate your needs.
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
Many of the clients I work best with are thoughtful, curious individuals who are seeking a deeper understanding of themselves. They may be struggling with relationships, feeling stuck in patterns they don’t quite understand, or carrying emotions that feel overwhelming or confusing. Often, they’ve tried to “figure things out” on their own but are ready for something more meaningful and supportive. What they tend to have in common is a desire to be truly seen and heard—not just to fix a problem, but to grow through it. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that change happens in relationship—with a therapist who is present, attuned, and deeply respectful of your experience. I work well with people who are open to exploring the layers beneath their struggles, even if they don’t have all the words for it yet. If you're looking for a space where you can be yourself without judgment, and where your story will be met with care and curiosity, you might feel at home here.
Mr. Husbands received training in CBT working with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD as well as other issues such as role adjustment and career changes. Mr. Husbands specializes in the use of CBT and enjoys working with clients to help find how their thoughts, feelings and behaviors are connected. He especially values working with depression, anxiety disorders and trauma in adult populations. Mr. Husbands is a firm believer in the expertise that clients bring into therapy about from their own lives and he enjoys collaborating with clients to find new ways of thinking and behaving in order to achieve their goals as well as create meaningful and lasting change. He is committed to valuing and honoring the diverse experiences and identities of all clients and aims to create a safe and welcoming environment for all in his practice.