Chronic Pain Therapists in Illinois

We solely see first responders, ER staff, and veterans at the FRWC. Being a former Chicago Police Officer for 13 years, I understand the unique needs of first responders and developed the center to help those who protect us. We see first responders due to trauma, crisis, PTSD, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, job-related stress, suicide, etc. We also understand how there are concerns about engaging in therapy services and protecting your job. We ensure that you will have privacy and confidentiality. We have a separate entrance and exit to maintain confidentiality.

My style is to respect your strengths to help you foster insights into making your life better. I enjoy my work and utilize a variety of proven clinical skills and common sense. You may be going through a new issue and find it overwhelming, or you may be repeating an old behvioral pattern. I have a very interactive style and like to give homework to keep the progress going so you can move on in a healthy productive way. Call or e-mail today for a free consultation. Look for my best selling books on AMAZON: Healing Your Lost Inner Child and Healing Your Wounded Relationship. Or my YouTube channel: The Art of Practical Wisdom.

I specifically treat mothers because as holders of reality and pain for others, mothers healers often find themselves deprived of the care that they graciously give others. As a result, they are left to bear the weight of their pain alone. If you are a mother who also cares for others as a profession, you are caretaking in your professional and personal life. The reality is that you need the holding container that you give others. Seeking therapy for yourself is paramount to your ability to provide competent care without experiencing burnout. This is the best form of self care.

As a therapist, my goal is to co-create an authentic, safe, and courageous relationship with each unique individual. I firmly believe that within a strong therapeutic bond, beautiful transformations can unfold. My approach to therapy is characterized by openness, collaboration, affirmation, and honesty. I bring my full humanity into the therapeutic space and encourage each client to do the same. I utilize a blend of theoretical frameworks such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Somatically-Integrated Therapy, Art Therapy, "parts" work, and Feminist Therapy.

Many of the people that come to see me have in someway either lost their way in life and are tired of settling for the crumbs. Some come because of their lives have become out of balance and in some cases out of control in the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual areas. Others, because they are in a tremendous amount of emotional pain. My goal is to help you find a healthy way of dealing with whatever the issues, in effective ways, that are keeping you from reaching your highest potential and to heal the obvious and not so obvious wounds that might be preventing that from happening.

I am a queer, second-generation immigrant Latine psychotherapist who partners with folks to navigate the demands of a society that is so often limiting and oppressive to us. I'm passionate about working with adults that were parentified as children, grew up in dysfunctional family systems, and BIPOC and queer adults that have historically felt "different." Therapy can be an opportunity to slow down and become curious about what in ourselves might need our attention. As you embark on this journey toward self-awareness, I will collaborate with you to turn toward the parts of yourself that have been disowned or burdened by pain.

Are you struggling with uncertainty? Are you a new parent and feeling overwhelmed? Co-Parenting? Change? There’s no need to hide; There is no shame in the struggle! I am a mother, a partner and a human being; I understand the struggles. You are doing yourself a great service by asking for support and assistance. I am here to help! I am passionate about assisting people in getting some relief from the pain or discomfort they are experiencing. I believe that it is imperative to treat the whole person in order to get long-term results and sustainable change. My hope is to assist patients in being able to restore balance in their lives.

I believe we have the potential to create a fulfilling life on every level. By engaging in the process of therapy, I have found that people are able to discover the courage and desire to change so they can seek a better, more complete way of being themselves, alone and in relationships. I approach each client as a unique individual and work to create a respectful and safe atmosphere where clients feel heard and their feelings validated. Through my active, caring and collaborative approach to psychotherapy, I hope to empower others to make positive changes in their lives and relationships.

As a therapist with over 30 years of experience, I work with church staff, corporate executives, teens and adults to improve leadership skills, personal relationships and business performance. Patients & family members currently dealing with the emotional effects of chronic or terminal illness are also a piece of my practice. I provide individual, marital and family counseling. I treat a variety of common emotional and relational difficulties including anxiety, depression and relationship conflict, as well as parent/child issues, and the emotional effects of medical conditions.

At one time or another we all need help to cope with life's challenges. Whether you are looking to make a significant change in your life, need some assistance with coping skills or someone kind who will listen and be there for you counseling is the right path. My clients describe me as a warm, understanding and easy-going individual who is easy to talk to. Clients begin to rediscover what they really need to feel happier and more content with themselves and move on to become more productive and at peace with their lives.

Central to my practice is the belief that all of us deserve respect no matter our histories, and have within ourselves the wisdom for peace and healing. Our individual journeys are at times celebratory and at other times heartbreaking. We may not always be able to choose the circumstances we face such as illness, or the end of a relationship. Instead, we can choose what we are going to do about our challenges. We can choose how to integrate this information into our overall life stories for greater joy, creativity, and balance.

As an experienced clinical-health psychologist, I specialize in helping people navigate life transitions (divorce, remarriage, parenting, relationships, work, health), manage food and weight issues (binge/emotional eating, weight management, weight-loss surgery), deal with addictions of all kinds (substance use, co-dependency, recovery, internet, shopping), develop healthier ways to manage stress and illness, and to deal with anxiety and depression. My approach to therapy is collaborative, interactive, and tailored to your unique needs and goals.

Your heart drops into your stomach and you are at a loss for words. Maybe you feel numb. Maybe you can't stop crying. No matter what your reaction is, your life as you know it has changed in one instance. You've been diagnosed with a terminal or chronic illness. A flood of questions comes to your mind: is this the beginning of the end, how will this effect my career, how do I tell my family? I have dedicated my life to guiding people through the emotional difficulties related to managing conditions such as: mild cognitive impairment, dementia, TBI, stroke, cancer, transplant, and pregnancy/fertility concerns.

Accepting clients from Illinois and Wisconsin, Caitie works with individual adults and relationships. For individuals, she particularly focuses on processing trauma (religious, medical, and relational), coping with chronic pain and female sexual pain disorders, and overcoming people-pleasing and codependency. Caitie is an Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)-trained therapist, and works to get at the heart of the negative cycle romantic partners often find themselves in order to help create a new way of experiencing and connecting to one another.

When life is difficult or overwhelming therapy can help. With 20+ years of expereince I specialize in helping people reach their full potential. I help people who are in pain and/or feel stuck heal their pain and move forward to reach their definition of success. I work with multiple issues such as women's issues, depression, grief and loss, major life changes, past traumatic experiences, and ongoing stress. From a positive caring position I create a safe and supportive environment conductive for healing and growth. My primary goal is to help you feel better as quickly as possible.

To be human is to suffer; the fact that pain is inevitable, however, does not mean we should let it consume us. In my therapy room, I focus on tackling the 'hard parts' of the human condition- loneliness, isolation, grief, sorrow, confusion, feelings of futility, etc- in order to guide clients toward a place of deeper self-awareness and a newfound desire to see the beauty of the world. I have experience with residential care for Mood/Anxiety Disorders and Eating Disorders, as well as intensive outpatient programs for Substance Use Disorders.

I welcome all kinds of clients to my practice, and I'm lucky to work with clients from 19-89 (so far!). My clients are often focused on feeling and functioning better through an exploration of their identities, histories, current situations and goals for the future. I particularly enjoy working with people on issues of depression and/or anxiety, changes in body size and/or ability, chronic pain, trauma, gender and sexuality issues, work and life transitions, aging, stress management, and parenting challenges. My work centers around fostering awareness of and compassion for yourself in moving through everyday life.

I work best with people who are in emotional pain and are willing to be partners in the process of healing; people who are seeking comfort, but also desire to learn and grow emotionally.

The Oaks Counseling Center provides individual and group counseling services, programs and workshops for adults and children (ages 5-12). Our clients may be walking through loss, retirement, end-of-life, chronic illness/pain, living with food allergies, parenting a child with special needs or life-threatening food allergies. Our clients include those grieving due to mass shootings, homicide, suicide, overdose death, accidental death, disease, sudden death or missing persons. Our clients may be a first responder, military, or professional caregiver who is processing compassion fatigue and job-related stress.