Hello and Welcome!!! My name is Nicole Kumane` Chisum and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Illinois. I am committed to improving the lives of others through the therapeutic process. I received a Master's in Child Development and my Masters Social Work. I have over 15 years of experience working with individuals, children and families as a dedicated Social Worker. I believe that when individuals are given the space to fully express themselves and have a supportive therapist, they can discover the positive changes they are looking for. I am a warm, compassionate and laid-back therapist that will work with you to set goals, solve problems, and explore emotions. Therapy is all about meeting you where you are and I will always work to meet you in that place. During therapy it is important to explore the hard stuff, it can also be an enjoyable experience too.
In our first session together, we will start with introductions and then you can tell me what brought you to start your therapy journey. This is an opportunity to "let it all out"! This will help me to create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow up sessions.
I believe my biggest strengths are being open-minded and compassionate. I understand that daily life stressors can sometimes be hard to manage. I am here to listen and support you in a way that is going be most helpful. I am genuinely here to help! I am also a very laid-back therapist. It's really important to me that feel 100% comfortable during sessions.
I often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in my practice. In your first session, we'll explore what brought you to therapy and then decide the most appropriate ways to help you make progress. With CBT, we'll look at how your thoughts affect your emotions and experience. During treatment, I'll help you learn how to push back against those negative thoughts to change your feelings for the better.
I really enjoy using Solution Focused Therapy in my practice. It's a great away to address and process client's issues and have a plan of action by the end of each session. I believe clients often feel a with a sense of relief when this treatment method is used.