Therapists in Illinois

Are you struggling with feelings of constant worry, unease, or dread? Do racing thoughts and overwhelming fear make it difficult for you to enjoy life or perform daily tasks? Anxiety can be a daunting and isolating experience, but you don’t have to face it alone. I specialize in treating anxiety through a thorough and compassionate approach. My process begins with a careful assessment of your symptoms, as every individual’s experience with anxiety is unique. I utilize evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(TF-CBT) to help you reduce symptoms.

Sometimes the body is the first indicator that it's time to deal with our trauma. When this happens, the feelings that arise can be overwhelming and scary. The good news is, you don't have to deal with them alone. In the words of Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score: “Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.” My role in this process is to help you understand the origin of these thoughts and gently escort you into a new future. Need to talk about issues of trauma, depression or anxiety? Feel like you’re drowning amidst all the recent changes in your life? If so, I’d be happy to explore this with you further. I help adults from diverse backgrounds and cultures deal with different life transitions and manage self esteem issues. I have a trauma focused background and am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I primarily use the tools of compassion, psychoeducation, mindfulness, and problem solving to offer new perspectives on dealing with intergenerational trauma. In many cases, certain behaviors unknowingly are repeated between parents and their children. In session, we address your childhood trauma by discussing what happened, and processing your past and present feelings. Aside from family trauma repetitions, dealing with all the recent changes in the world can also be a source of stress and anxiety. When we meet, we’ll dive into all these stressors and establish a plan for self-care that will assist you in letting go of negative thoughts and feelings and move towards a space of more optimism.

*ONLY accepting female clients at this time * Hello! I'm Jessica Milgrome, a licensed mental health clinician with 10 years of experience, a certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Nationally Certified Counselor. My approach centers on making therapy the least stressful part of your life. I create a supportive, relaxed environment with a modern, casual style, often incorporating humor. I can direct sessions or simply listen, based on your needs, and appreciate when clients express whether they seek guidance, feedback, or just want to vent. I work with clients facing various concerns, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relationship issues like breakups, emotional abuse, narcissistic abuse/trauma and relationship conflicts. I also manage severe mental health conditions such as psychosis. Additionally, I focus on developing interpersonal relationships and provide practical support with job placement and interview skills, aiding career transitions and professional growth. I guide clients in cultivating self-love and forgiveness, believing these are crucial for emotional healing and personal growth. My holistic approach addresses both emotional and practical aspects of life to help achieve balance and fulfillment. To share a bit about myself—I’m a huge fan of stand-up comedy (laughing is life), look forward to Mondays for Spotify's new Discover Weekly playlists, and live by the mantra "When words fail, let the music speak." Plus, I have six dogs! As a therapist, my goal is to help clients become their best selves. Together, we’ll improve self-esteem, identify symptom triggers, develop coping skills, explore psychoeducational materials, enhance family relationships, discuss psychotropic medications, and build a strong sense of self. My counseling style is warm and interactive, treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I combine cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, and rational-emotive counseling, tailoring our dialogue and treatment plan to your unique needs. I look forward to working with you!

"In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into Growth or step back into safety." Abraham Maslow My name is Dr. Julie Brandenburg, Ph.D.; HSPP. If you are considering therapy, then you are already taking steps toward growth and change. My therapy specializations include but are not limited to, women's issues and trauma. What follows below is a list of issues that clients often bring up in our therapy sessions. The list is based on my professional experiences with clients, but by no means represents all of the topics and concerns that you may choose to address in therapy. Your issues are uniquely yours, and cannot be placed into anyone else's categories. I have found, however, that sometimes a list gets the ball rolling for potential clients! Some of the issues women bring up in our sessions include (but many additional issues are also discussed): Worry/Anxiety Sadness/Depression Coping with Divorce Self-Esteem Balancing Life "Roles" Self-Care Healthy/Unhealthy Relationships Adult/Child Trauma Trauma-Related Symptoms and Life Impact Life Transitions If you identified with any items on the above list or came up with items of your own, would you like help resolving these issues? The choice is yours. Therapy is for those who believe that their lives can get better and are willing to work to the best of their ability to make that happen. If you choose to work with me, I will be with you every step of the way, encouraging and challenging you to grow toward your best version of yourself.