Specialized
Ethically-Informed Psychotherapy

We are dedicated to delivering top-quality, evidence-based interventions covered by insurance, ensuring our clients receive the best care possible.


Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy Services

At Chicago Counseling Center, we understand that trusting someone new can feel challenging, so we’re dedicated to fostering a warm, welcoming space where you can share openly and feel truly heard. No matter the emotional struggles you’re facing, we’re here to guide you forward with hope and support, helping you find a path to change even when it feels out of reach.

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety condition marked by intrusive, irrational thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) meant to ease that distress. It’s not just one pattern—subtypes like contamination, harm, relationship, or existential OCD show how varied and deeply unsettling it can be. These unwanted thoughts and actions can hit hard, often causing intense emotional or physical strain, far beyond simple habits like tidiness. We’re experts in untangling this complexity, offering tailored support for the many faces of OCD and the overwhelming distress it brings.

  • Complex anxiety goes beyond a single diagnosis, instead describing a state where an individual experiences a pervasive and multifaceted form of anxiety. It's often a comorbidity, meaning it co-occurs with and often amplifies the challenges of multiple anxiety disorders, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, or phobias. This layering of conditions creates a unique set of difficulties, leaving someone feeling constantly on edge, overwhelmed, and struggling with a pervasive sense of unease that impacts various aspects of their life.

    Beyond co-occurring anxiety disorders, complex anxiety can be further complicated by other challenges, including chronic stress, prolonged exposure to difficult life experiences, or the lingering effects of trauma. These additional factors can fuel and exacerbate the anxiety, making it feel intractable and deeply entrenched. The interplay between these multiple elements — be it several anxiety disorders, chronic stress, or unaddressed trauma — creates a highly intricate picture that requires a nuanced and comprehensive approach. We understand the unique complexities involved in navigating these interwoven struggles and are here to offer the specialized support and tools needed to address the multifaceted nature of complex anxiety and its comorbidities.

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a specific, diagnosable mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. It's characterized by a persistent and disruptive cluster of symptoms that significantly impact daily life. Those with PTSD often grapple with intrusive memories, vivid flashbacks, or nightmares that forcefully pull them back to the distressing moment. Alongside this, they may feel compelled to avoid anything reminiscent of the trauma, experience negative changes in their thoughts and mood like difficulty remembering key aspects or feelings of detachment, and exhibit heightened arousal such as being constantly on edge, easily startled, or having difficulty sleeping. For a diagnosis of PTSD, these symptoms must persist for over a month and cause significant distress or impairment in one's social, occupational, or other vital areas of functioning, indicating a deeper, more entrenched response to the initial event.

    In contrast, Trauma refers more broadly to the emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event or series of events that overwhelms an individual's coping mechanisms. It signifies the psychological wound left by an experience perceived as profoundly damaging, whether physically or emotionally. Crucially, trauma itself is an experience and its immediate emotional fallout, not a mental health disorder in itself. While a traumatic event can certainly lead to PTSD, not everyone who experiences trauma will develop the disorder. The impact of trauma can manifest in various ways, from immediate shock and denial to short-term emotional symptoms like mood swings or difficulty concentrating, and even physical symptoms. Whether from a single event or prolonged exposure to adverse experiences, healing from trauma often involves processing the event and its emotional impact, which is a vital step in both preventing the development of PTSD and in recovering from its effects.

  • Eating disorders are clinically significant mental health conditions characterized by severe and persistent disturbances in eating behaviors, often accompanied by distressing cognitions related to food, weight, and body shape. These disorders carry substantial morbidity and can lead to life-threatening medical complications.

    Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is defined by a persistent restriction of energy intake leading to a significantly low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, and a disturbance in the way one's body weight or shape is experienced.This can manifest through various behaviors, including rigid dietary rules, excessive exercise, or compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting or laxative misuse.

    Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) involves a persistent disturbance in eating or feeding that results in a failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. This disturbance is not driven by concerns about body weight or shape, but rather by factors such as a lack of interest in eating, avoidance based on the sensory characteristics of food (e.g., texture, smell), or concerns about aversive consequences of eating (e.g., choking, vomiting). ARFID can lead to significant weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and impaired psychosocial functioning.

  • Depression is far more profound than temporary sadness; it's a deep, persistent low mood that can drain an individual's energy, hope, and overall vitality. For those diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), this profound heaviness typically lasts most days, often extending for weeks or months, transforming everyday tasks like getting out of bed, maintaining personal hygiene, or connecting with others into overwhelming challenges. The impact isn't solely emotional; depression can manifest with significant physical signs, including notable changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or hypersomnia), alterations in appetite and weight, and pervasive, unremitting fatigue. This complex condition quietly erodes joy, impairs concentration, and diminishes self-worth, and if left unaddressed, can deeply impact both mental and physical health, making recovery feel unattainable without proper support.

    Anxiety and Stress, while distinct from depression, frequently co-occur and present their own unique challenges. Stressis the body's natural response to demands or threats, leading to a cascade of physical and mental reactions like increased heart rate, muscle tension, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. While short-term stress can be a motivator, chronic or overwhelming stress can exhaust the body and mind, paving the way for more persistent issues. Anxiety, on the other hand, is characterized by persistent, excessive worry about future events, often disproportionate to the actual threat. Unlike stress, which tends to be a response to a known pressure, anxiety can feel generalized and pervasive, impacting daily functioning with symptoms such as restlessness, difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, or specific phobias. The nuances of anxiety lie in its varied forms, from generalized worry to social fears or sudden panic, each requiring specific understanding. Both chronic stress and various anxiety disorders can significantly impact well-being, eroding peace of mind and often intensifying the symptoms of depression when they co-exist.

  • Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) are habits like hair-pulling, skin-picking, or nail-biting that people find hard to stop. These actions often stem from stress, anxiety, or an urge for relief, and can lead to physical discomfort or emotional frustration. We offer support to help manage and overcome BFRBs, tailoring care to your needs.

Assessments

Autism Assessments


Basic Psychological Assessment



Specialized Assessments

Full Neuropsychological Assessments

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We are a group of compassionate and experienced professionals dedicated to guiding you on your journey toward growth, healing, and well-being.


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