Get to Know Abia
Therapist in Chicago, IL

Do you feel emotionally “maxed out”? Like you have to solve everything on your own? Like there is no one to turn to for help or who will even understand what you are going through? Are you having trouble getting good sleep or feeling well rested? Do you find yourself worrying and asking yourself a million what if questions. Change is a struggle and we all struggle with it - doesn't matter if it is painful or positive. Making adjustments and transitions feels overwhelming and you may be stressed, confused, and irritable. Whether expected or not, the experience of change is not usually an easy one. Even when it is positive such as graduating from school or getting married, the change can be intense, challenging, or even disorienting. Though it may be hard to see at the moment, the feelings of confusion and fear can give way to the possibilities of redefinition. You will get there and I am ready to help you do it! Being an ally in the process of redefining your life is an opportunity that I am privileged to take on. 

​Women are strong, brave, powerful, and determined. We also experience many different stressors and jump through many hurdles in life as we strive to balance close relationships, careers, and responsibilities. Oh ya, and time for ourselves... our interests, self-care, fun, and down time. On a daily basis, do you find yourself struggling with stereotypical gender roles, your career, body image, health, or cultural issues? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the responsibilities that are on your shoulders? Do you tend to break down in tears and then people tell you that you are too emotional, too sensitive, or even crazy? Does it feel like something is wrong with you? Do you start to take those words and make them your own? Do you question if you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or that you might be “failing as a person”?  Let me tell you something, there’s nothing wrong with being called “too something.” Those are other people’s thoughts and judgements, they do not have to be yours. You aren’t alone, nor do you have to cope with these experiences in silence. I am here to help you see a new version of yourself and to help you find that bright light. Together we will get to the root of the problem, and help you find your way back to the power and passion you know is within you. 

Do you feel like you are caught between two worlds and you don’t really feel like you truly belong in either. Are you noticing that you are overwhelmed and confused about who you should be? Are you noticing that you just feel out of place? Not belonging, not fitting in, figuring out who you are supposed to be, or what you are supposed to do… is exhausting. All of this is making you feel anxious, overwhelmed, and even depressed. It is even more challenging when you grow up with the tension of being expected to follow your parents’ culture or the dominant culture you are living in, rather than following your own path. Bringing together all the parts of your cultural experience is a difficult, life long process which can be made more complicated by a lack of acceptance by others or even questioning yourself if you are “good enough.” Your culture is one aspect of your identity. Having your unique perspective understood by another person is essential. Together we can work on the intersection of culture and the emotional troubles that you might have experienced including anxiety, loss, or trauma.