Hi, I’m Stephanie. (she/her)
I provide a safe, non-judgmental space where we can sort through the tangle of stressful life events, relationships, emotions, beliefs, and societal issues that make daily life feel overwhelming and exhausting. Together, we can find ways to help you cope, create change, and develop a sense of self-worth and self-compassion.
my office
why work with me?
If you have tried therapy in the past and found the therapist was more interesting in teaching you how to hide your true feelings, or worse they tried to “cure” you: I can promise that will not be my approach.
I honor that you are the real expert on yourself and your life, and my role is to support, encourage, and empower you. This is often done by working on "soft skills" that are not directly taught in school but should be: processing emotions, setting and holding boundaries, developing healthy relationships and communication patterns, reducing negative self-talk, building a positive relationship with yourself, and adjusting your coping strategies and defense mechanisms from harmful to helpful ones.
It's challenging to find the right therapist - someone you can trust to be compassionate and non-judgmental while helping you navigate life's challenges or complex feelings. I'd love to meet with you so we can discover if I'm the right fit for you, and if not - maybe I can help you figure out where to look next.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
— Carl Rogers, a Founder of Humanistic Psychology
Get to know Swank Therapy.
I’ve always been passionate about self-development and the healing power of relationships, and becoming a therapist was a natural way to merge the two into a job where I get to do what I love every day - dig dip into the messiness of life and help people create healthier relationships with themselves and others.
Since graduating with my MSW in 2014, I have worked in a variety of settings, always searching for a place to provide therapy that meets my expectations of an authentically safe space for growth and healing. Some of the criteria: truly trauma-informed, authentic belief in the client being the expert on themselves, non-pathologizing of everyday emotions and insecurities, every client being treated with dignity and respect, neurodiversity and LGBTQ+ affirming, a work culture that values my authentic self, and a physically comfortable environment for both myself and the client (which can be challenging with various sensory needs). When the last practice I worked for was bought out by an insurance company, I realized I was going to have to create this safe space myself.
That’s what led me to open Swank Therapy. These values are at the heart of my practice. If you need a safe space to work through life’s struggles, a place where you won’t be treated as if you’re broken, and if you feel like we might be a good fit, I truly hope you’ll give therapy a chance. You don’t have to do this alone.
the techniques.
Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
Person-Centered
Compassion Focused
Culturally Sensitive
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Emotionally Focused
Feminist
Humanistic
Integrative
Motivational Interviewing
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Psychodynamic
Somatic
Strength-Based
Trauma Focused
my credentials.
Years in Practice:
2014 - Present
License:
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Illinois
Education:
Master of Social Work,
Loyola University Chicago
