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Schedule your first appointment. For follow up appointments (existing clients), please contact your therapist at 773-774-4444.
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Hi! I’m Kamarea (Cuh-mar-e-uh, they/she) and I identify as a genderqueer and queer Black American. I am a therapist who works with children, teens, adults, and families and enjoys engaging with others in an authentic and empathetic manner. As a therapist, I aspire to leave a positive impact on your journey through self-actualization and encourage you to further engage in communal care practices. Much of my expertise stems from working with youth and families in community settings (e.g., schools, community organizations, detention centers). Throughout the therapeutic process, I center authentic connection and consideration of your place in this journey called life. Healing is not linear, nor is therapy, so I work to emphasize grace, patience, and empathy as we navigate your journey together.
Integrating mental and somatic awareness. Through a client-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach, I utilize traditional talk therapeutic modalities (e.g., CBT, DBT, ACT, psychodynamic) with somatic-based practices (e.g., mindfulness) in order to feel in your body what we are processing. With my kids, I utilize more play, art, and somatic therapeutic interventions with a little talk therapy if possible.
The foundation of my practice is authentic, compassionate, and not-know-it-all (I really do not have all the answers!). I seek to create an environment where you feel safe, seen, and heard in a non-judgemental and comfortable manner. My practice is also informed by Black liberationist philosophies that help me to bring a culturally-informed and anti-oppressive orientation to any individual I have the privilege to work with. I believe that the relationship between the therapist and client informs a large portion of the client’s success and I strive to cultivate an authentic relationship with each client with safe and client-centered boundaries.
As we navigate institutions of oppression and their impact, it is important to lean on one another. I believe that we should center authenticity, care, trust, honesty, and responsibility in all of our relationships rooted in love. I also believe it is important to imagine a better world when imagining a better life.
In the beginning, I focus on learning more about who you are and what you wish to get out of our therapeutic relationship through questions, discussion on random topics (What’s your favorite book?), and sometimes hard moments characterized by complex emotions and thoughts. It is most important that you feel safe, supported, and comfortable in each session so just show up as you are and I’ll meet you there! As we become more oriented and comfortable with one another, I will try and challenge you in your beliefs, behaviors, habits, etc. to help you reflect and learn more about yourself and your aspirations. However, this journey is yours, so I will always take your lead whenever it feels like too little or too much. If it ever feels like too much, we might engage in some mindfulness practice, talk about what you are feeling, or do both to get you feeling ready to continue with the day. As much as I like asking questions, I enjoy being asked questions too, so I encourage all of the people I work with to ask questions if they wish to know more or are curious about anything I am doing. For my kids, I will meet with parents when able to gather their insight on what is going on and then work with the child going forward. I also like to do regular monthly or bi-monthly check-ins with parents throughout treatment based on their preference.
When I am not meeting with you in the office or over the screen, I am usually out in the community working alongside friends and other community members in building alternative institutions that center community over harm and profit. While this keeps me centered in my beliefs and practices, I also need spaces not centered around a labor of love. When I need to recharge from the world around me, you can find me with a book about a beautiful love story, building a Lego flower set, rewatching an old TV show (they don’t make them like they used to…), writing a poem, or eating (book, show, movie, and restaurant recommendations are always much appreciated!). When I need to recharge with the world around me, you can find me walking a trail or visiting a queer bookstore with my lovely partner, celebrating a long-awaited visit from my long-distance friends, or talking endlessly about everything with my closest loved ones.
Schedule your first appointment. For follow up appointments (existing clients), please contact your therapist at 773-774-4444.