At a glance
Best fit for: Polish-speaking, EMDR and trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression, first responders, hoarding; adults and older adults.
Approaches: EMDR, CBT, psychodynamic.
Who Am I?
Hello! I’m Jolanta Jarosz McNamara, a cisgender, first-generation woman of European ethnicity and a clinical therapist who works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I’m fluent in Polish, so if that’s your preference, I can provide support in a cultural context and in the language of your heart.
I specialize in working with:
- Teens with anxiety and depression
- Adults struggling with anxiety, depression, and life’s transitions
- Trauma survivors who want to process and move beyond their experiences, including first responders
- Couples and families working through relationship issues
How I help
Our relationship is critical to your success. My style is empathetic and supportive, and I’ll help you find your inner strength, highlight your resilience, and build a toolkit for life’s challenges. Alongside CBT, I use Solution-Focused Therapy to address specific issues and build on your strengths, and for trauma, panic, post-traumatic stress, disturbing memories, or triggering events, I’ve successfully used EMDR. I also had a previous career in corporate IT, so the stressors and lack of work-life balance in the business world are very familiar to me, and I can be a guide through major life changes. I often help people with anxiety and trauma.
What a session with me is like
I want you to feel comfortable, so connecting as people is part of my approach, along with laughter and the occasional shared life experience. We all have our own story and perspective, so we’ll focus on what you want and need and create a path for you. With couples, your relationship is my client, so there’s no assigning blame or debating who’s right and who’s wrong.
What I believe
Therapy should be the ultimate safe space to examine where you are, what brought you here, what works and what doesn’t, where you want to go, and a plan for how to get there.
A little more about me
I’m a passionate traveler always planning my next adventure, and sharing new experiences with family and friends means a lot to me. Photography, pottery, reading, and bingeing British crime and mystery series fill my downtime. I also volunteer with the Anti-Cruelty Society, driving my two therapy dogs to nursing homes, children’s museums, and hospices to bring people joy, and I’m an officer in my community club.
A few common questions
Do you offer virtual sessions?
Yes, I see clients virtually across Illinois, and in person at our Sauganash office.
Do you speak any languages besides English?
Yes, I’m fluent in Polish.
What do you help with most?
Anxiety, depression, life transitions, trauma and EMDR (including for first responders), and couples and family work.
What insurance do you take?
BCBS PPO, Optum/United, Cigna, BCBS HMO Northshore, and Aetna.
- AetnaBCBS HMO NorthshoreBCBS PPOCignaOptum/United
