Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Urban Wellness, we are committed to social justice and anti-racism. We are dedicated to providing services to individuals, couples, and families that are accessible, culturally relevant, and free of stigma.
Here at Urban Wellness, we celebrate and affirm all backgrounds and identities. We strive to provide a brave space where voices can be heard and liberated.
Welcome! My name is Cassie (Ka-see, she/her) and I believe things can get better.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and I work with school-aged children, adolescents, adults, and couples. I’m a white, cis-gendered female and a new mom! I grew up in a small town in Nebraska and have lived in the South, the West, and the Midwest. I spent four years working as a teacher and two years working as a school counselor. I now get to walk alongside people of all ages, identities, and walks of life to chart a new way forward, a way that is gentler, fuller, and leads to healing.
Following your lead. I believe you are the expert and that you have wisdom within yourself to overcome what you’re facing. From this foundation, I seek to find approaches that work best for you and your story. I utilize talk therapy, helping you process your experiences. I also incorporate CBT, working to change the messages we tell ourselves. I am trained in EMDR, which is a great tool for addressing both big and small traumas we’ve experienced. I also welcome spirituality into our counseling work if that’s important to you. I tend to pull from other approaches as well, including DBT, IFS, Polyvagal theory, and mindfulness practices.
For kids, I incorporate emotional regulation skills and elements of play therapy. For couples, I lean on skill-building from Gottman’s approach and aspects of EFT. I know this can be a bit of “counselor speak,” so please know that I love explaining any and all of it, so that we can decide together what resonates the most with you.
First and foremost, I want you to feel seen and understood. My aim is to create a warm, compassionate, and inclusive environment that honors your identity and experiences. I want you to feel comfortable and safe to bring your full self, taking the time to build trust and a relationship. I help by working with you to identify the barriers you’re facing, both internal and systemic, and then to find supportive ways to move through them. I am also intentional about equipping you with practical tools to help you find relief as we do the heavier work of unpacking root issues.
I believe you have something so important and unique to offer this world. I believe that what you’re facing can change and that you can find the healing you’re looking for. I believe that in therapy we must also consider the context and systems that are impacting your well-being. Above all, I believe I am just a support as you discover who you truly are and how you thrive.
In session, I’m guided by you. If you want to address recent experiences, let’s do that. If you want to look at larger patterns or difficulties from your past let’s unpack those. If you want me to be more directive, I’m happy to lean into that too. It’s most important to me that you feel comfortable sharing what you need as we journey together. I want you to get cozy and show up as you are, knowing you will be accepted and cheered on. I also like to offer some ideas to reflect on or steps to try out between sessions if that feels helpful to you. Sessions don’t have a set agenda and definitely not a set timeline, but I do want to make sure we’re making progress that’s meaningful to you. This means we’ll set some initial goals and do check-ins along the way to see how things are going.
For adolescents, I like to talk to caregivers with your teen present and have important conversations together. For younger kids, I typically talk with caregivers first to get insight on what’s going on. I also like to involve caregivers when working with little ones, utilizing end of session recaps or routine check-ins.
Outside of the counseling office, I’m a mom to a little baby and learning so much about life as a parent. I enjoy stories that reflect our human experience whether in a book, movie, or TV show (this includes reality TV for me!). My faith is also a very real part of my life, so engaging with spiritual practices and my church community are rhythms that feed my soul. Church these days can be weird: I’ve experienced my own hurt in Christian communities, but Jesus has somehow endured as a guide and sweet companion for me. I love the public library, watching football (go Huskers!) and exploring new places around the Chicago-land area. I’d be honored to get to know you and journey with you!
Schedule your first appointment. For follow up appointments (existing clients), please contact your therapist at 773-774-4444.
Land Acknowledgment: Urban Wellness acknowledges that the lands on which our practice resides with locations in Chicago and Forest Park, Illinois, are on occupied land, and was originally inhabited by Peoria, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Myaamia, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Hoocąk (Ho-Chunk), and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) peoples before their forced assimilation, labor, and removal from their ancestral lands. We recognize the Native peoples of these lands and invite all to consider supporting Indigenous communities and the fight for Indigenous racial justice.
