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.
Insurances I Accept:
Ages I work with:
Languages I speak:
Starting May 2025
Welcome! My name is Kaitlin and I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who works with children, adolescents, and adults. As a multicultural and woman of color in mental health, I hope to bring more visibility and awareness to BIPOC communities and their mental health needs. I believe that our identities play an integral role in our mental health and how we interact with the world, as well as how the world interacts with us. For so many, asking for extra support is never easy but I applaud you for coming this far and look forward to helping you in your healing journey!
I believe that words hold power, and that behavior can be telling of unspoken thoughts, so I employ traditional talk therapy, CBT, psychodynamic practices, person-centered therapy, motivational interviewing, meditation, exploring guilt and shame, and mindfulness. Overall I try to tailor my approach to each client because I don’t believe one size fits all. I want this to be a collaborative space, so even if I’m not experienced in a particular modality, if you’re interested in it, let’s learn about it together! For my younger clients, I practice play therapy which incorporates games, art, and stories and/or story-telling to provide more narration and expression. I employ a lot of laughter and straight-forwardness to grab attention into areas that are otherwise maybe easy to ignore or hide, in order to provide support along the way.
I believe that creating a safe space is fundamental in any therapeutic approach and emphasize this at the beginning of each encounter. The purpose of this is to ensure that each client understands that they are in the driver seat and has a stake in having their voice heard throughout the therapeutic journey that they (we) embark on. My belief is that while we cannot control what happens to us (most times), you have the power to grow and change as far as you can imagine. My purpose is to empower that voice within to feel seen and heard in spaces that feel challenging/challenged, so that you can decide from there if this feels aligned. The goal is to help you to identify areas of strength, rewards, and consequences, in order to build the skills that are needed to resolve what is in your power to change or enact. You deserve to acknowledge all aspects of yourself as far as the mirror can go, and that what has previously defined you can have the chance to change by the voice you use with yourself and others.
While it is important to establish and maintain professional boundaries for the success of our therapeutic relationship, I also like to make clients feel comfortable and create a space that doesn’t feel intimidating. There’s no dress code, so my hope is you never feel intimidated or discouraged with however you may present! I encourage you to show up with what helps you to feel your best, whether that means bringing an extra item to session (i.e. blanket, favorite sweater, comfy socks minus shoes, or fidget toys), or expressing what would help you in the moment if there’s any way I could assist with helping us to get started.
You can expect to hear me offer (and elicit) laughter and insight as feedback, including moments where you may not even remember that you are in fact in therapy, by conceptualizing ideas that may seem challenging outside of this space. For that reason, I encourage clients to take control and direct where we start because I believe you are the expert on you. I typically have homework assignments (for those who feel this approach is helpful), so that we can review progress together once our therapeutic relationship has been established, including referring back to your treatment plan and goals. Remember, how you show up in therapy will always be acknowledged and that changes (noticed and unconscious) will be given space to be explored.
Outside of work, I am a plant mom, and am a lover of nature, hot(ter) weather vs cold, vacationing, exploring festivals, finding new restaurants to eat at, and enjoying personal time with friends and family. I didn’t particularly see myself living in Chicago, however, I believe that everyone can agree that this place is magical and no other city has the food that we have! I love the versatility of my hair and expressing myself with the various ways I can change it around. Fun fact: I have been a vegetarian for 12 years, but am currently branching my palette out and am finding joy in this recent change. I look forward to meeting you soon to learn more about what makes you 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.
