You’re supposed to be a great partner, an engaged mother, a successful professional, a present daughter, a supportive friend, and still look put-together while doing it all. The “modern woman” narrative promised empowerment, but mostly it just feels like 17 roles and none of them fit perfectly.
Maybe you’re succeeding at everything and feeling fulfilled by nothing. Maybe you’re exhausted from being “strong” when what you really need is to fall apart. Maybe you’re tired of apologizing for wanting more, or for wanting less.
You’re juggling career ambitions with biological clocks, traditional expectations with feminist ideals, self-care with everyone else’s needs. And somewhere in the middle of all this, you’ve lost touch with what YOU actually want, because you’ve spent so long being what everyone else needs.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 20 years of experience, and as a woman who’s navigated my own version of these tensions, I help women untangle the contradictions, set boundaries without guilt, and build lives that feel authentic instead of performative.
Great career OR great mother. Ambitious OR nurturing. Independent OR partnered. Why can't you just be all of it, all the time, perfectly?
You're the emotional support for your partner, your kids, your parents, your friends. But who supports you? And when did asking for help become weakness?
Work late = bad mother. Leave early = bad employee. Prioritize yourself = selfish. Prioritize others = resentful. You just can't win in any situation.
"When are you having kids?" "Why did you wait so long?" "Don't you want to give them a sibling?" Your body, everyone's opinion.
You grew up watching your mother sacrifice everything. You swore you'd be different. But now you're exhausted, guilty, and wondering if she was right.
She's a CEO with three kids, a perfect marriage, and a marathon PR. Why can't you keep up? (Spoiler: She's drowning too. We all are.)
Yes, and therapy can help you give yourself that permission.
Therapy for women isn’t just regular therapy with a female client. It’s understanding the specific, systemic pressures women face, and helping you navigate them without losing yourself.
Session 1-2: Understanding Your Unique Context
We’ll explore what you’re juggling, what you’re struggling with, and what you actually WANT (not what you’re “supposed” to want). By the end of session 2, you’ll have clarity on what we’re working on.
Session 3-8: Identifying the “Shoulds” and Societal Scripts
We’ll dig into the messages you’ve internalized: “Good women are selfless,” “You can have it all,” “Children are your purpose,” “Your value is your appearance.” We’ll identify which beliefs are actually YOURS and which ones you’re carrying for someone else.
Session 9-20: Challenging Expectations & Building Boundaries
This is where transformation happens. We challenge distorted beliefs (“I’m selfish if I prioritize myself”), practice saying no, and create a life that aligns with YOUR values, not society’s, not your mother’s, not your partner’s. YOURS.
Session 20+: Integration and Living Authentically
As clarity emerges, we shift to less frequent sessions. The goal is to help you live a life that feels like yours, where you make choices based on what YOU want, not what you’re “supposed” to want.
You’re not “too sensitive” or “not resilient enough.” You’re responding to systemic, impossible expectations. Your exhaustion makes sense.
As an immigrant woman who’s built a career, navigated cultural expectations, and balanced family with ambition, I’m not just theoretically informed, I’ve lived versions of these struggles.
Traditional vs. modern. Eastern vs. Western. Religious teachings vs. feminist ideals. I help you navigate these contradictions without forcing you to choose.
Selfless, accommodating, nice, polished, patient, nurturing, what if you don’t want to be all those things all the time? What if you’re allowed to want more?
Career-focused or family-focused. Partnered or single. Mother or child-free. Traditional or non-traditional. Your choice is valid, my job is to help you own it without guilt.
Yes, this service is specifically designed to address the unique pressures, expectations, and systemic challenges women face. However, I also offer individual therapy, couples therapy, and other services for all genders.
That’s okay. Feminist-informed therapy doesn’t mean you have to identify as a feminist. It means I understand the systemic pressures women face, regardless of your political beliefs.
Absolutely. This is one of the most common struggles women bring to therapy: biological clock pressure, societal judgment, partner disagreement, or simply not knowing what YOU want beneath all the noise.
Many partners don’t see the mental load, emotional labor, or societal pressure you’re carrying. Part of therapy can involve helping you articulate what you need, and if helpful, I offer couples therapy to address these dynamics together.
That guilt is part of what we’ll work on. Women are taught to prioritize everyone else. Seeking support for yourself isn’t selfish, it’s necessary.
Most clients see meaningful shifts within 6 months (approximately 24 sessions). Deep identity and role work takes time, but you’ll notice changes along the way.
Yes! I provide secure online therapy throughout Illinois. Many clients prefer online sessions for convenience and flexibility.
I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, and other major insurers. Contact me to verify your specific plan coverage.
in-person and online options throughout Illinois.
Friday 10 AM – 8 PM
Saturday 9 AM – 3 PM
1525 East 53rd Street
Suite 433
Chicago, IL 60615
Parking: Paid parking available behind Akira and paid street parking.
Public Transit: CTA and Metra
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
11 AM – 8 PM
125 South Wacker Drive
Suite 308
Chicago, IL 60606
Parking: Paid street parking or multiple public garages..
Public Transit: CTA & Metra.
Whether you’re navigating relationship struggles, identity questions, trauma recovery, or generational patterns you’re ready to break, I’m here to help. Fill out the form, and I will reach out to you as soon as I can.
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