Anxiety Therapy for Individuals in Chicago, IL

Anxiety Therapy for Individuals in Chicago, IL

You have a difficult time controlling the constant worrying. During the day, you’re exhausted. When you try to sleep, you lay in bed and feel overwhelmed with all of the thoughts, experiences, or emotions from the day that swirl around and keep you up at night. So what happens? You avoid going to bed because you know it’s yet another night where you won’t be able to sleep well. You experience chest pains. Your heart races. The cycle starts all over again the next day. You’re trying to keep it together for yourself and your partner, but it seems to be getting worse. You’re deteriorating before your eyes.

Anxiety Therapist Chicago

In my experience as a therapist, I've come to realize that you can't teach others lessons unless you've lived them yourself. This belief shapes my approach to therapy, as I draw from my own journey to empathize with clients. By sharing my insights, I create a space where clients feel understood and supported in their struggles. Together, we explore their emotions and experiences, fostering genuine growth and healing. I believe that true transformation comes from both personal experience and compassionate guidance.

 

My name is Shirley, and I provide mental health therapy in Chicago, IL!

Hi, I’m Shirley Khong, LCPC (#180.015179) and I provide mental health therapy for individuals and couples in Chicago, IL. I help kindhearted people who are constantly taking care of others break unhealthy patterns that create stress and anxiety. Those who are tired from feeling out of control, shrinking yourself, or that you don’t have a voice worth listening to.

I am located in Chicago, IL and provide online therapy for those in Illinois.

Book a free 15-minute consult with me via Zoom to see if therapy is right for you and how I can best support you. Let's create a personalized plan to help you move beyond anxiety and depression, starting your journey to relief sooner.

How I can help!

We figure out our own way to allow the vulnerable parts of ourselves to unfold naturally without pressure that you are letting you, me, or others down. I don’t put pressure on you to tell me everything that is going on from the start. We will go at your pace and I will check in with you, to make sure you feel heard, understood, and respected. If something feels like it is too much for a particular day, we can come back to it in the following session. There’s no pressure. We start where you are for the day.

With consistent support, you will begin to carve out your desired life, gradually building the confidence to express your true self. You will learn to get out of your shell and speak your truth. You will learn the beauty and strength of your vulnerabilities to help you to be more in-touch with yourself and others. You will learn the importance of boundaries and what it means to take up space. You will be free to explore different avenues of personal and professional growth. You may leave toxic and unhealthy situations or relationships to bring more balance and calm into your life.

When challenges arise, you will feel equipped to navigate them with resilience. You learn to sit comfortably with difficult emotions like fear, shame, guilt, and anxiety, no longer overwhelmed by them. Speaking up for yourself becomes not just a possibility, but a necessity you truly believe in because YOU are worth it.

I'm here to help you create a quiet space for reflecting on what YOU want from life, giving you permission to be unapologetically yourself.

Take the first step today and schedule a 15-minute consultation.

 

FAQs

  • Some individuals may achieve their desired outcomes in about 8-12 sessions, while others may benefit from longer-term therapy.

  • In each session, we reflect upon the previous one to open up discussion if there were any lingering questions, comments, or concerns. I always make sure to meet my clients where they are at for the day.

    Some clients come in with an agenda and we focus on one at a time. Others may not have specific issues to address, and in such cases, we observe the dynamics that unfold during our conversations. Those patterns may lead to insights that they did not notice before.

  • For individual sessions, my rate is $210 for a 50 minute session. I use Reimbursify for my Out-of-Network client insurance reimbursements. You can click on the link to set up your Reimbursify account.

  • I understand that life happens and we can’t always predict unexpected or emergency scenarios. However, I do ask that if it is an emergency (not a work conflict), that you let me know as soon as you can.

    The session slot, (i.e. Mondays at 2pm), will be yours until we terminate our meetings. If you feel that the day and time needs to be adjusted since we had to reschedule them, please let me know and I would be happy to change to a time that works for both of us.

    Unfortunately, I cannot reschedule another client if you do not attend the session. If it is a late cancellation, you will be charged the full fee and your insurance will not cover cancelled sessions.

  • If a client is 5 minutes late for our meeting, I will be sending out an email to ask if you are available to attend the session. If I do not receive a response within 10 minutes, you will be charged the late cancellation fee.

    If we run into three consecutive rescheduled or late cancellation meetings, we will need to discuss if the time aligns with your schedule or if you would like a referral.

    Goodness of fit, communication, and consistent meeting times are beneficial to seeing improvements.

  • I highly encourage clients to take necessary time off when they need it. Or if you have an exciting opportunity to move in your profession.

    In those cases, please let me know of an upcoming or scheduled vacation or job interview as early as possible so that you will not be charged.

  • I will make sure that whenever I will be out of town/the country, to let you know 2-4 weeks in advance. There will be coverage by one of my colleagues with their name and contact information if emergency sessions are needed.

    Every quarter (beginning of March, June, September, and December), I will be taking a few days off. Before I take time off in our last session, we will discuss any feedback or check-ins needed.