ABOUT

Jessica Emelia, LCPC

I’ve spent my whole life interested in what makes us work.  After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy, I attended Northwestern University to obtain a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology.  I wanted to develop skills and understanding to help others make changes to their lives.  I spent years working in social services agencies across Chicago, helping the homeless population secure permanent housing as well as stable, reliable health care.  I simultaneously worked evenings as a therapist in private practice, assisting individual clients with a variety of issues.  

In 2018, I opened my own counseling practice in Wicker Park, and have greatly enjoyed my time assisting individuals and couples reach their goals.   Since 2020, I have been offering counseling services exclusively through teletherapy.

I am a fully Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC).  I work with many individual clients on issues related to anxiety, depression, relationships, women’s issues, weight loss, career guidance, substance abuse and recovery, and life changes/decisions (life coaching).  

I also do a great deal of work with couples (married, unmarried, and premarital) on building communication skills, conflict resolution, better understanding each other’s perspective and needs, and increasing relationship intimacy.

In addition to being a counselor, I am also a professional musical and visual artist. My artistic endeavors greatly influence my understanding of human nature and our search for meaning.  My tandem endeavors as a counselor and artist have given me unique insight into building a life that balances both work and creative pursuits, as well as hands-on experience establishing a professional artistic career.  

In this realm, I also offer counseling to artist and creatives who wish to better understand their own challenges and/or further develop their artistic careers.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with a variety of creative people across Chicago: comedians, musicians, visual artists, and writers, among others.  I very much enjoy combining my artistic skills/experience with my counseling work, and am thrilled to bring this unique experience to my clients.    

Finally, I have a great deal of experience working with professionals in Chicago’s financial, legal, and tech industries, and have insight into the unique challenges and rewards of these particular career paths.

My approach

When working with clients, my style draws from many counseling theories.  I will work with you to determine which approaches might be the best fit for your individual needs.  I work thoughtfully to find an approach that feels comfortable, engaging, and appropriate for your areas of strengths and needs.

My training at Northwestern University focused on many therapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and client-centered therapy.  I am also well-versed in reality therapy, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness approaches to counseling.

I very much look forward to working with you.  You will find my counseling style warm, empathic, encouraging, comfortable, supportive, injected with gentle humor, nonjudgmental, and motivating.  I am also very interesting in mindfulness, helping people gain greater self-awareness, and increasing one’s ability to live in the space of the present moment.

specialties

  • Anxiety can take many forms.  Some common forms of anxiety include:

    Panic Attacks - an experience of intense, acute fear that is both mental and physical in nature, that often happens at seemingly random moments.  Sufferers may feel an extreme tightness or constriction in their body, may feel they can’t breathe, may worry the panic won’t end, or may even fear they are having a heart attack.

    Generalized anxiety - a general, pervasive sense of worry or anxiety which permeates your daily functioning, getting in the way of going about and enjoying your daily life.

    Intrusive thoughts - repetitive, even obsessive thoughts outside of your control which cause great fear/distress, and may even cause you to avoid certain situations or behaviors. Some common examples of intrusive thinking include: fearing you may harm someone, fearing you’ll get fired, fearing there is something medically wrong with you, fearing something bad may happen to you or a loved one, revisiting old memories/conversations and playing them over and over in your mind. These are just a few examples of intrusive thinking which can negatively impact your day-to-day life.

    Anxiety is a highly common experience in today’s stress-filled world.  I have specialized for years in helping clients better understand their anxiety and find the right tools to help manage anxiety symptoms.  If you would like to address your anxiety and learn tools to manage it better, please visit my contact page to schedule an appointment.

  • You may be at a point in your life where you’re beginning to question your relationship with alcohol. We will work together better understand this relationship, identify patterns or triggers to problematic use, and work on goals supporting a healthier relationship.

  • Whether you are married, in a partnership, or considering taking your relationship to the next level, issues can arise in even the healthiest of relationships.  Common relationship issues include:

    • Communication issues

    • Difficulty working through conflict

    • Recurring issues (disagreements you have over and over again)

    • Being uncertain what a”healthy relationship” really means, and how yours measures up

    • Affairs (physical and/or emotional)

    • Issues with other family members

    • Substance abuse/dependency issues

    • Deciding whether to move the relationship forward

    • Considering whether to have children

    • Transitioning into life with a new baby

    I have worked for years helping couples develop and improve communication/conflict resolution skills, work through affairs, identify whether to move the relationship forward, and manage life transitions.  I am careful to consider each person’s perspective and experience, and will work with you to find a healthy dynamic that is unique to your own relationship and personalities.

    If you and your partner are interested in couples counseling, please visit the contact page to schedule an appointment.

  • As a professional musician and artist myself, I understand very well the ups and downs of the creative path. The creative journey is both internal and external - finding your voice, dealing with doubt, and developing your artistic skills, as well as navigating the challenges of building an artistic career (while probably having a day job too).

    We will work together to support your journey as you navigate life as an artist.

  • Over time, probably due to my old office location, I have found myself working frequently with individuals in both the legal and tech fields.

    While my practice is by no means limited to these populations, I have gained a great deal of insight in the challenges and rewards of the legal and tech industries, and enjoy helping professionals navigate the particularities of these career paths.