Rachael Kossy, MA, LPC

Pronouns - she/her

Approach to Therapy:

We interact with the world based on our relationships, vocation, and cultural histories. These combined experiences impact how we connect with other people and our world. As a therapist, I want to guide you in understanding your experiences and how they've shaped you over time. I will support you in looking inward, discovering your needs and values, and improving your connection with the people in your life.

I believe that many mental health struggles are rooted in relational disconnection. I guide clients to build community and deepen relationships - including romantic, platonic, work-based, and familial. Collaboratively, we will shine a light on patterns of managing conflict or reacting to emotions that have developed in response to trauma or stress and get curious about what is working and where there is room for growth. I will empower you to access and utilize self-soothing skills and tools to relieve internal distress. We will work together to create goals that feel right for you.

I draw from psychodynamic, internal family systems, narrative therapy, CBT, and DBT theoretical frameworks. If appropriate, I will bring body-awareness and art-based interventions to the session, especially when you may feel lost for words. Using warmth, humor, and thoughtfulness, I strive to establish a judgment-free space where you feel comfortable processing challenging emotions and stressors. I am committed to being a compassionate witness to the complexities of your story. Examining both the imperfect parts of life and the successes are equally important in the therapeutic process. Together, we will honor the fullness and intricacies of your life experience..

Clinical Interests:

I support adults, couples, and families. My areas of interest include grief and loss, healing after trauma, relationship conflict, family of origin conflict, and life transitions (completing school, getting married or divorced, or changing jobs). I enjoy working with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I have worked with neurodiverse clients exploring safe ways to unmask and present authentically in social settings. I am an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist and actively make space to talk about environmental influences on clients' distress.

I am passionate about helping clients through identity exploration and processing grief after chronic or complex trauma. Trauma can make the world, other humans, and even ourselves feel chaotic and disorienting. It is a privilege to walk with clients as they rediscover their values and learn to find a sense of trust and safety entering new relationships with themselves and others.

I work with couples, other romantic relationship configurations, and friendship relationships to help deepen intimacy, strengthen communication, and manage conflicting needs. The importance of friendships is often overlooked in a culture that prioritizes romantic and familial bonds. When we are young or re-establishing trust after trauma, friendships often become our entry point for deep connection. If you are experiencing stress in an important friendship, I encourage you to consider therapy for this relationship as you might with a romantic partnership.

Education and Training:

I hold a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. With a background in writing and storytelling, I believe the therapeutic process is an opportunity to expand the narratives we tell about ourselves to include our strengths and resilience.

I completed my clinical training in a trauma-focused community mental health center, working with adult clients experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD, and complex trauma. I have experience leading process-based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), psycho-education, and art-oriented groups for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. I am trained in EFT (emotion focused therapy) through the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy. In addition, I’ve worked with men, women, and gender-expansive individuals to foster healthy self-esteem, identify and assert relational needs, and navigate the dating world. I've received sexual assault crisis intervention training through Resilience, a rape crisis counseling center.

Three things I love:

Sharing a meal, moving to the beat, and, journaling before bed.

Rachael can be reached at: rachael@amandaatkinschicago.com