Tina Chen, LPC
Psychotherapist (she/her)
Specialties
Anxiety | Depression | Childhood & Complex Trauma | Relationship Issues | Family of Origin Dynamics | Sexual Abuse | Self-esteem Issues | Perfectionism | Shame | Anger Issues | Cultural Adjustment | Life Transitions
You may feel like you have to hold yourself together so tightly that there is little room to fall apart. You may carry parts of yourself that feel too shameful to be seen, feel trapped in roles you never chose, or move through life under the weight of past trauma and impossible expectations. You may feel weighed down by depression, moving through your days with little energy. Or you may feel caught in anxiety, replaying conversations and anticipating what could go wrong.
In therapy, we slow down to notice how hidden parts of you emerge through your words, intonation, silence, and daydreams. We become curious about the emotional experiences that have lived beneath words. As unspeakable emotions emerge, we begin to understand the unconscious forces that shape how you love, attach, retreat, or defend. We listen for what you truly want beneath those patterns. With greater awareness comes more freedom to choose to live in a way that feels authentic to you.
Many of my clients find themselves carrying feelings of fear, anger, guilt, and shame, which are sometimes underlying anxiety, depression, or relationship challenges. My work often centers on the intertwined experiences of complex trauma, attachment wounds, and family of origin dynamics. I also help clients who struggle with self-esteem, self-doubt, and perfectionism, and work with those who are navigating cultural and life transitions.
My approach is rooted in the belief that making sense of your inner world allows you to move forward with greater clarity. I believe therapy can open a space of possibility, where we explore your story together, so you do not have to do it alone. Therapy can become a place where scattered threads begin to connect. With tears, laughter, reflection, and discovery, we work toward finding the courage to make meaning of past chapters and imagine how you want your story to continue.
As a Chinese immigrant, I resonate with individuals who come from an immigrant background – I understand the experience of feeling caught between two worlds and the process of trying to find oneself within that in-between space. In addition to English, I offer therapy in Mandarin and Cantonese. A wish to start therapy often carries a wish for change, and change is not easy or always comfortable. If you are ready to begin, I would be honored to sit with you in the discomfort, trusting that something new and hopeful can arise.
I accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO plans. I am not in network with HMO, POS, Medicaid, or Medicare plans. If you have a different plan, we will provide you what you will need to seek reimbursement from your insurance.
Education and Training
Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis: Fellowship in Psychoanalysis
Northwestern University: Masters in Counseling
University of Chicago: Bachelor in Psychology & Sociology
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Northwestern University: Emerging Scholar & Teaching Assistant
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis